# US 11,441,402 B2 · Method for in-situ tar mat remediation and recovery

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- Number: US 11,441,402 B2
- Document ID: US11441402B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/588,735
- Filed: 2022-01-31
- Published: 2022-08-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-01-30
- Assignees: Giftedness and Creativity Company
- Applicants: Giftedness and Creativity Company
- Inventors: Saad F. Alkafeef
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441402B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/24: using heat, e.g. steam injection
- C10G 21/003: {Solvent de-asphalting}
- E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- E21B 43/305: {comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well}
- C10G 2300/206: Asphaltenes
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES

## Abstract

A method for in-situ remediation and recovery of a tar mat TM layer of a sub-surface formation can include deasphalting oil obtained from an oil column to produce a deasphalted oil, extracting an aromatic solvent from the deasphalted oil to provide a residual deasphalted oil and an extracted solvent; and injecting the residual deasphalted oil and the extracted solvent into the tar mat TM layer of the sub-surface formation using at least one horizontal well selected from the group consisting of a single horizontal well, two parallel horizontal wells, and a plurality of horizontal wells arranged in a radial configuration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for in-situ tar mat remediation, comprising:
injecting an aromatic solvent extracted from deasphalted crude oil and a residual deasphalted crude oil into a tar mat layer using at least one horizontal injection well.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1,
further comprising the steps of:
extracting crude oil from an oil reservoir above the tar mat layer;
deasphalting the crude oil to provide the deasphalted crude oil; and
extracting the aromatic solvent from the deasphalted crude oil.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, wherein the least one horizontal injection well comprises a single horizontal injection well with at least one injection tube.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 3, wherein the least one injection tube comprises a single injection tube.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 3, wherein the least one injection tube comprises two injection tubes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, wherein the least one horizontal injection well comprises two parallel horizontal injection wells.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, wherein the least one horizontal injection well comprises a plurality of horizontal injection wells extending from a main well and arranged in a radial pattern.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
producing dissolved tar mat layer products after injecting the aromatic solvent and the residual deasphalted crude oil into the tar mat layer; and
harvesting the dissolved tar mat layer products.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
producing dissolved tar mat layer products after injecting the aromatic solvent and the residual deasphalted crude oil into the tar mat layer; and
harvesting the dissolved tar mat layer products.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as recited in claim 1, wherein a supercritical extraction process is used to deasphalt the crude oil.

### Claim 11

A method for in-situ tar mat remediation, comprising:
extracting crude oil from an oil reservoir;
deasphalting the crude oil to produce a deasphalted crude oil;
extracting the aromatic solvent from the deasphalted crude oil to provide an aromatic solvent and a residual deasphalted oil; and
injecting the aromatic solvent and the residual deasphalted crude oil into a tar mat layer using at least one horizontal injection well.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the tar mat layer is beneath the oil reservoir.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the at least one horizontal injection well comprises a single injection well with at least one injection tube.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the at least one injection tube comprises a single injection tube.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the at least one injection tube comprises two injection tubes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the at least one horizontal injection well comprises two parallel injection wells.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method for in-situ tar mat remediation as in claim 11, wherein the at least one horizontal injection well comprises a plurality of horizontal injection wells extending from a main well in a radial pattern.