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:
Dec. 10, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 10, 2011
Mori Y. Kwan, Calgary, CA;
Rahman Khaledi, Calgary, CA;
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
Mark S. Beckman, Houston, TX (US);
Robert Chick Wattenbarger, Houston, TX (US);
J. Pierre Lebel, Calgary, CA;
Mori Y. Kwan, Calgary, CA;
Rahman Khaledi, Calgary, CA;
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
Mark S. Beckman, Houston, TX (US);
Robert Chick Wattenbarger, Houston, TX (US);
J. Pierre Lebel, Calgary, CA;
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
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.