Viscous oil recovery method

Patent · Tue Feb 02 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5409649

Venkatesan, V N

This patent describes a method for recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-bearing formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well. The wells are in fluid communication through a portion of the formation, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting steam having a quality of 20% into the viscous oil-bearing formation through the injection well to create a steam front that moves through the formation toward the production well, (b) injecting a non-condensable oxidant into the viscous oil-bearing formation through the injection well to create a heat zone behind the steam front by the oxidation reaction of the oxidant with the residual oil left in the steam swept zone behind the steam front as it moves through the formation, and controlling the volume of oxidant to maintain the heat zone behind the steam front without oxidant breakthrough ahead of the steam front thereby increasing the steam quality of the steam front to at least 80% and accelerating the velocity of the steam front through the formation, (c) continuing to inject the oxidant until thermal communication is established between the injection well and the production well, and (d) recovering fluids, including oil, from the formation through the production well.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4722395
• OSTI ID: 5409649
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INJECTION WELLS
OIL WELLS
OXIDIZERS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
VISCOSITY
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS