US3913672A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for establishing communication path in viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sands for oil recovery operations
Assignee: Texaco Inc
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Filing: 1973-10-15
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Granted: 1975-10-21
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Expires: 1993-10-15
Abstract
Abstract Many oil recovery techniques for viscous oil recovery including steam injection and in situ combustion require establishment of a high permeability fluid flow path in the formation. The method of the present invention comprises forming an initial entry zone into the formation by means such as hydraulic fracturing and propping, or utilizing high permeability streaks naturally occurring within the formation, and injecting into the propped fracture zone or high permeability streak a solvent for the petroleum contained in the formation, said solvent being saturated with a gas or containing appreciable quantities of gas dissolved therein. The solvent-gas solution is injected into the formation at a pressure up to a value equal in pounds per square inch to the overburden thickness in feet, until the formation in the exposed area has been pressurized to the desired pressure and thereafter terminating injection and producing the gas and solvent-bitumen mixture by solution gas pressure depletion. The operation may be repeated through several cycles in order to enlarge the flow channel, and in the instance of a multi-well throughput operation adjacent injection and production wells are both treated in a cyclical fashion until communication between injection wells and production wells is established. Suitable solvents include aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylene as well as carbon disulfide. Suitable gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen and air.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Columbus Allen
- 👤 David Arthur Redford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:24
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/17; C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/592; C09K8/594; E21B43/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
IN A METHOD OF RECOVERING VISCOUS PETROLEUM INCLUDING BITUMEN FROM A SUBTERRANEAN, VISCOUS PETROLEUM-CONTAINING FORMATION INCLUDING A TAR SAND DEPOSIT, SAID FORMATION BEING PENETRATED BY AT LEAST ONE INJECTION WELL AND BY AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL, SAID METHOD BEING OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A FLUID IS INJECTED INTO THE WELL FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE MOBILITY OF THE VISCOUS PETROLEUM CONTAINED IN THE FORMATION, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR CREATING A PERMEABLE, FLUID COMMUNICATION PATH BETWEEN THE INJECTION WELL AND PRODUCTION WELL WHICH COMPRISES, A. FRACTURING THE FORMATION ADJACENT TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE WELLS BY HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND INJECTING INTO THE FRACTURED ZONE A PROPPING AGENT TO ESTABLISH A PERMEABLE, PROPPED FRACTURE ZONE EXTENDING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WAY INTO THE TAR SAND DEPOSIT TOWARD THE OTHER WELL, B. INJECTING INTO THE PROPPED FRACTURED ZONE VIA THE WELL ADJACENT THERETO, A SOLVENT FOR THE FORMATION PETROLEUM SELECTED FOM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS, CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY UNREACTIVE WITH AND INSOLUBLE IN WATER, CARBON DISULFIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID SOLVENT HAVING DISSOLVED THEREIN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF GAS AT A PRESELECTED PRESSURE, C. TERMINATING INJECTION OF THE GAS-CONTAINING SOLVENT AFTER THE INJECTION PRESSURE HAS REACHED A PRESELECTED VALUE, AND D. REDUCING THE PRESSURE IN THE WELL ADJACENT TO THE PROPPED FRACTURE ZONE INTO WHICH THE GAS-CONTAINING SOLVENT HAS BEEN INJECTED, TO PERMIT THE FLOW OF SOLVENT, PETROLEUM AND GAS INTO THE WELL AND TO THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
IN A METHOD OF RECOVERING VISCOUS PETROLEUM INCLUDING BITUMEN FROM A SUBTERRANEAN, VISCOUS PETROLEUM-CONTAINING FORMATION INCLUDING A TAR SAND DEPOSIT, SAID FORMATION BEING PENETRATED BY AT LEAST ONE INJECTION WELL AND BY AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL, SAID METHOD BEING OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A FLUID IS INJECTED INTO THE WELL FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE MOBILITY OF THE VISCOUS PETROLEUM CONTAINED IN THE FORMATION, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR CREATING A PERMEABLE, FLUID COMMUNICATION PATH BETWEEN THE INJECTION WELL AND PRODUCTION WELL WHICH COMPRISES, A. FRACTURING THE FORMATION ADJACENT TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE WELLS BY HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND INJECTING INTO THE FRACTURED ZONE A PROPPING AGENT TO ESTABLISH A PERMEABLE, PROPPED FRACTURE ZONE EXTENDING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WAY INTO THE TAR SAND DEPOSIT TOWARD THE OTHER WELL, B. INJECTING INTO THE PROPPED FRACTURED ZONE VIA THE WELL ADJACENT THERETO, A SOLVENT FOR THE FORMATION PETROLEUM SELECTED FOM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS, CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY UNREACTIVE WITH AND INSOLUBLE IN WATER, CARBON DISULFIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID SOLVENT HAVING DISSOLVED THEREIN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF GAS AT A PRESELECTED PRESSURE, C. TERMINATING INJECTION OF THE GAS-CONTAINING SOLVENT AFTER THE INJECTION PRESSURE HAS REACHED A PRESELECTED VALUE, AND D. REDUCING THE PRESSURE IN THE WELL ADJACENT TO THE PROPPED FRACTURE ZONE INTO WHICH THE GAS-CONTAINING SOLVENT HAS BEEN INJECTED, TO PERMIT THE FLOW OF SOLVENT, PETROLEUM AND GAS INTO THE WELL AND TO THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said solvent is saturated with respect to said gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein repetitive cycles of injecting gas-containing solvent and permitting production thereof by solution gas drive are performed to enlarge the permeable propped fracture zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein repetitive cycles are performed alternating between the injection well and the production well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the repetitive cycles of injecting gas-containing solvent and production thereof by solution gas drive are continued until communication between wells is established.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein gas-containing solvent is injected into injection and production wells simultaneously.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein production of bitumen and gas-containing solvent by solution gas drive occurs simultaneously from the injection well and production well.