Production of oil from low permeability formations by sequential steam fracturing
Patent
·
OSTI ID:5424038
This patent describes a method of improving the steam-to-oil ratio and vertical coverage of a cyclic steam injection process in an oil bearing subterranean formation having low relative permeability as a result of formation morphology. It comprises: drilling and casing a wellbore which traverses the subterranean formation; perforating the casing to create fluid communication between the formation and the interior of the wellbore; cyclically injecting an amount of wet steam in a short cycling sequence sufficient to heat the formation through controllably induced formation fractures while minimizing leakoff from the fractures outside the formation; and cyclically producing formation hydrocarbons upon cessation of a steam injection cycle, by reflashing the steam through the wellbore, the reflashed steam having sufficient pressure to drive the hydrocarbons from the formation to the induced fractures and to the surface without the air of a pump in the wellbore.
- Assignee:
- Chevron Research and Technology Co., San Francisco, CA (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- A; US 5085276
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-574625
- OSTI ID:
- 5424038
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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