Patent · US Expired

Method of recovering viscous petroleum from tar sand

US3994340A · kind A · utility

278Cited by
9References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 30, 1975
Grant dateNov 30, 1976
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 30, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/305
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

Recovery of viscous petroleum such as from tar sands is assisted using a substantially vertical passage from the earth's surface which penetrates the tar sand and has extending therefrom a lateral hole containing a flow path isolated from the tar sand for circulating a hot fluid to and from the vertical passage to develop a potential flow path into which a drive fluid is injected to promote movement of the petroleum to a production position.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.