Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Gas lift process for restoring flow in depleted geothermal reservoirs

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6376139

This patent describes a method for increasing the production flow from a well penetrating a geothermal reservoir from a wellhead. The method consists of: (a) continuously injecting a sufficient amount of an inert, non-condensible lift gas into the well during the production of geothermal fluids therefrom to cause a substantial fraction, or to substantially increase a preexisting fraction, of steam in the produced fluids without having to significantly reduce the pressure of the produced fluid at the wellhead; and (b) recovering increased produced fluids and the lift gas from the well.

Assignee:
Union Oil Co. of California, Los Angeles, CA
Patent Number(s):
US 4787450
OSTI ID:
6376139
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English