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

Method of recovering viscous oil from reservoirs with multiple horizontal zones

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6668340
A method is described of recovering viscous oil from a viscous oil-containing formation separated, by at least one horizontal layer having vertical permeability of at least about 1 md, into at least one upper zone and at least one lower zone, the formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well, comprising the consecutive steps of: (1) injecting through the injection well steam only into the lower zone until steam breakthrough occurs at the production well; (2) thereafter injecting steam into both, the upper and the lower zones; and (3) continuously injecting steam into the upper and the lower zones and recovering fluids, including oil, from the production well.
Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
Patent Number(s):
US 4766958
OSTI ID:
6668340
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English