Fire flooding ignition techniques

Journal Article · Thu Apr 22 04:00:00 EST 1965 · Proc. Annu. Southwest. Pet. Short Course; (United States)

OSTI ID:6895208

Moss, J T

Many different techniques have been used to initiate combustion. Air has been heated at the surface and injected downhole for this purpose. Similarly, steam has been used to elevate formation temperatures to promote ignition when contacted by air. Chemical methods and sometimes reactive oils have been used to start combustion, and spontaneous combustion occurs in many oil reservoirs. Perhaps the most widely used ignition method employs downhole heaters to heat the injected air to ignition temperature. Ignition operations are usually conducted at 800 to 1000$F, and these temperatures are maintained for the desired heating period. Electrical heaters used for this purpose are usually 10 to 40 kw in size. The heater temperature is controlled by means of thermocouples on the heater or in a thermowell pipe beside the heater. In the gas-burner system, gas is injected down the tubing while air (about 80 to 90% excess air) is injected down the casing annulus. The gas is ignited and burns inside a heat-shield, thus protecting the well casing from damage. Air flows around and through the heat-shield, transferring heat down the hole to the formation. Gas ignitions can be conducted at high pressure and have been carried out at depths of at least 7000 ft. The heat-generation rate is controlled by the air and gas-injection rates.

• OSTI ID: 6895208
• Journal Information: Proc. Annu. Southwest. Pet. Short Course; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Annu. Southwest. Pet. Short Course; (United States); ISSN PSPCD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
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