Patent ID: 8235110
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: C09K,E21B,Y02C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for enhancing recovery of a petroleum product from an oilfield reservoir comprising: injecting water including a preconditioning agent into a mobile water film included in the oilfield reservoir, where the oilfield reservoir includes at least one of heavy oil or bitumen; and preconditioning the oilfield reservoir with the preconditioning agent prior to production of the petroleum product from the oilfield reservoir, wherein preconditioning the oilfield reservoir comprises allowing the preconditioning agent a defined period of time to permeate and react within an oil-rich zone in the oilfield reservoir prior to production of the petroleum product from the oilfield reservoir, the defined period of time determined based on at least one of a type of the preconditioning agent, one or more reservoir characteristics, or a desired preconditioning effect on the oilfield reservoir.