US3905422A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for recovering viscous petroleum
Assignee: Texaco Inc
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Filing: 1974-09-23
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Granted: 1975-09-16
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Expires: 1994-09-23
Abstract
Abstract The efficiency of an oil recovery process, being applied to a subterranean, viscous petroleum containing formation such as a tar sand deposit involving the injection of a thermal recovery fluid such as steam, heated air or hot water into an injection well to mobilize and displace petroleum toward a production well is improved by drilling a series of secondary injection wells or pressurization wells around the production wells. Unheated air is injected into the secondary injection wells at a pressure from about 10% to about 90% and preferably around 50% of the pressure at which the thermal recovery fluid is being injected into the central injection wells. A pressure gradient is maintained around the production wells which confines the mobilized petroleum and the thermal recovery fluid to the intended pattern. A low temperature oxidation reaction also occurs as a consequence of the unheated air injection which pretreats petroleum in the formation between the air pressurization wells and the production wells so that the next phase of oil recovery is improved.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles D Woodward
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:59
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/243; E21B43/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
IN A METHOD FOR RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM A SUBTERRANEAN PETROLEUM CONTAINING FORMATION PENETRATED BY AT LEAST ONE INJECTION WELL AND BY AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL, OF THE TYPE WHEREIN THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID IS INTRODUCED INTO THE INJECTION WELL AND PETROLEUM IS REMOVED FROM THE REMOTELY LOCATED PRODUCTION WELL, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT FOR INCREACING THE CAPTURE EFFICIENCY OF THE OIL RECOVERY OPERATION AND FOR PRETREATING A PORTION FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE OIL RECOVERY METHOD COMPRISES: A. COMPLETELY AT LEAST ONE GAS PRESSURIZATION WELL IN THE FORMATION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PRODUCTION WELL FROM THE THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID INJECTION WELL, B. INTRODUCING A GASEOUS MATERIAL INTO THE PRESSURIZATION WELL AT A PRESSURE LESS THAN THE PRESSURE AT WHICH THE THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID IS INTRODUCED INTO THE INJECTION WELL FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRETREATING THE FORMATION PETROLEUM AND CREATING A PRESSURE GRADIENT AROUND THE ADDITIONAL WELL WHICH SERVES TO CONFINE THE INJECTED FLUID IN MOBILIZED PERTOLEUM, AND C. RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM THE PRODUCTION WELL,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
IN A METHOD FOR RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM A SUBTERRANEAN PETROLEUM CONTAINING FORMATION PENETRATED BY AT LEAST ONE INJECTION WELL AND BY AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL, OF THE TYPE WHEREIN THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID IS INTRODUCED INTO THE INJECTION WELL AND PETROLEUM IS REMOVED FROM THE REMOTELY LOCATED PRODUCTION WELL, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT FOR INCREACING THE CAPTURE EFFICIENCY OF THE OIL RECOVERY OPERATION AND FOR PRETREATING A PORTION FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE OIL RECOVERY METHOD COMPRISES: A. COMPLETELY AT LEAST ONE GAS PRESSURIZATION WELL IN THE FORMATION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PRODUCTION WELL FROM THE THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID INJECTION WELL, B. INTRODUCING A GASEOUS MATERIAL INTO THE PRESSURIZATION WELL AT A PRESSURE LESS THAN THE PRESSURE AT WHICH THE THERMAL RECOVERY FLUID IS INTRODUCED INTO THE INJECTION WELL FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRETREATING THE FORMATION PETROLEUM AND CREATING A PRESSURE GRADIENT AROUND THE ADDITIONAL WELL WHICH SERVES TO CONFINE THE INJECTED FLUID IN MOBILIZED PERTOLEUM, AND C. RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM THE PRODUCTION WELL,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the fluid injection into the pressurization well is air.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the gaseous material is below 400*F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the gaseous material is below 200*F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pressure at which the gaseous material is injected into the pressurization well is from about 10% to about 90% of the pressure at which the thermal recovery fluid is injected into the injection well.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the thermal recovery fluid is steam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the thermal recovery fluid is heated air.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the thermal recovery fluid is a mixture of air and steam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of production wells are drilled around at least one centrally located injection well, and a plurality of pressurization wells are drilled around the pattern defined by the production wells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the pressurization wells are later converted to production wells after the oil mobilizing fluid has broken through into the production wells.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of recovering bitumen from a tar sand deposit comprising a. penetrating the tar sand deposit with at least one injection well; b. penetrating the tar sand deposit with a plurality of production wells equally spaced around the injection well; c. penetrating the formation with a plurality of air pressurization wells located at a greater distance from the injection wells than the production wells; d. introducing a thermal recovery fluid into the injection well; e. recovering petroleum from the production wells; and f. injecting air into the outer pressurization wells at a pressure between about 10% and about 90% of the pressure at which the thermal recovery fluid is injected into the central injection well and at a temperature below 400*F.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of recovering bitumen from a tar sand deposit comprising a. penetrating the tar sand deposit with at least one injection well; b. penetrating the tar sand deposit with a plurality of production wells equally spaced around the injection well; c. penetrating the formation with a plurality of air pressurization wells located at a greater distance from the injection wells than the production wells; d. introducing a thermal recovery fluid into the injection well; e. recovering petroleum from the production wells; and f. injecting air into the outer pressurization wells at a pressure between about 10% and about 90% of the pressure at which the thermal recovery fluid is injected into the central injection well and at a temperature below 400*F.
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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) | 1978-09-15 | 1979-03-17 | 1979-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-15 | 1983-03-17 | 1983-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-03-17 | 1987-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |