Oil recovery by quenched in situ combustion
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorIssam S. Bousaid
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is an in situ combustion method wherein a combustion front is quenched by the injection of water and reignited after quenching by the injection of an oxygen-containing gas and any necessary heat. The quenching of the combustion drive is repeated several times.
Claims14
An in situ combustion method of recovery hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises:
- igniting the formation to form a combustion front by injecting oxygen-containing gas and heat into a hydrocarbon formation through an injection well;
- quenching the combustion front by injecting a sufficient amount of water into the formation through the injection well;
- reigniting the combustion front at a location farther away from the injection well than the previously quenched combustion front by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the formation through the injection well;
- and
- recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids at a production well.
An in situ combustion method of recovery hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises:
- igniting the formation to form a combustion front by injecting oxygen-containing gas and heat into a hydrocarbon formation through an injection well;
- quenching the combustion front by injecting a sufficient amount of water into the formation through the injection well;
- reigniting the combustion front at a location farther away from the injection well than the previously quenched combustion front by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the formation through the injection well;
- quenching the combustion front again by injecting a sufficient amount of water into the formation through the injection well;
- and
- recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids at a production well.
An in situ combustion method of recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises:
- igniting the formation to form a combustion front by injecting air and heat into a hydrocarbon formation through an injection well;
- injecting water with the air to form a wet combustion front in a water to air ratio of about 100 to about 400 barrels of water per MMCF air;
- quenching the combustion front by increasing the injected water to air ratio until sufficient water has been injected to quench the front;
- ceasing the injection of water;
- reigniting the combustion front at a location farther away from the injection well than the previously quenched combustion front by injecting air into the formation through the injection well;
- injecting water with the air to form a wet combustion front in a water to air ratio of about 100 to about 400 barrels of water per MMCF air;
- quenching the combustion front again by increasing the injected water to air ratio until sufficient water has been injected to quench the front;
- and
- recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids at a production well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.