In-situ recovery of viscous hydrocarbonaceous crude oil
AssigneeGulf Canada Limited
InventorNeil R. Edmunds
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Abstract
A process for recovering heavy hydrocarbonaceous oil in situ is disclosed. After a communication path is established between injection and production wells, a hot viscous fluid at least 20% of which is produced hydrocarbonaceous oil from the production well is circulated between the wells providing high sweep efficiency and good recovery of oil in place. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid comprises recirculated bitumen from the production well, steam, and small amounts of inert gas and emulsified water. The final stage is a recovery by conventional means.
Claims21
A method for improving the recovery of viscous hydrocarbonaceous oil from a subterranean formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, said wells being in fluid communication with said formation, comprising:
- (a) establishing a heated communication path between said injection and production wells, in a communication development step,
- (b) injecting heated fluid having a viscosity of at least one centipoise at 200.degree. C. into said injection well, in a recirculation step, until a suitable portion of said subterranean formation is heated, said heated fluid being heated to a temperature from substantially 100.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. before being injected, and
- (c) recovering produced hydrocarbonaceous oil from said formation, in a recovery step, at least substantially 20% by mass of said heated fluid being viscous hydrocarbonaceous oil produced from said production well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.