Iron oxide for in-situ oil upgrading via deasphalting
AssigneeCenovus Energy Inc.
InventorsAmos Ben-Zvi, Nashaat Nassar, Paulina Morasse, Lukemon Adetunji
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Abstract
A method for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising the steps of: injecting steam into the subterranean reservoir; making at least two injections of an iron oxide asphaltene-sorbent, with each injection separated in time from the one prior; allowing residence time for the iron oxide asphaltene-sorbent in the subterranean reservoir, thereby producing upgraded hydrocarbons and asphaltenes adsorbed to the iron oxide asphaltene-sorbent in the subterranean reservoir; and producing the upgraded hydrocarbons, without producing the asphaltenes that are adsorbed to the iron oxide asphaltene-sorbent.
Claims20
A method for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) injecting a first amount of iron oxide particles as an asphaltene-sorbent into the subterranean reservoir;
- (b) allowing time for at least some of the iron oxide particles to adsorb asphaltenes from the hydrocarbons;
- (c) injecting a second amount of iron oxide particles as an asphaltene-sorbent into the subterranean reservoir, wherein steps (a) to (c) result in asphaltenes being adsorbed to the iron oxide particles in the subterranean reservoir and thereby generating upgraded hydrocarbons within the subterranean reservoir;
- and
- (d) producing the upgraded hydrocarbons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.