From the hills to the mountain. [Oil recovery in California]

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Pacific Oil World; ()

OSTI ID:6140364

McDonald, J

The oil reserves at Elk Hills field, California, are listed as amounting to 835 million bbl. There is 12 times that amount lying in shallow sands in the San Joaquin Valley, although the oil is much heavier and requires more refining before use. Improved recovery techniques have enabled higher rates of recovery for heavy oil than in the past. Some of these techniques are described, including bottom-hole heating, steam injection, and oil mining. Bottom-hole heating alone raised recovery rates for heavy oil to 25%, and steam injection raised rates to 50%. It is predicted that oil mining may be able to accomplish 100% recovery of the heavy oil.

• OSTI ID: 6140364
• Journal Information: Pacific Oil World; (), Journal Name: Pacific Oil World; () Vol. 73:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
CALIFORNIA
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEATING
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND MINING
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PRODUCTIVITY
RECOVERY
RESERVES
RESOURCES
STEAM INJECTION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USA
VISCOSITY
WELLS