Viscous oil recovery using electric heating and solvent injection

a technology of which is applied in the field of viscous oil recovery using electric heating and solvent injection, can solve the problems of large upfront capital expenditures for water handling and clean-up facilities, high cost of steam distribution over a large field, and inability to attract steam injection, etc., and achieve good electrical conductivity and reduce the viscosity of oil.
US20110303423A1Inactive Publication Date: 2011-12-15EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RES CO
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RES CO
Publication Date
2011-12-15
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

To recover in situ viscous oil from an underground reservoir, electricity is conducted through the underground reservoir by at least two electrodes in an amount that would, in the absence of solvent injection, cause water in the reservoir to vaporize adjacent to the electrodes, and injecting solvent into the reservoir to mitigate water vaporization adjacent to the electrodes by vaporizing solvent in this region. Oil and solvent are produced through one or more production wells.
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Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from Canadian Patent Application number 2,707,283 filed Jun. 11, 2010, entitled Viscous Oil Recovery Using Electric Heating and Solvent Injection, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to in situ recovery of hydrocarbons. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of electric heating to recover in situ hydrocarbons including viscous oil such as bitumen.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Recovering viscous oil from a subterranean reservoir in an economic manner typically requires reducing the in situ viscosity of the oil. Most commonly, this is accomplished by steam injection. Steamflooding (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,625 (Whitten)), cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,559 (Best)), and steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,485...

Claims

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