US2793697A - Method of reestablishing in situ combustion in petroliferous formations - Google Patents
Method of reestablishing in situ combustion in petroliferous formations Download PDFInfo
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- US2793697A US2793697A US520163A US52016355A US2793697A US 2793697 A US2793697 A US 2793697A US 520163 A US520163 A US 520163A US 52016355 A US52016355 A US 52016355A US 2793697 A US2793697 A US 2793697A
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- E21B43/24—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons using heat, e.g. steam injection
- E21B43/243—Combustion in situ
Definitions
- a bore hole is drilled into the petroliferous formation and a source of heat applied thereto to initiate combustion in the portion of the petroliferous deposit adjacent the bore hole.
- a suitable gaseous combustible mixture is then supplied down the bore hole to cause the combustion zone to progress out into the formation away from the bore hole and to produce cracking and distillation of the more volatile components of the petroliferous deposits and drive these components toward a production outlet or outlets.
- the combustion process is supported primarily by combustion in situ of the residual or heavy ends of the petroliferous material present in the formation. Ideally, once combustion is initiated in the formation, it is I maintained continuously until the desired recovery operations have been completed.
- the combustion zone may be extinguished through accident or through unavoidable conditions resulting from the nature of the formation itself.
- extinction may result from a prolonged breakdown of the compressors supplying the gaseous mixture to move the combustion zone, or from a caving in of the bore hole from thermal stress which prevents further supply of the gaseous mixture to the combustion zone.
- a hot front is created in the original well bore by supplying a stoichiometric gaseous combustible mixture through the original well bore to the formation. This mixture is ignited and the supply is maintained until approximately the first foot of the formation out from the well bore is heated to a temperature greater than 1000 F. After establishment of this minimum temperature in excess of 1000 F., the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture is adjusted. so that substantially no combustion of the mixture occurs.
- the combustible gas content of the mixture is either reduced to a low value below that required to support combustion or is increased to a value sutficiently high to prevent combustion in the mixture.
- the lower limits of combustibility, expressed as percentage of total gas, of representative fuel gases are as follows: a typical natural gas, 4.5%; methane, 5.0%; ethane, 3.0%; propane, 2.12%.
- the concentration thereof in the total mixture is maintained below the corresponding lower limit of combustibility and this mixture is supplied through the bore hole to cause the hot front to progress out through the formation.
- the combustible gas content of the mixture could be increased beyond the upper limit of combustibility to produce substantially the same result.
- the peak temperature of the hot front will decrease from radiation, conduction and convection losses to the surrounding formation and from heat losses to the gaseous mixture flowing through the formation.
- the peak temperature of the hot front has decreased to a predetermined minimum value, preferably no less than 1000 F. and absolutely no less than 800 F.
- the combustible gas content of the injected gaseous mixture is adjusted within the limits of combustibility so that combustion may occur.
- the combustible gas content is adjusted to in excess of 22% of equivalent methane, to supply additional thermal energy to the hot front and to return the peak temperature of the hot front to a value greater than 1000 F.
- the hot front will remain substantially stationary in the formation while the peak temperature thereof increases from the increased thermal energy being supplied from the combustion of the gaseous mixture.
- the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front is again adjusted so as to fall outside the limits of combustibility to cause the hot front to again move on out into the formation.
- the peak temperature of the hot front again decreases to the predetermined minimum value after progressing a certain distance through the burnedout zone
- the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture is again brought within the combustibility range to provide additional thermal energy to raise the peak temperature of the hot front to in excess of l000 F.
- the process is thus continued with alternate variations in the combustibility of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front to cause the hot front to pass through the burned-out zone with a minimum expenditure of thermal energy.
- the concentration of combustible gas when the hot front is being transported through the formation, the concentration of combustible gas is outside the range of combustibility, and that when the hot front is relatively stationary and the heat content thereof is being increased, the concentration of combustible gas is within the range of combustibility. It will be further noted in accordance with our method that when the lower limit of combustibility is utilized, the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front is at a minimum and that the oxygen content is at a maximum when the hot front is being transported through the burned-out formation, and that the situation is just the reverse when the hot front is relatively stationary and additional thermal energy is being supplied thereto by combustion of the gas-rich mixture.
- the method of the present invention was field tested under the following conditions.
- a combustion zone was produced in an injection well by igniting phosphorus therein and supplying a gaseous combustible mixture down the injection well.
- a mixture comprising 15% fuel gas and 85% air was supplied at a rate of 20 cubic feet per minute.
- the fuel gas contained 40% CO2, so that the effective fuel gas concentration was substantially 9%.
- the oxygen content of the effiuent gas from an observation well located 20 feet from the injection well dropped to zero, indicating combustion of all the supplied oxygen and an excessive temperature at the combustion zone.
- thermocouple located in an adjacent well indicated a temperature of 2600 F. just before it fused from the high temperature.
- the injection of fuel gas was stopped, and the injection of air was continued for four days. During these four days, the oxygen content of the effluent gas increased from zero to 19%, indicating an absence of combustion in the formation. The injection of air was then discontinued and the formation was left idle for ten days.
- the etfective fuel gas content-of the injected mixture was 4 increased to 24% to provide thermal energy to re-elevate the temperature of the hot front to approximately l500 F.
- the fuel gas content of the injected mixture was then decreased again to 3.6% and the hot front transported an additional distance out into the formation.
- cycling periods of eight hours were utilized, and the length of these cycling periods was increased to twenty-four hours in order to move ahead more rapidly when it was verified that the thermal stability of the method was suflicient to permit these expanded periods of operation; that is, the temperature of the front remained above 1100 F. for about the 24 hour period.
- the rate of injection of the mixtures was increased over a period of one week from the original 20 cubic feet per minute to cubic feet per minute.
- the total distance through which the hot front was transported by the method of the present invention could not be ascertained exactly, but it was estimated, on the basis of thermal calculations, to be between two feet and ten feet. However, there is no reasonable limit on the distance through which reignition could be established.
- a hot front supplying a gaseous mixture containing methane through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, the concentration of said methane in said mixture not exceeding 5.0% to prevent combustion in said mixture during said transporting, increasing the concentration of said methane in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion in said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said methane in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
- a hot front supplying a gaseous mixture containing ethane through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, the concentration of said ethane in said mixture not exceeding 3.0% to prevent combustion in said mixture during said transporting, increasing the concentration of said ethane in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion in said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said ethane in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
- a hot front supplying a gaseous mixture containing a combustible gas through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value below 1000 F., the percentage of said combustible gas in said mixture during said transporting not exceeding 3.5%, increasing the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion of said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to approximately 15 00 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said combustible gas in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
Description
METHOD OF REESTABLISHING IN SITU COMBUS- TION IN PETROLIFEROUS FORMATIONS Clarke N. Simm and Coral L. De Priester, Fullerton, Califl, assignors to California Research Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware "nited States Patent 2,793,697 Patented May 28 1957 No Drawing. Application July 5, 1055, Serial No. 520,163
7 Claims. (Cl. 166-39) 10 ods of reestablishing combustion were to flood the burned-out zone with oil and reestablish combustion or to drill a new bore hole at substantially the interface between the burned-out zone and the petroliferous-containing formation and reestablish combustion in the petro- This invention relates in general to improvements in the production of gas and oil from subterranean petroliferous deposits through the use of in situ combustion, and relates more particularly to a method for reestablishing such combustion in a subterranean formation.
It is well known that conventional or primary methods of recovering gas and oil from subterranean formations, such as by pumping, often do not result in recovery of more than 40% of the gas and oil present in the formation. Numerous secondary recovery methods, such as water flooding and gas drive by repressuring of the reservoir, are being practiced, but even these methods have not resulted in as complete an economical recovery of the available gas and oil as desirable. Additionally, numerous methods have been proposed for improving recovery by thermal means involving in situ combustion of a portion of the deposit, either to lower the viscosity of the oil to facilitate production thereof or to crack and distill the oil to obtain the more volatile portions thereof. In a copending application of Clarke N. Simm, Serial No. 379,729, there is disclosed and claimed a method of secondary recovery utlizing in situ combustion in which the mass velocity of the free oxygen delivered to the combustion zone is controlled within definite limits in accordance with certain characteristics of the petroliferous formation to produce stable and efficient operation of the combustion process.
