Pressure pulsing oil production process

Patent · Tue Feb 03 04:00:00 EST 1970

OSTI ID:5002125

Matthews, R R; Ferrell, H H

In order to free more of the oil in these inaccessible parts of the reservoir, a pressure-pulse flooding process was developed, wherein a fluid such as either water or hydrocarbon gas is injected, by way of an injection well, into a partially depleted reservoir to raise the pressure to approx. the original reservoir pressure or above. The reservoir is then produced, and the reservoir pressure decreases. When water is the injected flood medium, it is postulated that water is imbibed into the pores of the tigher, less accessible portions of the reservoir. During the depressuring portion of the cycle when the reservoir is produced, there is a capillary retention of water in these pores and a release of the formerly trapped oil which is free to move from the rock matrix into fractures and/or zones of higher permeability from which it can be more readily produced. In pressure pulse flooding using a hydrocarbon gas as the flooding medium, referred to as batch gas cycling, it is believed that the increased pressure allows the gas to flow into the less permeable zones of the reservoir as well as the more permeable zones where it partially dissolves in the oil. (11 claims)

• Assignee: Continental Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3493049
• OSTI ID: 5002125
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
DISSOLVED GASES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS INJECTION
GASES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HYDROCARBONS
INJECTION WELLS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
PRESSURIZING
PRODUCTION
PULSE TECHNIQUES
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR ROCK
SOLUTES
SORPTION
WATERFLOODING
WELLS