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

Cyclic thermal solvent recovery method utilizing visbroken produced crude oil

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6372322
In a cyclic method of solvent stimulation of a single oil well penetrating a viscous crude oil-containing formation, the well is first produced and a portion of the produced crude oil is subjected to a visbreaking operation to produce a hot visbroken crude oil having reduced viscosity. Production is terminated and a predetermined amount of the hot visbroken produced crude oil is injected into the formation via the well as a solvent, the formation is allowed to undergo a soak period, and the well is returned to production. Thereafter, production may be continued until the percentage of visbroken crude oil in the produced fluids is less than 12 percent and the above cycle may be repeated.
Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 4465138
OSTI ID:
6372322
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English