Patent US3572436A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3572436A
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Method for recovering petroleum
Assignee: FREDERICK W RIEHL
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Filing: 1969-01-17
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Granted: 1971-03-30
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Expires: 1989-01-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for recovering petroleum in the secondary or in the partially depleted primary recovery stages comprises the introduction of high pressure, high temperature superheated steam into the peripheral zone of a dome type formation, the steam being introduced through substantially equally spaced wells about the periphery of the formation. The steam is introduced until the entire formation has been heated to a predetermined temperature range, the viscosity of the petroleum is reduced and the petroleum flows downwardly toward the peripheral or bottom zone of the formation. Steam is introduced continuously to make up losses during the period of production and steam pressure and temperature are maintained until production is complete. The major loss of heat is that resulting from the removal of petroleum from the formation and control of the predetermined temperature range is effected by maintaining a heat balance, steam being added as required to supply all losses during production.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederick W Riehl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:35
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir as set forth in claim 1 including maintaining a heat balance between the steam admitted to the formation and the heat removed therefrom with the produced petroleum, whereby substantially the entire void containing structure of the reservoir formation is continuously maintained filled with superheated steam.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
176 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation which comprises providing cased wells extending into the periphery of the formation at substantially equal intervals about the periphery and extending down Into a zone adjacent the bottom of the reservoir, providing a pump for each well adjacent the bottom of the formation and a production tubing for delivering petroleum from the pump to the surface, producing superheated steam at high temperature and high pressure, providing a discharge outlet in the wall of the casing of each well in the part of each respective casing which lies within the formation and directing the outlets toward the central zone of the formation; and delivering the high temperature steam through the casings of the wells and through the outlets into the formation and continuing the introduction of steam to heat the formation until the entire formation has been heated to a temperature substantially above the dew point of water vapor, and thereby conditioning the petroleum liquids to low viscosity for free flow toward the bottom of the reservoir.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir as set forth in claim 3 wherein said discharge outlets are provided in the upper portion of the parts of the casings lying with in the formation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of generating said superheated steam in large quantities at pressures of the order of at least 1,000 lbs. per square inch gauge and at temperatures of the order of 800* F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 wherein said formation comprises an oil bearing sand, and wherein said superheated steam is admitted to said formation at temperatures sufficiently high to heat the particles of sand of the formation sufficiently that they constitute heat radiating bodies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of utilizing the heat of the steam flowing through each of the casings of the wells for heating liquid petroleum delivered by the pump through the production tubing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 wherein the superheated steam is delivered continuously at temperatures sufficiently high for preventing the condensation of water vapor in the formation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of maintaining the pressure and temperature of the steam introduced into the formation sufficiently high to vaporize water present in the formation and to force water present at the periphery of the formation back down through the formation out of the portions of the formation containing petroleum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 wherein the delivery of steam through the wells is initiated in groups of said wells spaced at substantially equal intervals about the periphery of the formation and after substantial heating of the formation adjacent the first groups of wells is extended to other wells until the steam is supplied to all of said wells.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 10 wherein the steam is supplied to the wells of each group for a period of the order of one day before the supply of steam is started to the wells of the other groups.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir as set forth in claim 3 including locating the respective production tubing within the casing of each well.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the positioning of a steam generating means on the surface near the center of the reservoir for producing said superheated steam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 13 including the steps of distributing said superheated steam from the generating means radially to a Plurality of positions near the edge of the field and providing a respective branch steam distributing line to each of the wells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 14 including the step of connecting the radial supply positions to provide steam loops and connecting the branch steam lines in groups to respective ones of the loops.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 13 wherein the steam generating means operates on 100 percent makeup water and wherein no water is returned to the steam generating means from the formation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of utilizing the pressure of the steam for facilitating the removal of petroleum from the wells during operation of the pumps.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of injecting steam through said openings in jets toward the central zone of the formation and at high velocity whereby the energy of the steam bores a passageway for a substantial distance into the formation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of producing petroleum producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the heating of the entire formation to a temperature of the order of that of the steam discharged into the formation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 19 including maintaining throughout the operation of the pumps to produce petroleum a heat balance between the heat input of the injected steam and the heat output with the produced petroleum and losses of heat elsewhere from the formation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the providing of a well bore centrally of the formation and extending to the top portion of the dome structure, utilizing the bore for access to the formation to test the progress of the injection steam into the central zone of the formation and for extracting volatile petroleum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of producing petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation as set forth in claim 3 including the step of introducing the steam into three of more of adjacent ones of said wells whereby the steam from each well having adjacent wells on both sides extends generally radially toward the center of the reservoir through a generally pie-shaped segment of the formation and liquid petroleum flows generally radially toward the wells.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
409 words
The method of recovering petroleum from a dome-type reservoir formation which comprises: providing cased wells extending into the periphery of the formation at substantially equal intervals about the periphery and extending down into a zone adjacent the bottom of the reservoir, providing pumps for removing liquid from each well adjacent the bottom of the formation and a production tubing for delivering petroleum from the pump to the surface, producing superheated steam at high temperature and high pressure, providing a discharge outlet in the wall of the casing of each well and directing each outlet toward the central zone of the formation, delivering the high temperature high pressure superheated steam through the casing of the wells and through the outlets into the formation in high velocity jets directed from the periphery toward the center of the formation, providing a test well extending into the formation in the central zone thereof and entering the formation in the upper portion of the dome for removing gaseous fluids from the formation, testing gases removed from the formation to determine the progress of the heating of the formation by the superheated steam and controlling admission of steam to the peripheral zone of the formation in accordance with the condition of the gaseous fluids removed from tHe test well, continuing the introduction of steam to heat the formation and fill and maintain filled substantially the entire void containing structure of the formation with steam at temperatures substantially above the dew point of water vapor in the formation, while continuing the introduction of superheated steam allowing the petroleum liquids in the formation heated by the steam for flow by gravity into the peripheral zone of the formation to form a reservoir of liquid, at the end of a period sufficiently long to assure the presence of superheated steam throughout the void containing structure of the formation operating the pumps to remove liquid petroleum through the production tubing, stopping the operation of each pump whenever the level of petroleum adjacent the respective pump reaches a predetermined minimum and starting the pump again when the adjacent level of petroleum has been increased to a predetermined height; and continuing the operation of the pumps in accordance with the levels of the liquid petroleum in the periphery of the formation and continuing the admission of superheated steam to maintain the void structure including newly produced voids filled therewith until substantially all of the petroleum in the formation has been removed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 23 including the step of maintaining throughout the period of production of petroleum from the formation a full heat balance whereby the heat lost and that removed with the produced petroleum is made up by the continued introduction of superheated steam and the void structure of the formation including newly produced voids is maintained filled with superheated steam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-29 | 1974-09-28 | 1975-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-29 | 1978-09-28 | 1979-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-29 | 1982-09-28 | 1983-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |