Thermal hydrocarbon recovery method using circulation of surface-heated mixture of liquid hydrocarbon and water

摘要

A method for thermal recovery of hydrocarbon housed in a reservoir comprising injecting a mixture comprising either hydrocarbon and water (for downhole heating) or hydrocarbon and steam (heated at surface) into a wellbore and circulating the heated mixture of hydrocarbon and steam inside the wellbore allowing the heated mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thereby reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbon within the reservoir. The injection of steam facilitates the delivery of more heat to the reservoir due to the latent heat of steam, compared with circulating heated hydrocarbon alone.