Method of improving the areal sweep efficiency of a steam flood oil recovery process

Patent · Tue Mar 29 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5174640

Alameddine, B R; Jones, L G

This patent describes a method for recovering oil from a subterranean, oil-containing formation underlying an overburden that creates a vertical overburden pressure on the formation. The oil-containing formation is penetrated by an injection well and production well. The method comprises: (a) injecting steam into the formation via the injection well and recovering fluids including oil from the formation via the production well until steam breakthrough occurs at the production well; (b) throttling fluid flow from the production well and continuing injection of the steam without interrupting the injection rate until the bottomhole injection pressure is greater than the true vertical pressure created by the overburden thereby causing the formation to fracture horizontally; and (c) continuing to inject steam into the injection well at a low rate and recovering oil from the production well until the amount of oil recovered is unfavorable.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4733726
• OSTI ID: 5174640
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLOW RATE
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID MECHANICS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRAULICS
INJECTION WELLS
MECHANICS
OIL WELLS
OVERBURDEN
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
RESERVOIR ROCK
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
THERMAL RECOVERY
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS