Wells – Processes – Using microorganisms
Patent
1992-06-02
1994-04-05
Suchfield, George A.
Wells
Processes
Using microorganisms
166273, 1663051, 405 53, 405128, 210747, 210901, E21B 4320, E21B 4322
Patent
active
052996387
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention is an improved process for injecting and transporting particles, especially microorganisms, in a porous natural medium.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The so-called primary and secondary techniques for recovering oil, when used efficiently, lead to the extraction of not more than 35% to 40% of the crude oil contained in a reservoir. The so-called tertiary improved recovery techniques consist in extracting all or part of this residual oil especially by flushing the zone with water with the aim, either of modifying the properties of the oil in situ, or of modifying the properties of the water used for flushing, by increasing its viscosity via the addition of water-soluble organic polymers, or by reducing the phenomena of repulsion between the water and the oil via the addition of surfactants.
Another known technique, which is different in concept and application, is the closing-off of the high-permeability zones of the reservoir which are very damaging to the oil production, using high-viscosity polymers obtained, where appropriate, by cross-linkages.
The polymer compounds or surfactants used in these various types of process may be either synthetic (produced chemically) or natural (for example produced microbiologically using microorganisms, especially bacteria, which are capable of converting, via metabolism, suitable carbon substrates such as sugars or hydrocarbons).
These processes and compounds are for example described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,326 which relates to an assisted recovery process in which an aqueous flushing medium is used which comprises a viscosity-promoting agent produced by bacterial culture, the mixture of viscosity-promoting agent, bacteria and cultural medium being introduced into the flushing medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,181 describes a similar process, specifying the important role played by an anionic surfactant in the formation of the viscosity-promoting agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,934 describes a process for closing up permeable formations using various synthetic polymers such as polyacrylamides, cellulose derivatives and water-soluble gums.
European Patent Application No. 073 612 illustrates the use of mixtures of the biopolymer xanthan- and polyglycol-type surfactants for controlling the mobility of the solution.
Furthermore, consideration has already been given to the production in situ, inside the formation, of the biosurfactant or biopolymeric products required for the specific application considered, by injecting the microorganisms, the appropriate substrate and their nutritive elements into this formation. Such processes are described in particular in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,930 and 4,522,261.
The success of the production in situ naturally depends on the selection of the appropriate strains capable of developing inside the formation environment, but also on the ability to enable the microorganism to reach its destination, that is to say the formation to be treated, without being blocked, along the long distance to be covered, in a low-permeability zone or without the microorganism meeting a growth-stimulating substrate en route which brings about its multiplication and/or the production of compounds creating a plug which can for example bring about the closing-up of the injection wells.
The success of such a process therefore depends substantially on the quality of the cell migration within the porous media which exhibit large variations in porosity and permeability. This major difficulty certainly explains why this type of process has rarely been used by the oil industry and is used essentially as an ultimate course of action when the well is intended to be closed down eventually.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage by proposing means which promote the transit of particulate suspensions, especially bacterial suspensions, through porous natural media.
These means for transporting particulate suspensions, especially bacterial suspensions, in porous media, have been
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Cheneviere Pascal
De Farcy De Malnoe Jacques-Philippe
Putz Antide
Sardin Michel
Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine
Suchfield George A.
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