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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Devices and methods for in-situ combustion ignition

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5568674· OSTI ID:5568674

One of the most important tasks during a fireflood is to ensure the ignition of the oil-bearing stratum efficiently and safely. Many different devices have been developed and employed to achieve this aim. The target zone may ignite spontaneously upon injection of an oxygen-containing gas without the aid of special equipment. Alternatively, ignition may be hastened or enhanced by the use of gas-fired downhole burners, catalytic heaters, electric downhole heaters, or other, chemical means. Other methods involve increasing the reactivity of the formation contents by doping the stratum with compounds that ignite and burn more readily than the reservoir oil. This report surveys the range of ignition methods and devices that have been developed and applied in the field. Not only are successful ignition systems discussed, but also those designs that failed to ignite a formation. In discussing the various techniques, factors considered include reliability, specialized equipment and material requirements, and safety. Another consideration is whether a system or device may be easily reused if ignition is not successful on the first attempt. The use of oxidizing gases than air is also discussed. 108 refs., 3 tabs.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (USA). Petroleum Research Inst.
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/FE
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-87BC14126
OSTI ID:
5568674
Report Number(s):
DOE/BC/14126-12; SUPRI-TR--69; ON: DE89000766
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English