Steam injection piping
US5025862A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B36/00
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A steam injection pipe system within a cased wellbore is processed to reduce the emissivity of an outwardly facing surface. The pipe system is combined with: (1) a cleaning device or process for maintaining the low emissivity surface; and (2) a mixed fluid non-condensable gas supply to exclude steam from an annular space. This achieves a low cost and low thermal loss steam injection system. The pipe is composed of stainless steel and is polished to reduce the emissivity. The pipe is assembled and run into a cased wellbore. The polished surface of the pipe sections is solvent washed and surrounded by a non-condensable gas within the casing/pipe annulus. The non-condensable gas is introduced at the periphery of the injection pipe, mixed with the steam, and separated down-hole to fill the annulus. The cleaned low emissivity surface and mixed feed fluid gas supply achieves a significant reduction in heat loss without costly pipe insulation when compared to bare pipe injection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.