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The present invention is directed towards methods and apparatus to release energy into wells using combustion of monopropellants. More specifically, this invention is directed to industrial methods to enhance the extraction of well fluids from wells by using the in-situ energy released from this inv

The present invention is directed towards methods and apparatus to release energy into wells using combustion of monopropellants. More specifically, this invention is directed to industrial methods to enhance the extraction of well fluids from wells by using the in-situ energy released from this inventions apparatus, methods, catalyst, and fluids blends for subterranean catalytic combustion of monopropellants.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of constructing a well apparatus for recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir fluidly coupled to a wellbore of said apparatus, said method comprising: providing a reservoir for a composition comprising a monopropellant, said composition substantially free of hydrogen peroxi

1. A method of constructing a well apparatus for recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir fluidly coupled to a wellbore of said apparatus, said method comprising: providing a reservoir for a composition comprising a monopropellant, said composition substantially free of hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine, or Otto Fuel;inserting from surface, with a coiled tubing injector head, a first conduit into said wellbore, said first conduit having a proximal end at surface and a distal end below said surface, said first conduit fluidly coupled to said monopropellant composition reservoir;engaging, at surface, said first conduit with said coiled tubing injector head;connecting a catalytic reaction chamber at a point along the length of said first conduit, said reaction chamber having intake and exhaust fluid ports fluidly coupled to said first conduit, said catalytic reaction chamber having a catalyst composition disposed in it; and,attaching a check valve on said first conduit or on said catalytic reaction chamber, wherein said check valve is: disposed on said catalytic reaction chamber at a position downstream from said catalyst composition in said reaction chamber, or,disposed on said first conduit at a location closer to said distal end of said first conduit than the location of said reaction chamber. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a catalytic reaction chamber at a point along the length of said first conduit, comprises providing a catalytic reaction chamber at or above surface. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first conduit is a continuous coiled tubing. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a second conduit in said wellbore. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first conduit is a continuous coiled tubing and is disposed in said wellbore concentrically through said wellhead and said second conduit. 6. The method of 4, wherein said first conduit is disposed on the outside diameter of said second conduit. 7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of fluidly coupling said first conduit to at least one side pocket assembly and having said catalytic reaction chamber disposed in said side pocket, and fluidly coupling said side pocket to said second conduit. 8. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of retrieving to surface through said second conduit said catalytic reaction chambers. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of moving said first conduit and said reaction chamber through said wellbore and simultaneously injecting said monopropellant composition from surface through said reaction chamber, across said catalyst, through said reactor exhaust port, through said check valve, and into said wellbore. 10. A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir fluidly coupled to a wellbore, said method comprising: introducing a composition comprising a monopropellant into a first conduit, said first conduit extending into said wellbore having a proximal end at surface and a distal end below said surface in said wellbore, said first conduit fluidly coupled to a catalytic reaction chamber, said first conduit having a check valve disposed on it or disposed on said first conduit between said distal end and said reaction chamber, said composition substantially free of hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine, or Otto Fuel;flowing said composition comprising a monopropellant into said catalytic reaction chamber through said first conduit;conducting catalytic reaction products and/or heat formed by said step of flowing said composition comprising a monopropellant into said catalytic reaction chamber, said step of conduction comprises conducting said reaction products and/or heat into said wellbore or into said subterranean reservoir, or into both said wellbore and said subterranean reservoir; and,flowing reservoir fluids from said subterranean reservoir through a well. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of conducting comprises conducting said catalytic reaction products and/or heat into said subterranean reservoir. 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of moving said first conduit and said reaction chamber through said wellbore while simultaneously injecting said monopropellant composition from surface. 13. A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir comprising: introducing a first composition comprising a monopropellant into a first conduit, said first conduit extending into a wellbore, said first conduit having a proximal end at surface and a distal end below said surface in said wellbore, said first conduit fluidly coupled to a catalytic reaction chamber, said first conduit having a check valve disposed on it or disposed on said first conduit between said distal end and said reaction chamber, said check valve being fluidly coupled to said first conduit and said reaction chamber, said first composition substantially free of hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine, or Otto Fuel;flowing said first composition into said catalytic reaction chamber through said first conduit;simultaneously flowing a second composition down a second conduit extending into said wellbore, said second composition substantially free of an oxidizer component;heating said second composition with heat generated from said step of flowing said first composition into said catalytic reaction chamber, to form a heated second composition;introducing at least said heat with said second composition into said subterranean reservoir; and,producing reservoir fluids from said subterranean reservoir to surface through a well. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said second composition comprises a micro-emulsion. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of injecting said heated second composition into at least one injection well reservoir and producing it to surface from at least one separate production well reservoir. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the injected heated second composition comprises a supercritical state as it enters said subterranean reservoir. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein said first composition comprising a monopropellant comprises a cryogenic fluid. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein said second composition comprises an alkane. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein said second composition comprises ammonia. 20. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of said second composition is recovered at surface, separated from well fluids, and re-cycled and re-injected into a wellbore. 21. The method of claim 13, wherein said second composition comprises water. 22. The method of claim 13, wherein said first composition comprises propane and oxygen. 23. The method of claim 13, wherein said first composition comprises hydrogen and oxygen. 24. The method of claim 13, wherein said first composition comprises nitrogen. 25. The method of claim 13, wherein the heated second fluid is injected at a pressure above the fracture gradient of said reservoir. 26. A well apparatus for the recovery of hydrocarbons, said apparatus comprising: a wellbore extending from surface to a subterranean region and fluidly coupled to a subterranean hydrocarbon-containing reservoir,a first conduit disposed, at least in part, in said wellbore, said first conduit engaged with a coiled tubing injector head, said first conduit having proximal end at surface and a distal end below said surface in said wellbore;a catalytic reaction chamber disposed at a point along the length of said first conduit, said reaction chamber having intake and exhaust fluid ports fluidly coupled to said first conduit, said catalytic reaction chamber having a catalyst composition disposed in it;a check valve fluidly coupled to said first conduit, said check valve being disposed on:said catalytic reaction chamber, in a position downstream said catalyst composition of said reaction chamber, or,said first conduit at a location closer to said distal end of said first conduit than the location of said reaction chamber. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a second conduit, said second conduit fluidly coupled to said subterranean hydrocarbon-containing reservoir.