US3827243A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for recovering geothermal energy
Assignee: Texaco Development Corp
•
Filing: 1972-09-01
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Granted: 1974-08-06
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Expires: 1992-09-01
Abstract
Abstract A method of heating a fluid which can be, for example, molten sodium, in a dry geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well comprising injecting the said fluid into the formation via the injection well, forcing the fluid through the formation with simultaneous heating and finally recovering the heated fluid via the production well. Utilizing heat exchangers at the surface, the heated fluid may be employed to supply process heating requirements for steam making, preheating of refinery streams such as crude oil feed to distillation units, salt evaporation, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 P Paull
- 👤 P Kerr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:21
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; F; F03; F03G; F03G4/00; F03G4/074; F24; F24T; F24T10/00; F24T10/20; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well and wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well and wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is selected from the group consisting of: I. low-melting metals in the liquid state, II. organic liquids, and III. gases.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is a low-melting metal in the liquid state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is an organic liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the said organic liquid is crude oil.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is a gas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is low-melting metal in the liquid state, selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium and mercury.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the said low-melting metal is sodium.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein prior to step (a) the formation in the said injection well is hydraulically fractured.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein prior to step (a) the formation in the said injection well is hydraulically fractured.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein prior to step (a) the formation in both the said injection well and in the said production well is hydraulically fractured.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein prior to step (a) the formation in both the said injection well and in the said production well is hydraulically fractured.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10 wherein pior to step (a) the formation in both the said injection well and in the said production well is hydraulically fractured using a fracturing fluid containing a propping agent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the formation in both the injection well and in the production well is hydraulically fractured and wherein a plugging solution is forced into the formation to seal off the formation at the boundaries of the fractured zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation via the said injection well is about 0* to about 550*F.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the said formation varies from about 250* to about 900*F.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the said formation is about 400 to about 700*F.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the heated fluid recovered from the said production well is about 200* to about 600*F.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well is electrolessly metal plated prior to step (a) thereby forming a permeable, consolidated formation which is thermally stable.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well is electrolessly metal plated prior to step (a) thereby forming a permeable, consolidated formation which is thermally stable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well is electrolessly nickel plated prior to step (a) thereby foRming a permeable, consolidated formation which is thermally stable.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well and of the production well is electrolessly metal plated prior to step (a) thereby forming a permeable, consolidated formation in the injection well and in the production well which is thermally stable.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of heating a fluid in a dry, geothermal reservoir formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well which comprises: a. introducing a non-aqueous fluid into the formation through the said injection well, b. forcing the said non-aqueous fluid through the said formation thereby heating the said fluid, c. recovering the said heated fluid through the said production well, wherein the temperature of the said dry, geothermal reservoir formation is substantially above the temperature of the fluid introduced into the formation in step (a), and wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well and of the production well is electrolessly metal plated prior to step (a) thereby forming a permeable, consolidated formation in the injection well and in the production well which is thermally stable.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the formation in the vicinity of the well bore of the injection well and of the production well is electrolessly nickel plated prior to step (a) thereby forming a permeable, consolidated formation in the injection well and in the production well which is thermally stable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heated fluid recovered through the said production well is passed through a heat exchange zone wherein a second fluid is heated.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heated fluid recovered through said production well is passed through a heat exchange zone wherein water is heated to form steam.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the said non-aqueous fluid is mercury.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US3294167A
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US3379248A
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US3640336A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-05 | 1978-02-04 | 1978-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-05 | 1982-02-04 | 1982-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-05 | 1986-02-04 | 1986-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |