Abstract: A system and method for splitting a stream of wet steam into at least two streams of equal quality for injection into separate wells wherein the steam is utilized as a thermal recovery fluid in an in situ oil recovery process. The method comprises generating wet steam having a vapor phase and a liquid phase, thoroughly mixing the two phases of the steam in a motionless mixer, immediately passing the mixed wet steam into a flow splitter which splits the stream of wet steam into at least two streams of wet steam having equal quality, and injecting each stream of wet steam into separate wells at a controlled rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the phase behavior of gas/oil mixtures at preselected controlled high temperatures and high pressures wherein a stream of oil and gas under controlled conditions of volume rate and pressure are separately introduced into a mixing chamber and then into a separator wherein the liquid oil phase separates by gravity into the bottom of the separator and the gas phase migrates by gravity to the top of the separator. The gas phase of the separator is in fluid communication with a pressure control system. Samples of oil and gas are separately withdrawn from the separator after thermo-dynamic equilibrium is reached in the mixing chamber and each sample is analyzed to measure the gas/oil ratio.

Abstract: A method for conditioning a coal seam prior to in-situ gasification to increase the permeability of the coal seam to the flow of combustion-supporting gas therethrough and thus increase the efficiency of gasification wherein a wettability alteration fluid is injected into the coal seam via an injection well and fluids including the wettability alteration fluid are recovered from a spaced apart production well. Injection of the wettability alteration fluid is continued into the coal seam until the permeability thereof to the flow of the combustion-supporting gas therethrough has increased to a maximum extent. Suitable wettability alteration fluids include carbon dioxide, volatile amines, aqueous solutions containing phosphates, phenols, flue gas and alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method for recovering heavy oil from a subterranean, permeable, heavy oil-containing formation comprising injecting steam into the lower portion of the formation, injecting a controlled amount of unheated water into the upper portion of the formation and displacing the oil through the formation toward a production well where the oil is produced. The steam injection releases heat (BTU) to the heavy oil and formation reducing the viscosity of the oil and increasing its mobility for recovery. The sequence of injection of the water and steam is designed to yield the maximum oil recovery per BTU injected by increasing the volume of the formation subjected to heating and increasing the vertical sweep.

Abstract: The vertical conformance of a steam drive process is improved and steam override reduced by utilizing a solvent push-pull process in the lower portion of the formation adjacent the production well. Steam is injected into the injection well with production of fluids from the production well. The production well contains two flow paths from the surface, the first being in fluid communication with the upper portion of the formation. Production is continued until there is a water breakthrough from the formation via the first flow path in the production well. After production via the production well is terminated, a predetermined amount of solvent is injected into the lower portion of the formation via the second flow path in the production well while continuing to inject steam into the injection well.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by providing at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well which extend downwardly from the surfaces and which extend to, and generally horizontally through, the bottom of the oil-containing formation with fluid communication of the horizontally extending portions of each well with the oil-containing formation. Solvent is injected into the injection well and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until the fluid recovered contains an unfavorable amount of solvent, preferably at least 90 percent. After injection of the solvent is terminated, both the injection well and the production well are shut-in and the formation is allowed to undergo a soak period for a predetermined time, preferably for a time of between 2 to 20 days per foot of formation thickness.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering uranium from a pregnant lixiviant containing uranium values and a certain portion of molybdenum values comprising passing the pregnant lixiviant through an anion-exchange resin to capture the uranium and molybdenum values on the resin, eluting the uranium and molybdenum values from the resin with a salt solution, passing the eluate through a weak acid cationic resin in its hydrogen form to capture the uranium values on the resin and treating and resulting eluate to precipitate uranium therefrom to produce the familiar "yellow-cake.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by first establishing a fluid communication path in the lower portion of the formation intermediate at least one injection well and a production well. A hydrocarbon solvent having a density less than oil contained in the formation and a viscosity not greater than 1/100 the viscosity of the oil contained in the formation under formation conditions is injected into the communication path and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until the fluid recovered contains an unfavorable ratio of oil to solvent. The production well is shut-in and an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon solvent is injected into the fluid communication path, preferably until a total amount of between 0.05 to 0.30 pore volume.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by first establishing a fluid communication path in the lower portion of the formation intermediate at least one injection well and a production well. At least one additional interior production well in fluid communication with the upper portion of the formation is drilled within the formation defined by the injection well and production well. A hydrocarbon solvent having a density less than oil contained in the formation under formation conditions is injected into the fluid communication path via an injection well and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until solvent is detected in the fluid recovered.

Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a tilted oil-bearing reservoir having a water zone in fluid communication with and directly below an oil zone wherein a large amount of solvent is injected along the water-oil interface so that a part of the solvent fingers into the oil, lowering its viscosity and making the oil more mobile for production. The remainder of the solvent is driven through the reservoir by a water flood wherein the rate is controlled slow enough that gravity minimizes fingering of the water into the oil layer, sweeping oil toward the production well. Solvent stimulation of the producing well provides additional incremental recovery and encourages the flooded oil toward the production well.

Abstract: Novel processes are provided for the stabilization of modified celluloses in brine solutions useful for well completion and workover. Copper species are added to such fluids in an amount effective substantially to decrease the rate of decomposition of such cellulose at temperatures above about 225.degree. F.

Abstract: Useful product is recovered from an underground coal seam by drilling a passage extending from the surface to a cavity formed in the floor rock below the coal seam, drilling one or more upwardly radially extending channels from the cavity forming an injection manifold-like system which extends to the interface between the floor rock and the coal seam, injecting an oxidant or oxidant gas mixture into these channels from the surface, igniting the coal where the radially extending channels connect with the base of the coal seam and recovering product gases generated by the gasification process through a plurality of surrounding production wells.

Abstract: A liquid well-treating chemical composition is injected into the production tubing during gas lift operations by providing a differential pressure operated valve downhole from the lowermost gas lift flow valve and maintaining sufficient liquid head of the chemical composition in the annulus to open the valve and cause the liquid chemical composition to pass into the interior of the production tubing.

Abstract: Certain glucans are made useful as mobility control agents in subterranean oil recovery by the addition of a clay flocculant to minimize adsorption losses. Because of the non-ionic character of glucans, these losses are excessive in the absence of the flocculants used herein.

Abstract: Process for treating a well penetrating a subterranean formation which is productive of sour gas in order to alleviate sulfur deposition. An alkyl naphthalene base sulfur solvent is circulated into the well and recovered from the well in admixture with the produced gas. The injected solvent comprises an alkyl naphthalene mixture containing C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl naphthalenes in an amount within the range of 70-90 weight percent and higher-boiling naphthalenes in an amount within the range of 5-15 weight percent. The sulfur solvent contains no more than a 10 weight percent of naphthalene and has an initial boiling point of at least 230.degree. C., a flash point greater than 101.degree. C., and a freezing point of less than 0.degree. C. The solvent mixture may be dissolved in a carrier oil for introduction into the well.

Abstract: This specification discloses a method of transporting particulate solid material as a slurry through a pipeline. A pumpable slurry is formed of the particulate solid material in a solution of alcohol and water as a carrier liquid having an additive therein to thicken it. The slurry is pumped through the pipeline to transport the particulate solid material to a desired location.