Steam drive recovery method utilizing a downhole steam generator

Patent · Tue Sep 18 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6142822

Snavely, E S; Hopkins, D N

Viscous oil is recovered from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation by a steam flooding technique wherein steam is generated in a downhole steam generator located in an injection well by spontaneous combustion of a pressurized mixture of a water-soluble fuel such as sugars and alcohols dissolved in water and substantially pure oxygen. The generated mixture of steam and combustion gases pass through the formation, displacing oil and reducing the oil's viscosity and the mobilized oil is produced from the formation via a spaced-apart production well.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4471839
• OSTI ID: 6142822
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOL FUELS
BOILERS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INJECTION WELLS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SACCHARIDES
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
STEAM GENERATION
STEAM GENERATORS
STEAM INJECTION
SYNTHETIC FUELS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VAPOR GENERATORS
VISCOSITY
WELLS