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US 4,900,196 AGranted
Confinement in porous material by driving out water and substituting sealant
AssigneeIIT Research Institute
InventorJack E. Bridges
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To provide confinement in a porous medium in the earth, a limited region of the porous medium is heated to drive substantially all of the free water from open spaces of the medium in the region. After heating, liquid material is introduced into the open spaces in the medium, which liquid material will set into a substantially solid structure. The liquid material is then set in the open spaces to form a substantially solid structure in the medium in the region.
Claims24
A method for providing confinement of material in a porous medium in the earth comprising
- electrically heating a limited region of the porous medium by applying electric power between electrodes disposed in the earth to heat said region to temperature above that at which there is a substantial decrease in the conductivity of the material between the electrodes and below 300.degree. C. to drive substantially all of the free water from open spaces of said medium in said region,
- thereafter introducing into said open spaces in said medium hydrocarbonaceous material in a liquid state which will set into a substantially impermeable, substantially solid structure, and
- setting said liquid material in said open spaces to form a substantially impermeable, substantially solid structure in said medium in said region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.