In such methods of in situ combustion, a bore hole is drilled into the petroliferous formation and a source of heat applied thereto to initiate combustion in the portion of the petroliferous deposit adjacent the bore hole. A suitable gaseous combustible mixture is then supplied down the bore hole to cause the combustion zone to progress out into the formation away from the bore hole and to produce cracking and distillation of the more volatile components of the petroliferous deposits and drive these components toward a production outlet or outlets. The combustion process is supported primarily by combustion in situ of the residual or heavy ends of the petroliferous material present in the formation. Ideally, once combustion is initiated in the formation, it is I maintained continuously until the desired recovery operations have been completed. However, in practice, the combustion zone may be extinguished through accident or through unavoidable conditions resulting from the nature of the formation itself. For example, such extinction may result from a prolonged breakdown of the compressors supplying the gaseous mixture to move the combustion zone, or from a caving in of the bore hole from thermal stress which prevents further supply of the gaseous mixture to the combustion zone.
When such extinction occurs, the reelstablishing of the combustion zone is very diflicult, since the zone between the bore hole and the point at which combustion was extinguished is substantially devoid of petroliferous material and therefore is incapable of supporting a second combustion zone passing therethrough. Furthermore, it is uneconomical to reestablish combustion by placing a liferous portion in the same manner utilized to initially produce the combustion zone. However, these methods have the disadvantage of requiring considerable additional time and expense in flooding the burned-out zone or drilling the additional bore hole, particularly where the burned-out zone is quite extensive or the formation being treated is located at a considerable depth below the surface.
We have discovered that combustion may be reestablished in the petroliferous formation by passing a hot front through the burned-out zone and carefully controlling the potential heat content of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front during its passage through the burned-out zone. In accordance with the present in vention, a hot front is created in the original well bore by supplying a stoichiometric gaseous combustible mixture through the original well bore to the formation. This mixture is ignited and the supply is maintained until approximately the first foot of the formation out from the well bore is heated to a temperature greater than 1000 F. After establishment of this minimum temperature in excess of 1000 F., the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture is adjusted. so that substantially no combustion of the mixture occurs. That is, the combustible gas content of the mixture is either reduced to a low value below that required to support combustion or is increased to a value sutficiently high to prevent combustion in the mixture. For example, at atmospheric pressure the lower limits of combustibility, expressed as percentage of total gas, of representative fuel gases are as follows: a typical natural gas, 4.5%; methane, 5.0%; ethane, 3.0%; propane, 2.12%. Thus, depending on the particular type of fuel gas utilized, or combination of fuel gases, the concentration thereof in the total mixture is maintained below the corresponding lower limit of combustibility and this mixture is supplied through the bore hole to cause the hot front to progress out through the formation. Alternatively, of course, the combustible gas content of the mixture could be increased beyond the upper limit of combustibility to produce substantially the same result.
As the hot front progresses out from the bore hole under the action of this flow of gas, the peak temperature of the hot front will decrease from radiation, conduction and convection losses to the surrounding formation and from heat losses to the gaseous mixture flowing through the formation. When the peak temperature of the hot front has decreased to a predetermined minimum value, preferably no less than 1000 F. and absolutely no less than 800 F., the combustible gas content of the injected gaseous mixture is adjusted within the limits of combustibility so that combustion may occur. Preferably, the combustible gas content is adjusted to in excess of 22% of equivalent methane, to supply additional thermal energy to the hot front and to return the peak temperature of the hot front to a value greater than 1000 F. During this phase of the operation, the hot front will remain substantially stationary in the formation while the peak temperature thereof increases from the increased thermal energy being supplied from the combustion of the gaseous mixture.
When the'peak temperature of the hot front has increased to the desired value, the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front is again adjusted so as to fall outside the limits of combustibility to cause the hot front to again move on out into the formation. When the peak temperature of the hot front again decreases to the predetermined minimum value after progressing a certain distance through the burnedout zone, the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture is again brought within the combustibility range to provide additional thermal energy to raise the peak temperature of the hot front to in excess of l000 F. The process is thus continued with alternate variations in the combustibility of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front to cause the hot front to pass through the burned-out zone with a minimum expenditure of thermal energy.
