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

Secondary oil recovery method

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6322884
This process of secondary oil recovery uses as solvent -injection wells, a number of wells located downstream from the gas-oil interface, but upstream from the production wells. Only alternate wells in a row of wells are used, with the remaining wells being left open to produce fluids until a trace of the solvent injected into the solvent-injection wells is noted in the effluent. Thereafter, the remaining wells are shut in and the solvent is driven through the formation toward the production well, either by the subsequent injection of a driving fluid or shutting the injection wells and stopping injection of fluids at the oil-gas interface. This allows the gas in the gas-cap portion of the reservoir to expand into the oil- bearing portion of the reservoir and push water and other fluids before it to impact a driving force to the solvent previously injected. (10 claims)
Assignee:
Union Oil Co. of California
Patent Number(s):
US 3319712
OSTI ID:
6322884
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English