Thermally-enhanced oil recovery method and apparatus

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866366

Stahl, Charles R ^[1]; Gibson, Michael A ^[2]; Knudsen, Christian W ^[2]

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1. Scotia, NY
2. Houston, TX

A thermally-enhanced oil recovery method and apparatus for exploiting deep well reservoirs utilizes electric downhole steam generators to provide supplemental heat to generate high quality steam from hot pressurized water which is heated at the surface. A downhole electric heater placed within a well bore for local heating of the pressurized liquid water into steam is powered by electricity from the above-ground gas turbine-driven electric generators fueled by any clean fuel such as natural gas, distillate or some crude oils, or may come from the field being stimulated. Heat recovered from the turbine exhaust is used to provide the hot pressurized water. Electrical power may be cogenerated and sold to an electric utility to provide immediate cash flow and improved economics. During the cogeneration period (no electrical power to some or all of the downhole units), the oil field can continue to be stimulated by injecting hot pressurized water, which will flash into lower quality steam at reservoir conditions. The heater includes electrical heating elements supplied with three-phase alternating current or direct current. The injection fluid flows through the heater elements to generate high quality steam to exit at the bottom of the heater assembly into the reservoir. The injection tube is closed at the bottom and has radial orifices for expanding the injection fluid to reservoir pressure.

• Research Organization: CARBOTEK INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-86ER80378
• Assignee: Carbotek, Inc. (Houston, TX)
• Patent Number(s): US 4694907
• OSTI ID: 866366
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

thermally-enhanced
oil
recovery
method
apparatus
exploiting
deep
reservoirs
utilizes
electric
downhole
steam
generators
provide
supplemental
heat
generate
quality
hot
pressurized
water
heated
surface
heater
placed
bore
local
heating
liquid
powered
electricity
above-ground
gas
turbine-driven
fueled
clean
fuel
natural
distillate
crude
oils
field
stimulated
recovered
turbine
exhaust
electrical
power
cogenerated
sold
utility
immediate
cash
flow
improved
economics
cogeneration
period
units
injecting
flash
reservoir
conditions
elements
supplied
three-phase
alternating
current
direct
injection
fluid
flows
exit
bottom
assembly
tube
closed
radial
orifices
expanding
pressure
recovery method
steam generators
oil field
electrical heating
heater assembly
electric generator
heating elements
liquid water
pressurized liquid
pressurized water
oil recovery
heating element
natural gas
direct current
steam generator
electrical power
gas turbine
fluid flow
alternating current
enhanced oil
fluid flows
lean fuel
crude oil
downhole steam
phase alternating
turbine exhaust
electrical heat
electric heater
electric heat
hot press
crude oils
local heating
reservoir conditions
provide supplemental
clean fuel
heater element
utilizes electric
supplemental heat
thermally-enhanced oil
generation period
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