Apparatus and methods for hydrocarbon recovery
AssigneeDrift Resource Technologies Inc
InventorD. Scott Morton
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Abstract
Apparatus and methodologies of mining hydrocarbons from a target area within a subterranean formation, wherein a first phase involves providing at least one production well having at least one mechanical excavator rotatably disposed therein and rotating the mechanical excavator to convey the mined hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface, and a second phase involves, as the hydrocarbons being mined are depleted, withdrawing the mechanical excavator away from the formation, such that additional hydrocarbons are mined.
Claims19
A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a target area within a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
- providing at least one production well in the formation at or near the target area;
- providing at least one mechanical excavator rotatably disposed within the production well, the mechanical excavator having a first input end and a second discharge end;
- permitting the hydrocarbons at the target area to be received within the first input end of the mechanical excavator;
- and
- rotating the at least one mechanical excavator to convey the recovered hydrocarbons received within the first input end of the mechanical excavator from the first input end to the second discharge end for recovery;
- wherein, as the hydrocarbons being recovered at the target area are depleted, the method further comprises withdrawing the at least one mechanical excavator away from the target area for permitting additional hydrocarbons to be received within the first input end of the mechanical excavator.
A method of mining hydrocarbons from a target area within a subterranean formation, the method comprising a first phase of:
- providing at least one production well in the formation at or near the target area;
- providing at least one mechanical excavator rotatably disposed within the production well, the mechanical excavator having a first input end and a second discharge end;
- permitting the hydrocarbons at the target area to be received within the first input end of the mechanical excavator;
- and
- rotating the at least one mechanical excavator to convey the mined hydrocarbons received within the first input end of the mechanical excavator from the first input end to the second discharge end;
- wherein, as the hydrocarbons being mined from the target area are depleted, the method further comprises:
- withdrawing the at least one mechanical excavator away from the target area for permitting additional hydrocarbons to be mined within the first input end of the mechanical excavator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.