Method of recovery of bitumen from tar sand formations

Patent · Tue Jan 18 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7117357

Paull, P L; Armistead, F C

A competent permeable communication zone is described connecting injection and production wells completed in a tar sand which communication zone will be rigid and will not tend to slump or heal may be developed by injecting a fluid in the injection well under such pressure so as to fracture the tar sand formation between the injection well and the production well and circulating a fluid between the injection and production wells which is at a temperature sufficiently low to freeze the water in tar sands. The fluid may contain propping agents to hold the fracture surfaces apart. This procedure will rigidify the hydrocarbon portion of the tar sand formation in the vicinity of the fracture zone as well as freeze the water in the tar sand formation. Once the fracture is established a solvent for the hydrocarbon in the tar sands may be circulated preferably at a temperature below the freezing point of the water in the tar sands to extract the bitumen therefrom. 12 claims.

• Assignee: Texaco Development Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4003432
• OSTI ID: 7117357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMENS
BOREHOLE LINKING
COMMINUTION
EXTRACTION
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION WELLS
MELTING POINTS
MINING
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPPING AGENTS
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TAR
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
WATER
WELLS