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US 8,770,289 B2Granted
Method and system for lifting fluids from a reservoir
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorThomas A. Boone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for lifting hydrocarbons from reservoirs. A method includes injecting a heat carrier fluid comprising steam, hot water, or both into a first well and injecting an organic compound into a second well. The organic compound is selected to vaporize to a gas from the heat provided by the heat carrier fluid, forcing produced fluids to the surface. The produced fluids are collected at the surface.
Claims26
A method for lifting fluids from a reservoir, comprising:
- injecting a heat carrier fluid comprising steam, hot water, or both into a first well;
- producing produced fluids in a second well from the reservoir;
- injecting an organic compound into the second well while producing the produced fluids from the reservoir, wherein the organic compound is selected to vaporize to a gas from heat provided by the heat carrier fluid, lifting the produced fluids to a surface through the second well;
- and
- collecting the produced fluids at the surface.
2 more elements
A system for harvesting resources in a reservoir, comprising:
- a production well comprising a horizontal section located substantially proximate to a base of the reservoir;
- an injection system configured to inject an organic compound into a production well tube in the production well while a fluid is produced in the production well, wherein the organic compound is selected so as to vaporize at the end of the production well tube;
- and
- a continuous production system configured to produce the fluid from the production well, wherein the fluid comprises a bitumen and the organic compound.
1 more element
A method for harvesting hydrocarbons from a reservoir, comprising:
- drilling a production well substantially proximate to a base of a reservoir;
- injecting steam into the reservoir to lower a viscosity of bitumen, wherein the bitumen flows into the production well;
- injecting an organic compound in a liquid phase into the production well, wherein the organic compound flashes into a vapour in the production well;
- and
- producing fluids from the production well while injecting the organic compound, wherein the fluids comprise the vapour and the bitumen.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.