Patent · US Expired

Thermal drainage process for recovering hot water-swollen oil from a thick tar sand

US4667739A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
11References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 10, 1986
Grant dateMay 26, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 10, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B47/06
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

Hot liquid-containing water-swollen tar is produced from a tar sand by injecting steam into a well, which is at least initially open and substantially free of obstruction to vertical fluid flow throughout a long vertical interval from the bottom of the tar sand, by producing said liquid from the bottom of the tar sand and maintaining injection and production flow rates that keep the steam temperature above about 450.degree. F. at a pressure high enough to keep the produced liquid substantially free of steam and near to, but less than high enough to damage the reservoir.

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