In-situ gasification of tar sands utilizing a combustible gas

Patent · Tue Mar 04 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5853770

Audeh, C A; Offenhauer, R D

A method is described for the in-situ recovery of a combustible product gas consisting essentially of carbon monoxide and hydrogen from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation including tar sand deposits traversed by at least one injection well and one production well. The oil-containing formation has previously been subjected to an in-situ combustion operation for a period of time sufficient to recover the maximum amount of oil and leave a solid coke like residue on the formation mineral matrix. The method consists of the steps of: (a) introducing a combustible gas selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, natural gas or mixtures into the formation via the injection well in an amount to substantially saturate the formation with the gas; (b) introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the formation via the injection well to reinitiate in-situ combustion; (c) thereafter introducing a mixture of an oxygen-containing gas and steam into the formation via the injection well causing conversion of the coke-like material to a combustible product gas consisting essentially of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the formation; and (d) recovering the combustible product gas from the subterranean formation via the production well.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4573530
• OSTI ID: 5853770
• 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
ALKANES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANE
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS INJECTION
GAS SATURATION
GASES
GASIFICATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INJECTION WELLS
MATERIALS
METHANE
NATURAL GAS
NONMETALS
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SANDS
OIL YIELDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PROPANE
SATURATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TIME DEPENDENCE
VISCOSITY
WELLS
YIELDS