Method for in situ combustion

Patent · 01 January 1977

OSTI ID:862968

Shuck, Lowell Z ^[1]

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1. Morgantown, WV

This invention relates to an improved in situ combustion method for the recovery of hydrocarbons from subterranean earth formations containing carbonaceous material. The method is practiced by penetrating the subterranean earth formation with a borehole projecting into the coal bed along a horizontal plane and extending along a plane disposed perpendicular to the plane of maximum permeability. The subterranean earth formation is also penetrated with a plurality of spaced-apart vertical boreholes disposed along a plane spaced from and generally parallel to that of the horizontal borehole. Fractures are then induced at each of the vertical boreholes which project from the vertical boreholes along the plane of maximum permeability and intersect the horizontal borehole. The combustion is initiated at the horizontal borehole and the products of combustion and fluids displaced from the earth formation by the combustion are removed from the subterranean earth formation via the vertical boreholes. Each of the vertical boreholes are, in turn, provided with suitable flow controls for regulating the flow of fluid from the combustion zone and the earth formation so as to control the configuration and rate of propagation of the combustion zone. The fractures provide a positive communication with the combustion zone so as to facilitate the removal of the products resulting from the combustion of the carbonaceous material.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4062404
• OSTI ID: 862968
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/166/
bed
borehole
boreholes
carbonaceous
carbonaceous material
coal
coal bed
combustion
combustion method
combustion zone
communication
configuration
containing
containing carbon
containing carbonaceous
control
controls
displaced
disposed
disposed perpendicular
earth
earth formation
earth formations
extending
facilitate
flow
flow control
fluid
fluids
formation
formation via
formations
formations containing
fractures
holes disposed
horizontal
horizontal plane
hydrocarbons
improved
induced
initiated
intersect
material
maximum
maximum permeability
method
parallel
penetrated
penetrating
permeability
perpendicular
plane
plurality
positive
practiced
products
products resulting
projecting
propagation
provide
provided
rate
recovery
regulating
relates
removal
removed
resulting
situ
situ combustion
spaced
spaced-apart
subterranean
subterranean earth
suitable
vertical
vertical bore
vertical borehole
via
zone