In situ recovery process for heavy oil sands

Patent · Tue Oct 09 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6245854

Pachovsky, R A

Bitumen is recovered from a subterranean formation of heavy oil sands traversed by at least one injection well and at least one associated production well in fluid communication with each injection well. Air in admixture with a heating fluid selected from the group consisting of low quality steam, hot water, or mixtures thereof, and an alkalinity agent are injected into the formation by way of each injection well. The subterranean heavy oil sands are thereby raised to a temperature in the range of about 200/sup 0/ to 350/sup 0/ F. A portion of the bitumen at reduced viscosity is oxidized without burning to produce additional petroleum acids which are neutralized to form emulsifying agents. The condensed steam and/or hot water contacting the bitumen form with it a bitumen-water emulsion. By pressure from the injected mixture of air and heating fluid, the resulting bitumen-water emulsion is then recovered from each production well. Demulsification takes place at the surface and bitumen, hot water, and sand are separated. Increased oil recovery efficiency may be obtained by pressure controlled cycles.

• Assignee: Texaco Canada Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4475592
• OSTI ID: 6245854
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CONTROL
DEMULSIFICATION
EMULSIFICATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HOT WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PRESSURE CONTROL
RECOVERY
STEAM
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
TAR
VISCOSITY
WATER