Heavy oil viscosity reduction and production

Apparatus for producing heavy crude oil from a subterranean oil bearing formation penetrated by a well bore, comprising:

• a production tubing string disposed within said well bore for conducting oil from the bottom of said well bore to the top of said well bore;
• a pump attached to the bottom of said production tubing string for pumping oil through said production tubing string;
• storage means positioned near the top of said well bore for containing an alkaline chemical or an aqueous alkaline chemical solution;
• conduit means extending from said storage means through said well bore to near the bottom of said well bore for conducting said alkaline chemical or aqueous alkaline chemical solution from said storage means into said well bore;
• and
• ultrasonic stimulation means positioned within said well bore for emitting ultrasonic waves into a mixture of heavy crude oil, water and alkaline chemical therein.

A process for producing heavy crude oil from a subterranean oil bearing formation penetrated by a well bore, comprising the steps of:

• introducing an alkaline chemical or aqueous alkaline chemical solution into said well bore, said well bore containing produced heavy crude oil and water or produced heavy crude oil alone whereby an aqueous alkaline chemical solution is formed or introduced therein having a pH of at least about 8 and being present in an amount sufficient to mix and react with said heavy crude oil and form an emulsion in said well bore;
• subjecting said mixture of heavy crude oil and alkaline chemical solution to emulsion forming stimulation by emitting ultrasonic waves into said well bore;
• and
• producing said emulsion from said well bore.