Method and apparatus for secondary and tertiary recovery of hydrocarbons

Patent · Tue Jul 07 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6218764

Rivas, N; Beichel, R

This patent describes an apparatus for secondary and tertiary recovery of hydrocarbons from oil fields comprising: a. a bipropellant generator capable of producing exhaust gases at supercritical pressures and temperatures; b. transport means for carrying the exhaust gases into a well bore, at least a portion of the well bore extending into a hydrocarbon bearing formation from which hydrocarbons are to be recovered; c. means for introducing water into the transport means; and d. a water cooling jacket extending into at least the upper portion of the well bore, the center of the cooling jacket receiving the exhaust gases from the transport means, means being provided for the introduction of chemical additives through a portion of the cooling jacket. A process is described for secondary and tertiary recovery of hydrocarbons from geological formations comprising: a. providing a well bore extending at least into the strata of the geologic formation containing the hydrocarbons to be recovered; b. providing at least the upper portion of the well bore with a cooling jacket, the cooling jacket being provided with a central, open portion; c. generating gases at supercritical temperatures and pressures; d. introducing water into the supercritical gases to form steam; e. forcing the mixture of supercritical combustion gases and steam through the central open portion of the cooling jacket and the well bore into the hydrocarbon strata; and f. adding chemical additives to the mixture of combustion gases and steam below the cooling jacket.

• Assignee: WorldTech Atlantis Inc., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4678039
• OSTI ID: 6218764
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ADDITIVES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS INJECTION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS