Electromagnetic based system and method for enhancing subsurface recovery of fluid within a permeable formation
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsVincent Benischek, Michael Currie, Rajneeta Basantkumar, Gennady Lyasko
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Abstract
The invention provides for systems and methods of enhancing crude oil flow by radiating electromagnetic energy in the form of focused far field electromagnetic energy into a permeable formation containing the crude oil so as to cause the oil to decrease in viscosity without a substantial change in temperature of the crude oil, thereby increasing the ability of the oil to flow within the formation toward the well and enabling recovery from the reservoir.
Claims20
A method for enhancing flow of crude oil particles within a select subsurface region separated from a terrain surface via geological strata, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of transmit antennae on or below the terrain surface in a given pattern relative to the select subsurface region targeted for impingement;
- controllably transmitting from said transmit antennae far field continuous wave (CW) or pulsed electromagnetic energy beams of given frequency, power, directivity and duration through the geological strata to generate an aggregate magnetic field having an isotropic profile focused onto the select subsurface region containing the crude oil;
- wherein the aggregate magnetic field impinges upon the crude oil particles at a target frequency and energy sufficient to decrease the viscosity of said oil particles a given amount to enhance crude oil flow within the select subsurface region.
A system for enhancing crude oil flow within a select subsurface region separated from a terrain surface via geological strata, the system comprising:
- an array of transmit antennae positioned on or below the terrain surface and configured with respect to one another to transmit in the far field electromagnetic energy beams through the geological strata to generate an aggregate magnetic field with isotropic profile focused onto the select subsurface region containing the crude oil, the aggregate magnetic field impinging upon crude oil particles at a frequency and energy sufficient to decrease the viscosity of oil particles to enhance crude oil flow within the select subsurface region;
- and
- a controller providing control parameters for configuring said transmit antennae to transmit said far field electromagnetic beams, said control parameters including one or more of predetermined frequency, power, directivity and transmit duration parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.