Thermal recovery 1967: heat's still on
It is estimated that there are 50 billion barrels of oil in place in the U.S. in reservoirs which are susceptible to thermal recovery operations. A conservative opinion reveals that 1/4 of these should be capable of being produced thermally. This would represent an increase of 12.5 billion to the nation's overall crude reserves which now total 30 billion bbl. The order of emphasis in thermal recovery processes at present is: steam stimulation, steam displacement drive, and in-situ combustion drive. Seventy-five percent of the recoverable viscous crudes are found in the state of California. The following factors indicate why the California projects are most likely to be successful. The reservoirs are less than 3,000-ft deep, they have massive oil sand bodies, ranging from a minimum of 50-ft to more than 500 ft in thickness, and the oil in place amounts to more than 1,200 bbl/acre-ft. Some thermal recovery guide lines are offered for the following areas: well spacing, sand control, steam generators, surface transmission systems, and surface and subsurface pumping equipment.
- OSTI ID:
- 6160093
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Pet. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 39:9; ISSN PENGA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
PUMPING
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
WELL SPACING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
WESTERN REGION