It will be noted that in our method, when the hot front is being transported through the formation, the concentration of combustible gas is outside the range of combustibility, and that when the hot front is relatively stationary and the heat content thereof is being increased, the concentration of combustible gas is within the range of combustibility. It will be further noted in accordance with our method that when the lower limit of combustibility is utilized, the combustible gas content of the gaseous mixture supplied to the hot front is at a minimum and that the oxygen content is at a maximum when the hot front is being transported through the burned-out formation, and that the situation is just the reverse when the hot front is relatively stationary and additional thermal energy is being supplied thereto by combustion of the gas-rich mixture.
The method of the present invention was field tested under the following conditions. In a test of in situ combustion for secondary recovery, a combustion zone was produced in an injection well by igniting phosphorus therein and supplying a gaseous combustible mixture down the injection well. After ignition of the phosphorus, a mixture comprising 15% fuel gas and 85% air was supplied at a rate of 20 cubic feet per minute. The fuel gas contained 40% CO2, so that the effective fuel gas concentration was substantially 9%. Within six hours of the ignition of the phosphorus, the oxygen content of the effiuent gas from an observation well located 20 feet from the injection well dropped to zero, indicating combustion of all the supplied oxygen and an excessive temperature at the combustion zone. In corroboration of this, a thermocouple located in an adjacent well indicated a temperature of 2600 F. just before it fused from the high temperature. The injection of fuel gas was stopped, and the injection of air was continued for four days. During these four days, the oxygen content of the effluent gas increased from zero to 19%, indicating an absence of combustion in the formation. The injection of air was then discontinued and the formation was left idle for ten days.
After these ten days, 320 pounds of phosphorus were injected into the injection well and a stoichiometric mixture of fuel gas and air was injected at a rate of 20 cubic feet per minute. The phosphorus was ignited and the stoichiometric flow was continued until a hot front having a temperature between 1200 F. and 1500 F. was produced in the formation adjacent the well bore. The fuel gas content of the mixture was then decreased and the hot front was transported out into the formation by injection of a mixture comprising 6% fuel gas and 94% air at a rate of 50 C. F. M. The 6% fuel gas again contained 40% CO2 so that the effective fuel gas concentration was 3.6%. When the temperature of the hot front had decreased to approximately 1100 F., the etfective fuel gas content-of the injected mixture was 4 increased to 24% to provide thermal energy to re-elevate the temperature of the hot front to approximately l500 F. The fuel gas content of the injected mixture was then decreased again to 3.6% and the hot front transported an additional distance out into the formation.
This alternate injection of relatively lean and rich mixtures was continued until the hot front arrived at a position in the formation where combustible material was available. The arrival of the hot front at a petroliferous-containing portion of the formation was indicated by a steady state low oxygen concentration in the effluent gas from the adjacent observation well, as contrasted to the rapid increase in oxygen content of the effluent gas which occurred during injection of the gas-lean mixture when the hot front was being moved through the burnedout zone. This rapid increase in oxygen content, of course, resulted from the lack of any combustible material in the burned-out portions of the formation, and the low, steady state oxygen concentration indicated the occurrence of combustion with its consequent oxygen consumption.
During the initial phases of the operation, cycling periods of eight hours were utilized, and the length of these cycling periods was increased to twenty-four hours in order to move ahead more rapidly when it was verified that the thermal stability of the method was suflicient to permit these expanded periods of operation; that is, the temperature of the front remained above 1100 F. for about the 24 hour period. The rate of injection of the mixtures was increased over a period of one week from the original 20 cubic feet per minute to cubic feet per minute. The total distance through which the hot front was transported by the method of the present invention could not be ascertained exactly, but it was estimated, on the basis of thermal calculations, to be between two feet and ten feet. However, there is no reasonable limit on the distance through which reignition could be established.
