US 2011/0226471 A1 · USE OF A SOLVENT AND EMULSION FOR IN SITU OIL RECOVERY

Abstract

Described is a way to reduce solvent usage in solvent-dominated oil recovery processes through the use of an emulsion. Injection of an emulsion into an oil reservoir is performed as an alternative or supplement to solvent injection to minimize solvent usage per unit amount of oil recovered. The emulsion may contain solvent and the solvent may form an external-phase of the emulsion. A solvent-external emulsion may be injected and formed using an aqueous liquid or a gas as the internal phase. The emulsion may be an aqueous-external, vapor-internal emulsion with solvent being injected separately or simultaneously. Polymer may be added to viscosify the emulsions and use them for flow diversion in a solvent-dominated process.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A method of recovering hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir of the hydrocarbons, the method comprising:

(a) injecting fluid, into the reservoir, comprising an emulsion and a viscosity-reducing solvent,
(b) allowing the solvent to contact and at least partially dissolve into the hydrocarbons in the reservoir and reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbons;
and
(c) producing reduced viscosity hydrocarbons from the reservoir;
the solvent having a viscosity at a reservoir pressure and temperature less than 1% of the viscosity of the hydrocarbons at the same pressure and temperature, the emulsion having an internal phase and an external phase, and the internal phase being substantially chemically inert with respect to components in the reservoir.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/015,350Filed 27 Jan 2011

Priority

CA 2,696,63816 Mar 2010

Published

22 Sep 2011

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

C09K 8/58
Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations:…
E21B 43/16
Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells: enhanced recovery methods…
C09K
Materials for miscellaneous applications, not provided for elsewhere
E21B
Earth or rock drilling

Use of a solvent and emulsion for in situ oil recovery

Life of this patent

Use of a solvent and emulsion for in situ oil recovery

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32