Fireflood to steal steam's thunder

Journal Article · Mon Dec 12 04:00:00 EST 1966 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6525156

It is predicted that firefloods will find increasing use in areas where steaming is uneconomic. These are areas whose reservoirs have high water saturation, low formation pressure with moderate or poor permeability, or oil with a gravity between 16 - 30$. Better economics will be provided through the use of crude-oil gasifiers. The cost can be lower than that for steam. The prediction is made for steam injection that depletion of a reservoir through cyclic, or huff and puff, injection will require 20 to 30 cycles or more, each of several months' duration. This means a longer, slower life than was originally anticipated. Continuous steaming will probably become more prevalent among major companies. Failures of casing and cement will occur because of repeated steaming of older wells and from deeper steaming. A possible cure is insulated tubing. Brackish water will find increasing use in making steam. One generator is now in the field which uses waste water without softening. Another approach now being tested uses a special resin to permit existing water softening equipment to handle moderate brines.

• OSTI ID: 6525156
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 64:50; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WELLS