Patent · US Expired

Indirect thermal stimulation of production wells

US4274487A · kind A · utility

298Cited by
10References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 11, 1979
Grant dateJun 23, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 11, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/24
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A well which is to produce from a heavy oil or tar sands reservoir is thermally stimulated from another well located on the order of 10 to 50 feet away. This adjacent thermal stimulation well can be considered expendable. This thermal stimulation is continued for a number of days, until the hot zone produced extends beyond the location of the production well. Thereafter, the adjacent thermal stimulation well preferably is closed off during the course of the frontal thermal drive or the like from remote injection wells. However, such stimulation may be repeated later of if the oil or tar becomes too viscous in the pay zone near the production well.

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