Heavy oil recovery method

Patent · Tue Sep 28 04:00:00 EDT 1971

OSTI ID:5463186

Terwilliger, P L

Enormous quantities of hydrocarbons exist in known deposits of high-density, high-viscosity oil in essentially unconsolidated formations referred to as tar sands. Examples of such formations are the Athabasca and Peace River tar sands in Canada. A hydrocarbon solvent such as benzene, platformate, or kerosene at a temperature in the range of 300/sup 0/ to 700/sup 0/F is injected into the top of tar sands at an injection well and forced through the formation to an adjacent production well. Injection of the solvent and production of oil are continued to maintain a gaseous phase across the top of the formation. The tar sand oil is made more mobile as a result of heating and dissolution of the solvent into the oil, whereby the oil drains into the production well and is lifted to the surface. (1 claim)

• Assignee: Gulf Research and Develop Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3608638
• OSTI ID: 5463186
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
AROMATICS
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
BENZENE
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CANADA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CONTROL
DENSITY
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HEATING
HYDROCARBONS
INJECTION WELLS
KEROSENE
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS
MOBILITY
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEACE RIVER
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE STABILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RECOVERY
RIVERS
SOLVENTS
STABILITY
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TAR
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THERMAL RECOVERY
VISCOSITY
VOLUME
WELL SPACING
WELLS