Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Imperial Oil Resources

J Pierre Lebel

Mori Y Kwan

Robert D Kaminsky

Thomas J Boone

Rahman Khaledi

Robert Chick Wattenbarger

Git Lim

Mark S Beckman

Brad C Harker

P Richard Kry

Thomas James Boone

The present invention relates generally to in situ hydrate control during hydrocarbon production when applying a recovery method utilizing cyclic injection of light hydrocarbon solvents. Hydrate formation is limited by creating an energy reserve within a hydrocarbon reservoir adjacent to the wellbore. A heated solvent is injected during an injection phase of a cyclic solvent dominated recovery process to form a heated region adjacent to the wellbore at the end of an injection cycle. The energy reserve is used to act against the evaporative cooling effect caused by subsequent production and associated depressurization to maintain reservoir conditions outside of hydrate formation conditions. In situ conditions are estimated and injected energy amounts are controlled.

Hydrate control in a cyclic solvent-dominated hydrocarbon recovery process

A process is disclosed for using heavy petroleum fraction as a drive fluid in the recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. The hydrocarbons may be in the form of bitumen or heavy oil. The heavy petroleum fraction may be injected into at least one injection well and hydrocarbons produced out of at least one distinct production well. The heavy petroleum fraction may be co-injected together with steam and/or hot water and/or solvent. The heavy petroleum fraction may be a heavy fraction of a process used to upgrade crude oil, such as a heavy asphaltene fraction produced from solvent deasphalting crude oil produced by this recovery process.

Use of a heavy petroleum fraction as a drive fluid in the recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation

A process for recovery of hydrocarbons in a production fluid from an underground reservoir of said hydrocarbons, the process comprising of: (a) injecting a viscosity reducing solvent of a fraction of said hydrocarbons into said reservoir at a pressure in the reservoir of above a liquid/vapor phase change pressure of a fraction of said solvent; said pressure in said reservoir also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, and then, (b) allowing said solvent to mix with said hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, and then, (c) reducing the pressure in said reservoir to below said liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least said fraction of said solvent thereby evincing solvent gas drive of said fraction of said hydrocarbons from said reservoir; and then, (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) as required.

Cyclic solvent process for in-situ bitumen and heavy oil production

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Calgary, Canada

J Pierre Lebel