Stem drive oil recovery method utilizing a downhole steam generator and anti clay-swelling agent

Patent · Tue Jun 11 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6322762

Hopkins, D N; Snavely, E S

Viscous oil is recovered from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation by a steam flooding technique wherein steam is generated in a downhole steam generator located in an injection well by spontaneous combustion of a pressurized mixture of a water-soluble fuel such as sugars and alcohols dissolved in water or a stable hydrocarbon fuel-in-water emulsion containing an anti clay-swelling agent and substantially pure oxygen. The generated mixture of steam and combustion gases pass through the formation, displacing oil and reducing the oil's viscosity and the mobilized oil is produced from the formation via a spaced-apart production well. Suitable anti clay-swelling agents include metal halide salts and diammonium phosphate.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4522263
• OSTI ID: 6322762
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM PHOSPHATES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLAYS
COLLOIDS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
METALS
MIXTURES
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
SACCHARIDES
SOLUTIONS
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
STEAM GENERATION
STEAM INJECTION
SWELLING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VISCOSITY
WELLS