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pressure at which gas is dissolved in the solvent is equal to a value in the range from the pressure originally present in the formation to a value in pounds per square inch numerically equal to the thickness of the overburden above the formation measured in feet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pressure at which the gas-containing solvent is injected into the formation equal to a value between the original formation pressure and a value in pounds per square inch numerically equal to the thickness of the overburden in feet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the solvent is carbon disulfide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aromatic hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent is benzene.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent is toluene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent is xylene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the solvent is carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, air, nitrogen, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the gas is carbon dioxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the gas is methane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the gas is a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the gas is nitrogen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the gas is air.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the recovery fluid injected into the communication path is steam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the recovery fluid injected into the communication path is a mixture of steam and an alkaline material including sodium hydroxide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a method of recovering petroleum from subterranean viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, both wells being in fluid communication with the subterranean petroleum-containing formation, of the type wherein a recovery fluiD is introduced into the formation for the purpose of increasing the mobility of the petroleum, said formation containing at least one zone having a permeability substantially greater than the balance of the subterranean petroleum-containing formation, comprising; a. identifying the high permeability zone of the subterranean petroleum-containing formation; b. injecting into the high permeability zone a solvent for the petroleum contained in the formation, selected from the group consisting of moncyclic aromatic compounds including benzene, toluene and xylene, carbon tetrachloride, halogenated hydrocarbons which are essentially unreactive with and insoluble in water, carbon disulfide and mixtures thereof, said solvent having dissolved therein a substantial amount of a gaseous material; c. stopping injecting of the gas-containing solvent when the injection pressure has reached a pre-determined value; and d. permitting production by solution gas drive of the petroleum contacted by the gas-containing solvent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a method of recovering petroleum from subterranean viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, both wells being in fluid communication with the subterranean petroleum-containing formation, of the type wherein a recovery fluiD is introduced into the formation for the purpose of increasing the mobility of the petroleum, said formation containing at least one zone having a permeability substantially greater than the balance of the subterranean petroleum-containing formation, comprising; a. identifying the high permeability zone of the subterranean petroleum-containing formation; b. injecting into the high permeability zone a solvent for the petroleum contained in the formation, selected from the group consisting of moncyclic aromatic compounds including benzene, toluene and xylene, carbon tetrachloride, halogenated hydrocarbons which are essentially unreactive with and insoluble in water, carbon disulfide and mixtures thereof, said solvent having dissolved therein a substantial amount of a gaseous material; c. stopping injecting of the gas-containing solvent when the injection pressure has reached a pre-determined value; and d. permitting production by solution gas drive of the petroleum contacted by the gas-containing solvent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 24 wherein said gaseous material is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, air and mixtures thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a method for recovering viscous petroleum including bitumen from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits, of the type wherein a recovery fluid is introduced into the formation to increase the mobility of the petroleum, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, said formation having sufficient gas permeability to permit passing gas through the formation from the injection well to the production well, the improvement for creating a communication path within the formation for passing the recovery fluid from the injection well to the production well which comprises: a. passing a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, air, and mixtures thereof from one of the wells to another well through the formation; b. thereafter introducing a solvent selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride and mixtures thereof into the formation, said solvent having dissolved therein an appreciable amount of a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, air, nitrogen and mixtures thereof; and c. reducing the pressure on at least one of the wells to permit flow from the formation via said well of solvent with formation petroleum dissolved therein.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a method for recovering viscous petroleum including bitumen from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits, of the type wherein a recovery fluid is introduced into the formation to increase the mobility of the petroleum, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, said formation having sufficient gas permeability to permit passing gas through the formation from the injection well to the production well, the improvement for creating a communication path within the formation for passing the recovery fluid from the injection well to the production well which comprises: a. passing a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, air, and mixtures thereof from one of the wells to another well through the formation; b. thereafter introducing a solvent selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride and mixtures thereof into the formation, said solvent having dissolved therein an appreciable amount of a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, air, nitrogen and mixtures thereof; and c. reducing the pressure on at least one of the wells to permit flow from the formation via said well of solvent with formation petroleum dissolved therein.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said solvent is saturated with respect to said gas.
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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) | 1978-10-20 | 1979-04-21 | 1979-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-20 | 1983-04-21 | 1983-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-20 | 1987-04-21 | 1987-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |