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. 31, 2013
Filed:
May. 02, 2011
Applicants:
Thomas J. Boone, Calgary, CA;
Mori Y. Kwan, Calgary, CA;
Inventors:
Thomas J. Boone, Calgary, CA;
Mori Y. Kwan, Calgary, CA;
Assignee:
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
E21B 33/13 (2006.01); E21B 43/22 (2006.01); E21B 43/24 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Certain viscous oil reservoirs are too deep to be commercially mined but lack an adequate top seal to employ in situ recovery methods such as SAGD. Without an adequate top seal, gases from the reservoir can rise into overlying aquifers and potentially to the surface. While ice-like hydrates would not normally form above the oil reservoir during in situ recovery, an additive can be added to promote hydrate formation. In this way, a hydrate barrier can be formed to act as a top seal to contain these gases.