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

Summary of air repressurization for enhanced oil recovery. Consultant report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5878713

The air injection process (also known as the Smith-Dunn or Marietta Process) is a proven technique for the enhanced recovery of oil. The process has been used successfully in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The process is usually associated with leases of low oil production and nearly exhausted reservoir pressure. The process has been used in California in three wells for a few months duration witn inconclusive results. When using this process, an explosion hazard is present when certain proportions of air-methane gas are reached. Although a literature search and recent correspondence has not revealed any explosion in air injection repressurization projects caused by spontaneous combustion of the air-natural gas mixture, it is believed such explosions are possible and did occur with ignition by electrostatic or chemical conditions.

Research Organization:
California State Lands Div., Long Beach (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-03-1331
OSTI ID:
5878713
Report Number(s):
SAN-1331-T3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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