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:
Jun. 06, 2017
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2013
Future Energy, Llc, Dayton, OH (US);
Kent B. Hytken, San Diego, CA (US);
Future Energy, LLC, Dayton, OH (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for enhanced delivery of thermal energy to vertical wellbores are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method comprises heating a heat transfer fluid; continuously circulating the heat transfer fluid into a vertical wellbore to a downhole heat exchanger; advancing hot feedwater into the vertical wellbore to the downhole heat exchanger, wherein the downhole heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the heat transfer fluid to the hot feedwater to generate high-quality steam; transmitting the steam from the downhole heat exchanger into a subterranean formation, whereby thermal energy from the steam causes a reduction in viscosity of hydrocarbons in the subterranean formation; injecting an acid scale wash to counter scale buildup from the hot feedwater on the downhole heat exchanger; and returning the heat transfer fluid from the downhole heat exchanger to the surface thermal fluid heater for reheating and recirculation into the vertical wellbore.