Heavy oil production with em preheat and gas injection
AssigneesHarris Corporation, ConocoPhillips Company
InventorsDaniel R. SULTENFUSS, Richard TREINEN, Mark A. TRAUTMAN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An enhanced oil recovery technique that combines gas injection with EM radiation to heat and mobilize heavy oil at least until fluid communication is achieved.
Claims28
1) An improved gas injection oil recovery process comprising one or more producer wells and one or more gas injector wells, wherein injection of gas into said gas injector wells drives oil towards said producer wells for production of said oil, the improvement comprising preheating oil with electromagnetic radiation so as to provide fluid communication between said production well and said injection well before or during said gas injection.
13) A method of enhanced oil recovery, comprising:
- i) providing at least one production well and at least one injection well in a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil;
- ii) providing at least one antenna in said subterranean reservoir, wherein said antenna is electrically connected to a current generator;
- iii) emitting electromagnetic (EM) radiation from said antenna to develop fluid communication between said production well and said injection well;
- iv) injecting gas into said injection well at a pressure sufficient to drive production of said heavy oil from said production well;
- and
- v) producing said heavy oil via said production well.
23) A method of enhanced oil recovery, comprising:
- i) providing at one or more production wells and one or more injection wells in a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil;
- ii) providing at least one antenna in each of said wells, wherein said antenna is electrically connected to a current generator capable of providing alternating current at radio frequencies (RF);
- iii) emitting RF radiation from said antenna for a time sufficient to develop fluid communication between said one or more production wells and said one or more injection wells;
- iv) injecting a gas into said one or more injection wells at a pressure sufficient to drive production of said heavy oil from said one or more production wells;
- and
- v) producing said heavy oil via said one or more production wells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.