Wells – Processes – Heating – cooling or insulating
Reexamination Certificate
2007-01-23
2009-10-20
Bates, Zakiya W (Department: 3676)
Wells
Processes
Heating, cooling or insulating
C166S057000, C166S280100, C166S059000, C166S060000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07604054
ABSTRACT:
The present invention involves a method and apparatus for enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by convective heating of the oil sand formation and the heavy oil and bitumen in situ by a downhole electric heater. Multiple propped vertical hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation and filled with a diluent. The heater and downhole pump force thermal convective flow of the heated diluent to flow upward and outward into the propped fractures and circulating back down and back towards the well bore heating the oil sands and in situ bitumen on the vertical faces of the propped fractures. The diluent now mixed with produced products from the oil sand re-enters the bottom of the well bore and passes over the heater element and is reheated to continue to flow in the convective cell. Thus the heating and diluting of the in place bitumen occurs predominantly circumferentially, i.e. orthogonal to the propped fracture, by diffusion from the propped vertical fracture faces progressing at a nearly uniform rate into the oil sand deposit. In situ hydrogenation and thermal cracking of the in place bitumen can provide a higher grade produced product. The heated low viscosity oil is produced through the well bore at the completion of the active heating phase of the process.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1789993 (1931-01-01), Switzer
patent: 2178554 (1939-11-01), Bowie
patent: 2548360 (1951-04-01), Germain
patent: 2634961 (1953-04-01), Ljungström
patent: 2732195 (1956-01-01), Ljungström
patent: 2780450 (1957-02-01), Ljungström
patent: 3059909 (1962-10-01), Wise
patent: 3062282 (1962-11-01), Schleicher
patent: 3225828 (1965-12-01), Wisenbaker
patent: 3301723 (1967-01-01), Chrisp
patent: 3349847 (1967-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 3739852 (1973-06-01), Woods et al.
patent: 3888312 (1975-06-01), Tiner et al.
patent: 3994340 (1976-11-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 4085803 (1978-04-01), Butler
patent: 4099570 (1978-07-01), Vandergrift
patent: 4116275 (1978-09-01), Butler et al.
patent: 4119151 (1978-10-01), Smith
patent: 4271696 (1981-06-01), Wood
patent: 4280559 (1981-07-01), Best
patent: 4344485 (1982-08-01), Butler
patent: 4418752 (1983-12-01), Boyer et al.
patent: 4450913 (1984-05-01), Allen et al.
patent: 4454916 (1984-06-01), Shu
patent: 4474237 (1984-10-01), Shu
patent: 4513819 (1985-04-01), Islip et al.
patent: 4519454 (1985-05-01), McMillen
patent: 4566536 (1986-01-01), Holmes
patent: 4597441 (1986-07-01), Ware et al.
patent: 4598770 (1986-07-01), Shu et al.
patent: 4625800 (1986-12-01), Venkatesan
patent: 4696345 (1987-09-01), Hsueh
patent: 4697642 (1987-10-01), Vogel
patent: 4706751 (1987-11-01), Gondouin
patent: 4716960 (1988-01-01), Eastlund et al.
patent: 4926941 (1990-05-01), Glandt et al.
patent: 4993490 (1991-02-01), Stephens et al.
patent: 5002431 (1991-03-01), Heymans
patent: 5046559 (1991-09-01), Glandt
patent: 5054551 (1991-10-01), Duerksen
patent: 5060287 (1991-10-01), Van Egmond
patent: 5060726 (1991-10-01), Glandt et al.
patent: 5065818 (1991-11-01), Van Egmond
patent: 5103911 (1992-04-01), Heijnen
patent: 5145003 (1992-09-01), Duerksen
patent: 5211230 (1993-05-01), Ostapovich et al.
patent: 5215146 (1993-06-01), Sanchez
patent: 5255742 (1993-10-01), Mikus
patent: 5273111 (1993-12-01), Brannan et al.
patent: 5297626 (1994-03-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 5335724 (1994-08-01), Venditto
patent: 5339897 (1994-08-01), Leaute
patent: 5372195 (1994-12-01), Swanson
patent: 5392854 (1995-02-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 5404952 (1995-04-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 5407009 (1995-04-01), Butler et al.
patent: 5431224 (1995-07-01), Laali
patent: 5472049 (1995-12-01), Chaffee
patent: 5556832 (1996-09-01), Van Slyke
patent: 5607016 (1997-03-01), Butler
patent: 5626191 (1997-05-01), Greaves et al.
patent: 5824214 (1998-10-01), Paul et al.
patent: 5862858 (1999-01-01), Wellington et al.
patent: 5871637 (1999-02-01), Brons
patent: 5899269 (1999-05-01), Wellington et al.
patent: 5899274 (1999-05-01), Frauenfeld et al.
patent: 5954946 (1999-09-01), Klazinga et al.
patent: 6023554 (2000-02-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 6056057 (2000-05-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 6076046 (2000-06-01), Vasudevan
patent: 6079499 (2000-06-01), Mikus et al.
patent: 6216783 (2001-04-01), Hocking et al.
patent: 6318464 (2001-11-01), Mokrys
patent: 6360819 (2002-03-01), Vinegar
patent: 6372678 (2002-04-01), Youngman et al.
patent: 6412557 (2002-07-01), Ayasse et al.
patent: 6443227 (2002-09-01), Hocking et al.
patent: 6591908 (2003-07-01), Nasr
patent: 6708759 (2004-03-01), Leaute et al.
patent: 6722431 (2004-04-01), Karanikas et al.
patent: 6769486 (2004-08-01), Lim et al.
patent: 6883607 (2005-04-01), Nenniger et al.
patent: 6991037 (2006-01-01), Hocking
patent: 2005/0145387 (2005-07-01), Hocking
Bates Zakiya W
DiTrani Angela M
GeoSierra LLC
Smith Gambrell & Russell
LandOfFree
Enhanced hydrocarbon recovery by convective heating of oil... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Enhanced hydrocarbon recovery by convective heating of oil..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Enhanced hydrocarbon recovery by convective heating of oil... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-4138287