Process and apparatus for thermal enhancement

Patent · Tue Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:865063

Smirlock, Martin E ^[1]; Krepchin, Ira P ^[2]

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1. Brimfield, MA
2. Newton Upper Falls, MA

Thermal treatment apparatus for downhole deployment comprising a combustion stage with an elongated hot wall combustion zone for the substantially complete combustion of the fuel-air mixture and an ignition zone immediately upstream from the combustion zone in which a mixture of atomized liquid fuel and air at or below stoichiometric ratio is ignited; together with a water injection stage immediately downstream from the combustion zone through which essentially partuculate free high temperature combustion products flow from the combustion zone and into which water is sprayed. The resulting mixture of steam and combustion products is injected into an oil formation for enhancing the speed and effectiveness of reservoir response due to physical, chemical, and/or thermal stimulation interactions.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: 13-0246A
• Assignee: Foster-Miller Associates, Inc. (Waltham, MA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4456068
• Application Number: 06/296,321
• OSTI ID: 865063
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

process
apparatus
thermal
enhancement
treatment
downhole
deployment
comprising
combustion
stage
elongated
hot
wall
zone
substantially
complete
fuel-air
mixture
ignition
immediately
upstream
atomized
liquid
fuel
air
below
stoichiometric
ratio
ignited
water
injection
downstream
essentially
partuculate
free
temperature
products
flow
sprayed
resulting
steam
injected
oil
formation
enhancing
speed
effectiveness
reservoir
response
due
physical
chemical
stimulation
interactions
temperature combustion
resulting mixture
combustion products
combustion zone
liquid fuel
air mixture
fuel-air mixture
combustion product
thermal treatment
substantially complete
complete combustion
stoichiometric ratio
water injection
atomized liquid
combustion stage
downhole deployment
/166/60/