Although but a few illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
We claim:
1. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000" F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing a combustible gas through said well bore to said hot front, adjusting the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value outside the range of combustibility of said mixture to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, readjusting the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value within the range of combustibility of said mixture to produce combustion for reelevating the temperature of said hot zone to in excess of 1000" F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said combustible gas in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
2. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing a combustible gas through said well bore to said hot front, adjusting the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value below the level of combustibility of said mixture to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, increasing the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value within the range of combustibility of said mixture to produce combustion for reelevating the temperature of said hot zone to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said combustible gas in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
3. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, sup plying a gaseous mixture containing a combustible gas through said well bore to said hot front, adjusting the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value above the level of combustibility of said mixture to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, decreasing the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to a value within the range of combustibility of said mixture to produce combustion for reelevating the temperature of said hot zone to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said combustible gas in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
4. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing methane through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, the concentration of said methane in said mixture not exceeding 5.0% to prevent combustion in said mixture during said transporting, increasing the concentration of said methane in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion in said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said methane in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
5. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said Well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing ethane through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, the concentration of said ethane in said mixture not exceeding 3.0% to prevent combustion in said mixture during said transporting, increasing the concentration of said ethane in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion in said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said ethane in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
6. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing propane through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value, the concentration of said propane in said mixture not exceeding 2.12% to prevent combustion in said mixture during said transporting, increasing the concentration of said propane in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion in said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to in excess of 1000 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said propane in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
7. The method of establishing combustion in a subterranean petroliferous deposit which is separated laterally from a well bore by a zone substantially devoid of petroliferous material comprising the steps of heating the portion of said zone adjacent said well. bore to a temperature in excess of 1000 F. to produce a hot front, supplying a gaseous mixture containing a combustible gas through said well bore to said hot front to transport said hot front into said zone until the temperature of said hot front decreases to a predetermined value below 1000 F., the percentage of said combustible gas in said mixture during said transporting not exceeding 3.5%, increasing the concentration of said combustible gas in said mixture to in excess of 22% to produce combustion of said mixture to reelevate the temperature of said hot front to approximately 15 00 F., and alternately so varying the concentration of said combustible gas in said gaseous mixture to cause said hot front to progress through said zone to said petroliferous deposit.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,642,943 Smith June 23, 1953
Claims (1)
1. THE METHOD OF ESTABLISHING COMBUSTION IN A SUBTERRANEAN PETROLIFEROUS DEPOSIT WHICH IS SEPARATED FROM A WELL BORE BY A ZONE SUBSTANTIALLY DEVOID OF PETROLIFEROUS MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF HEATING THE PORTION OF SAID ZONE ADJACENT SAID WELL BORE TO A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 1000* F. TO PRODUCE A HOT FRONT, SUPPLYING A GASEOUS MIXTURE CONTAINING A COMBUSTIBLE GAS THROUGH SAID WELL BORE TO SAID HOT FRONT, ADJUSTING THE CONCENTRATION OF SAID COMBUSTIBLE GAS IN SAID MIXTURE TO VALUE OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF COMBUSTIBILITY OF SAID MIX TURE TO TRANSPORT SAID HOT FRONT INTO SAID ZONE UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID HOT FRONT DECREASES TO A PREDETERMINED VALUE, READJUSTING THE CONCENTRATION OF SAID COMBUSTIBLE GAS IN SAID MIXTURE TO A VALUE WITHIN THE RANGE OF COMBUSTIBILITY OF SAID MIXTURE TO PRODUCE COMBUSTION FOR RELEVATING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID HOT ZONE TO IN EXCESS OF 1000* F., AND ALTERNATELY SO VARYING THE CONCENTRATION OF SAID COMBUSTIBLE GAS IN SAID GASEOUS MIXTURE TO CAUSE SAID HOT FRONT TO PROGRESS THROUGH SAID ZONE TO SAID PETROLIFEROUS DEPOSIT.
