The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 1978
Filed:
May. 27, 1977
Richard E Dilgren, Houston, TX (US);
George J Hirasaki, Houston, TX (US);
Harold J Hill, Houston, TX (US);
Derrill G Whitten, Houston, TX (US);
Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
In a viscous oil reservoir in which the stratification of the rock permeability is insufficient to confine steam within the most permeable strata, oil can be produced by forming and expanding a steam channel through which steam is flowed and oil is produced. Steam is injected and fluid is produced at rates causing a steam channel to be extended between locations that are horizontally separated. A foam-forming mixture of steam, noncondensable gas and surfactant is then injected into the steam channel to provide foam and a relatively high pressure gradient within the channel, without plugging the channel. A flow of steam-containing fluid through the steam channel is continued in a manner such that the magnitudes of the pressure gradient, the rate of oil production, and the rate of steam channel expansion exceed those which could be provided by steam alone.