Wells – Processes – Distinct – separate injection and producing wells
Patent
1975-10-31
1976-10-05
Novosad, Stephen J.
Wells
Processes
Distinct, separate injection and producing wells
166272, 166273, E21B 4316, E21B 4322, E21B 4324
Patent
active
039839397
ABSTRACT:
Recovery of viscous petroleum from thick formations is especially difficult because thermal fluids or solvents needed to mobilize the viscous petroleum tend to channel through high permeability streaks in the formation, thereby bypassing large portions of the petroleum saturated formation. By forming or ensuring that there are naturally occurring high permeability strata in the upper portion and in the lower portion of the petroleum formation, and establishing separate communication means between the surface of the earth and the upper and lower high permeability strata, effective downward displacement may be achieved. A heated fluid such as steam is injected into one well in fluid communication with the lower high permeability strata to pass horizontally through the high permeability strata to another well which is also in fluid communication with the lower high permeability strata, sufficient to heat the lower high permeability zone to a temperature substantially above the ambient temperature of the formation. A solvent having a boiling point intermediate between the ambient temperature of the formation and the temperature to which the communication path is heated is injected into the heated communication path. The solvent vaporizes and moves up into the formation immediately thereabove to dissolve into the viscous petroleum. A gaseous substance is then injected into the upper high permeability strata to increase the pressure therein sufficiently to displace the mixture of viscous petroleum and solvent downward into the lower high permeability strata, wherein it is displaced horizontally to a remotely located well for recovery to the surface of the earth.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2725106 (1955-11-01), Spearow
patent: 2859818 (1958-11-01), Hall et al.
patent: 2910123 (1959-10-01), Elkins et al.
patent: 3040809 (1962-06-01), Pelzer
patent: 3118499 (1964-01-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 3358759 (1967-12-01), Parker
patent: 3441083 (1969-04-01), Fitzgerald
patent: 3565174 (1971-02-01), Parker et al.
patent: 3608638 (1971-09-01), Terwilliger
patent: 3838738 (1974-10-01), Redford et al.
patent: 3908762 (1975-09-01), Redford
Brown Alfred
Park Jack H.
Wu Ching H.
Novosad Stephen J.
Park Jack H.
Ries Carl G.
Suckfield George A.
Texaco Inc.
LandOfFree
Method for recovering viscous petroleum does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for recovering viscous petroleum, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for recovering viscous petroleum will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-650243