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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

High-pressure steam drive oil production process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6284187
In a process for producing oil from a partially depleted reservoir by injecting high-pressure steam into the reservoir, the reservoir is first subjected to waterflooding to partially deplete it. High-pressure steam is then injected into the water-flooded area (defined by a specific well pattern) until a substantial portion, but not all, of the available pore space in the well pattern has been filled with steam. The heat front and steam are driven through the well pattern to the production wells so as to produce the steamed-out oil from the pattern. A substantial reservoir pressure is built up during the waterflooding phase. This water pressure is maintained in the area of the stratum surrounding the pattern through which steam is driven so that the oil steamed out by the steam flood is squeezed into the production wells by the combination of steam pressure and resisting water pressure surrounding the steam- floor pattern. (7 claims)
Assignee:
Phillips Petroleum Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3353598
OSTI ID:
6284187
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English