Method for operating an injection well in an in-situ combustion oil recovery using oxygen

Patent · Tue Jan 28 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5865903

Holmes, B G

This patent describes a method for operating an injection well to control hazardous conditions in an in-situ combustion operation utilizing high concentrations of oxygen for the recovery of oil from a subterranean, oil-containing formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well. The method for operatiion consists of: (a) completing the injection well with a casing containing passages throughout a substantial portion of the vertical thickness of the oil-containing formation to allow fluids to flow from the casing to the oil-containing formation, and dual concentric tubing strings disposed within the casing; (b) initiating an in-situ combustion front into the formation by injecting air into the portion of the casing containing the passages through one of the flow paths and from there through the passages into the formation; (c) continuing injection of the air into the formation until the combustion front has been moved a predetermined distance into the formation; (d) terminating injection of air and injecting oxygen enriched air into the portion of the casing containing the passages through one of the flow paths and from there through the passages into the formation; (e) simultaneously injecting nitrogen at a predetermined injection rate into the portion of the casing containing passages via the other flow path where it combines with the oxygen enriched air and then flows into the formation through the passages of the casing; (f) continuously measuring the bottomhole temperature of the injection well within the casing means in the vicinity of the oil-containing formation and located below the first flow path; (g) increasing the oxygen concentration of the oxygen enriched air to essentially pure oxygen; (h) terminating the injection of the oxygen enriched air or essentially pure oxygen through its respective flow path.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4566536
• OSTI ID: 5865903
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AIR FLOW
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DIMENSIONS
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS FLOW
GAS INJECTION
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INJECTION WELLS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OIL WELLS
OPERATION
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PETROLEUM
PIPES
PROCESSING
QUANTITY RATIO
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THICKNESS
WELL CASINGS
WELL COMPLETION
WELL SPACING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS