Oil field steam production and use
AssigneeThe Babcock & Wilcox Company
InventorMinel J. Braun
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for oil field steam production and use. Heated refractory particles are flowed through a steam generator in heat exchange relation with well water to generate steam. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the steam is flowed into a well to heat oil in the well. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the refractory particles are heated by flowing through a solar receiver in heat exchange relation with solar radiation.
Claims14
A method of heating oil in a well comprising:
- a. flowing heated refractory particles through a steam generator;
- b. pumping untreated well water the source of which is the ground from out of the well through a first cavity in the ground and through tube means in the steam generator in heat exchange relation with the heated refractory particles to heat the untreated well water to generate steam;
- and
- c. flowing the steam into the well through a second cavity in the ground to heat oil in the well.
A method of heating oil in a well comprising:
- a. flowing refractory particles through a solar receiver in heat exchange relation with solar radiation to heat the refractory particles;
- b. flowing the heated refractory particles through a steam generator;
- c. pumping untreated well water the source of which is the ground from out of the well through a first cavity in the ground and through tube means in the steam generator in heat exchange relation with the heated refractory particles to heat the untreated well water to generate steam;
- and
- d. flowing the steam into the well through a second cavity in the ground to heat oil in the well.
Apparatus for heating oil in a well comprising solar receiver means for flowing refractory particles in heat exchange relation with solar radiation energy to heat the refractory particles, means for pumping untreated well water the source of which is the ground from out of a well through a first cavity in the ground, steam generating means for flowing untreated well water pumped from the well through tube means in heat exchange relation with the heated refractory particles to generate steam, and means for routing the steam into the well through a second cavity in the ground to heat oil in the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.