High pressure gas-carbonated water miscible displacement process

Patent · Tue Apr 02 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:6750683

Kern, L R

Residual oil is produced by a quasi high pressure gas-miscible solvent flood process. Immiscible carbonated water flow through the reservoir in essentially a single phase at an appropriate concentration and pressure leaves a widespread, fairly uniform distribution of carbonated residual oil which acts as a quasi solvent material. Subsequently, a fluid containing a gaseous phase is injected at a miscible pressure below the pressure at which the gas would have built miscibility with the reservoir oil prior to carbonation, but high enough to possibly create by multiple contacts a zone miscible with the carbonated residual oil. The created miscible zone banks up the carbonated residual oil into a quasi miscible solvent flood bank. In the process, the quasi solvent material is generated in place with the mobility and uniform sweep advantages of carbonated water, and the high pressure type of miscibility is created at a lower than normal pressure and banks up a carbonated oil solvent bank thereby providing some of the advantages of the miscible solvent flood process. (24 claims)

• Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3800874
• OSTI ID: 6750683
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HIGH PRESSURE
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
RESIDUAL PETROLEUM
SOLVENTS
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS