Thermal solvent recovery method utilizing visbroken produced crude oil
US4461350A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1981 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B43/40
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A method for the recovery of viscous crude oil from a subterranean, viscous crude oil-containing formation penetrated by an injection well and a spaced-apart production well wherein produced crude oil recovered from the production well is subjected to a visbreaking operation to produce a hot visbroken crude oil solvent reduced in viscosity and injecting the hot visbroken crude oil solvent into the formation via the injection well to reduce the viscosity of oil remaining in the oil formation and thereby enhance recovery of oil from the formation. A predetermined amount or slug of the hot visbroken crude oil solvent may be injected into the formation followed by injection of another fluid such as a gas or an aqueous fluid to drive the hot solvent and the oil through the formation toward the production well for recovery of fluids including oil.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.