Field experiment of reverse combustion oil recovery from a Utah tar sand

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7284318· OSTI ID:7284318

Land, C S; Cupps, C Q; Marchant, L C; Carlson, F M

A field experiment to recover oil from tar sand by reverse combusion was conducted at Northwest Asphalt Ridge, near Vernal, Utah. This test was in a 10-ft interval of the Rim Rock sandstone member of the Mesa Verde Formation at a depth of 300 ft. Ignition was accomplished November 25, 1975, and the reverse combustion front was propagated successfully through the formation. Results of the field experiment differed significantly from the results of laboratory tests that were used in the design of the field test. This difference is attributed primarily to the extreme heterogeneity of the tar sand formation. Observed temperatures in the burned area were lower than expected, but a large portion of the tar sand within the pattern boundaries was heated to the extent that the bitumen became mobile enough to be produced. After 3/sup 1///sub 2/ weeks of operation, the project was terminated because of the inability of the surface production equipment to accommodate the heavy hydrocarbons being produced. Although the formation of the cracked products of reverse combustion was less than expected, this recovery process may be used successfully to heat the tar sand reservoir to a temperature high enough that the bitumen becomes mobile enough to be produced.

• Research Organization: Energy Research and Development Administration, Laramie, Wyo. (USA). Laramie Energy Research Center
• OSTI ID: 7284318
• Report Number(s): LERC/RI-77/5
• 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
ASPHALT RIDGE DEPOSIT
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PRODUCTION
REVERSE COMBUSTION
TAR