Well insulation method

Patent · Tue May 23 04:00:00 EDT 1972

OSTI ID:6243120

Penberthy, W L; Bayless, J H; Ayers, Jr, R C

Among the more promising methods that have been suggested or tried for the recovery of oil from viscous oil reservoirs are those which introduce thermal energy into the reservoirs. The thermal energy may be in a variety of forms such as hot water, in situ combustion, steam, and the like. Each of these thermal energy agents may be useful under certain conditions. However, steam is generally the most efficient and economical and is clearly the most widely employed thermal energy agent. A method is given for thermally insulating a well which may be used in a thermal process for oil recovery. The well is insulated by boiling a solution containing a water-soluble alkali metal silicate and a foaming agent in contact with the well tubing to form a coating of alkali metal silicate on the tubing. The foaming agent assists in removing excess silicate solution from the well annulus and improves the quality of the coating on the tubing. (10 claims)

• Assignee: Esso Production Res Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3664425
• OSTI ID: 6243120
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKALI METALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COATINGS
COLLOIDS
COMBUSTION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOAMS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT TRANSFER
HOT WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
METALS
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL INSULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WATER
WATERFLOODING
WELLS