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| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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| US520163A US2793697A (en) | 1955-07-05 | 1955-07-05 | Method of reestablishing in situ combustion in petroliferous formations |
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| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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| US520163A US2793697A (en) | 1955-07-05 | 1955-07-05 | Method of reestablishing in situ combustion in petroliferous formations |
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| US2793697A true US2793697A (en) | 1957-05-28 |
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Cited By (16)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3026937A (en) * | 1957-05-17 | 1962-03-27 | California Research Corp | Method of controlling an underground combustion zone |
| US3076505A (en) * | 1958-05-19 | 1963-02-05 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Process for initiation of in situ combustion |
| US3087541A (en) * | 1960-05-09 | 1963-04-30 | Jersey Prod Res Co | In situ combustion process |
| US3113619A (en) * | 1959-03-30 | 1963-12-10 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Line drive counterflow in situ combustion process |
| US3126954A (en) * | 1964-03-31 | Unburned zone | ||
| US3179167A (en) * | 1963-01-30 | 1965-04-20 | Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc | Intermittent direct in situ burning method |
| US3180412A (en) * | 1962-08-07 | 1965-04-27 | Texaco Inc | Initiation of in situ combustion in a secondary recovery operation for petroleum production |
| US3217800A (en) * | 1963-02-14 | 1965-11-16 | Gulf Research Development Co | Consolidation of incompetent subsurface formations |
| US3233671A (en) * | 1962-12-18 | 1966-02-08 | Sinclair Research Inc | Recovery of heavy crude oils by in situ combustion |
| US3263750A (en) * | 1963-05-23 | 1966-08-02 | Sun Oil Co | In situ combustion method for high viscosity petroleum deposits |
| US3360041A (en) * | 1965-12-20 | 1967-12-26 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Igniting an oil stratum for in situ combustion |
| US3398793A (en) * | 1966-05-27 | 1968-08-27 | Marathon Oil Co | Process for rapid reignition of in situ combustion |
| US3437139A (en) * | 1967-01-17 | 1969-04-08 | Marathon Oil Co | Process for in situ combustion in subterranean surface containing a permeable zone |
| US4127171A (en) * | 1977-08-17 | 1978-11-28 | Texaco Inc. | Method for recovering hydrocarbons |
| US4203853A (en) * | 1977-08-17 | 1980-05-20 | Texaco Inc. | Fluid for recovering hydrocarbons |
| US4573530A (en) * | 1983-11-07 | 1986-03-04 | Mobil Oil Corporation | In-situ gasification of tar sands utilizing a combustible gas |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2642943A (en) * | 1949-05-20 | 1953-06-23 | Sinclair Oil & Gas Co | Oil recovery process |
-
1955
- 1955-07-05 US US520163A patent/US2793697A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2642943A (en) * | 1949-05-20 | 1953-06-23 | Sinclair Oil & Gas Co | Oil recovery process |
Cited By (16)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3126954A (en) * | 1964-03-31 | Unburned zone | ||
| US3026937A (en) * | 1957-05-17 | 1962-03-27 | California Research Corp | Method of controlling an underground combustion zone |
| US3076505A (en) * | 1958-05-19 | 1963-02-05 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Process for initiation of in situ combustion |
| US3113619A (en) * | 1959-03-30 | 1963-12-10 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Line drive counterflow in situ combustion process |
| US3087541A (en) * | 1960-05-09 | 1963-04-30 | Jersey Prod Res Co | In situ combustion process |
| US3180412A (en) * | 1962-08-07 | 1965-04-27 | Texaco Inc | Initiation of in situ combustion in a secondary recovery operation for petroleum production |
| US3233671A (en) * | 1962-12-18 | 1966-02-08 | Sinclair Research Inc | Recovery of heavy crude oils by in situ combustion |
| US3179167A (en) * | 1963-01-30 | 1965-04-20 | Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc | Intermittent direct in situ burning method |
| US3217800A (en) * | 1963-02-14 | 1965-11-16 | Gulf Research Development Co | Consolidation of incompetent subsurface formations |
| US3263750A (en) * | 1963-05-23 | 1966-08-02 | Sun Oil Co | In situ combustion method for high viscosity petroleum deposits |
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| US3398793A (en) * | 1966-05-27 | 1968-08-27 | Marathon Oil Co | Process for rapid reignition of in situ combustion |
| US3437139A (en) * | 1967-01-17 | 1969-04-08 | Marathon Oil Co | Process for in situ combustion in subterranean surface containing a permeable zone |
| US4127171A (en) * | 1977-08-17 | 1978-11-28 | Texaco Inc. | Method for recovering hydrocarbons |
| US4203853A (en) * | 1977-08-17 | 1980-05-20 | Texaco Inc. | Fluid for recovering hydrocarbons |
| US4573530A (en) * | 1983-11-07 | 1986-03-04 | Mobil Oil Corporation | In-situ gasification of tar sands utilizing a combustible gas |
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