US 12,466,747 B2
Methods of recovering barium from produced water to remove sulfates in seawater for oilfield applications
Jian Hou, Beijing (CN); Tianpiang Huang, Beijing (CN); Fahd Ibrahim Alghunaimi, Dhahran (SA); and Norah W. Aljuryyed, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Appl. No. 18/709,769
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
PCT Filed Mar. 29, 2023, PCT No. PCT/CN2023/084685
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 13, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2024/197637, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 3, 2024.
Prior Publication US 2025/0128971 A1, Apr. 24, 2025
Int. Cl. C02F 1/52 (2023.01); B01J 20/16 (2006.01); B01J 20/28 (2006.01); C02F 1/28 (2023.01); C02F 1/66 (2023.01); C02F 101/10 (2006.01); C02F 103/08 (2006.01); C02F 103/10 (2006.01); E21B 21/06 (2006.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 1/5236 (2013.01) [B01J 20/16 (2013.01); B01J 20/28004 (2013.01); B01J 20/28007 (2013.01); C02F 1/281 (2013.01); C02F 1/66 (2013.01); E21B 43/26 (2013.01); C02F 2101/101 (2013.01); C02F 2103/08 (2013.01); C02F 2103/10 (2013.01); C02F 2303/16 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of removing sulfates from seawater, the method comprising:
immersing a barium adsorbent in produced water combined with an alkaline agent selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaHCO3, and combinations thereof, wherein the produced water comprises barium ions and has a pH ranging from 7 to 10;
adsorbing the barium ions from the produced water on the barium adsorbent thereby forming adsorbed barium ions;
mixing the barium adsorbent comprising the adsorbed barium ions in an acidic solution such that the adsorbed barium ions are released from the barium adsorbent to provide an acidic solution containing barium ions; and
combining the acidic solution containing barium ions with seawater to precipitate the sulfate as barium sulfate (BaSO4).