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:
Mar. 17, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 13, 2011
Daniel R. Sultenfuss, Houston, TX (US);
Wayne Reid Dreher, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
Thomas J. Wheeler, Jr., Houston, TX (US);
Francis E. Parsche, Palm Bay, FL (US);
Mark A. Trautman, Melbourne, FL (US);
Daniel R. Sultenfuss, Houston, TX (US);
Wayne Reid Dreher, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
Thomas J. Wheeler, Jr., Houston, TX (US);
Francis E. Parsche, Palm Bay, FL (US);
Mark A. Trautman, Melbourne, FL (US);
ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, TX (US);
Harris Corporation, Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
The method begins by forming a gravity drainage production well pair within a formation comprising an injection well and a production well. The pre-soaking stage begins by soaking at least one of the wellbores of the well pair with a solvent, wherein the solvent does not include water. The pre-heating stage begins by heating the soaked wellbore of the well pair to produce a vapor. The squeezing stage begins by introducing the vapor into the soaked wellbore of the well pair, and can thus overlap with the pre-heating stage. The gravity drainage production begins after the squeezing stage, once the wells are in thermal communication and the heavy oil can drain to the lower well.