Hydraulic mining technique for recovering bitumen from tar sand deposit

Patent · Tue Apr 20 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7117365

Redford, D A

Viscous petroleum including bitumen may be recovered for subterranean petroleum containing unconsolidated said formations such as tar sand deposits by hydraulic mining. Hot water or steam is introduced into the subterranean deposit with sufficient velocity to dislodge bitumen and particles of sand therefrom. The process is a single wellbore operation using rotatable vertically moveable injection string with one or more jets near the bottom thereof, with separate return flow path to surface, the inlet to which may be on the bottom of the injection string. Injection string may be raised or lowered while rotating and jetting so full vertical thickness of tar sand interval is contacted by aqueous mining fluid. Jet pump may be used to pump petroleum to surface. Injected aqueous hydraulic mining fluid may contain alkaline material such as sodium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide. Non-condensable gas is introduced under pressure to assist in supporting overburden weight, to assist in pumping operation and to provide gas filled cavity so jets reach deep into formation, and to aid in surface separation of bitumen from the produced aqueous pulp. 22 claims, 1 figure.

• Assignee: Texaco Exploration Canada Ltd.
• Patent Number(s): US 3951457
• OSTI ID: 7117365
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM HYDROXIDES
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDRAULIC MINING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INJECTION WELLS
MINING
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
STEAM INJECTION
TAR
WELLS