Steam drive oil recovery method utilizing a downhole steam generator

Patent · Tue Oct 23 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6396192

Nopkins, 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 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.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
• Patent Number(s): US 4478280
• OSTI ID: 6396192
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
NONMETALS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
SACCHARIDES
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
STEAM GENERATION
STEAM INJECTION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VISCOSITY
WELL SPACING
WELLS