Method of producing viscous materials from subterranean formations
US4084637A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1976 |
| Grant date | Apr 18, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B43/30
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A method of producing viscous materials from subterranean formation comprises a plurality of steps. At least two wells are drilled and completed into the subterranean formation that contains the viscous material. At least one of the wells is completed as an injection well and one of the wells is completed as a production well. A plurality of electrode wells are drilled into the subterranean formation with the plurality of electrode wells being generally arranged in a pattern to define at least one path between the production well and the injection well with the length of the path being substantially greater than the distance between the production well and the injection well. The electrode wells are spaced apart along the path at distances that are substantially less than the distance between the production well and the injection well. Thereafter, a voltage is applied across the adjacent pairs of electrode wells to thereby cause an electrical current to pass through the subterranean formation between each adjacent pair of the electrode wells. As the electrical current passes through the subterranean formation, the viscous material is heated to thereby lower the viscosity of such ma…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.