The Down Hole Tool (DHT) is a system and method for generating underground heat, steam and pressure. Specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical steam generation system that enables efficient production of downhole heating and steam production without the heat and pressure losses realized by surface steam generation equipment.
The DHT is placed underground through existing vertical and/or horizontal well holes. From an energy source connected from the surface by an encased coil cable, the DHT is heated while it is underground to a temperature that will be significant enough to generate significant downhole heat, steam and pressure.
Testing on the first generation DHT (Gen-1 DHT) has taken place on the Company's Maidstone wells A9-6 and A15-6 (summer/autumn 2007) resulting in 600% and 598% increase in production from the respective wells. Temperatures of 110 to 190 degrees celcius and well bore pressure of 14 pounds per square inch were measured. The Company will be deploying the Gen-1 DHT in well A10-6 in October 2007 to with the objective of stimulating this well to increase production from it. The success and knowledge gained from the Gen-1 DHT has led to the development of the second generation DHT (Gen-2 DHT) that will have the capability of increasing the well bore temperature to 250 degrees celcius. Two Gen-2 prototypes have been developed and will be deployed on the Company's Maidstone well A15-6 in November 2007.
Summary of DHT Testing:
Well
Time Duration DHT in Well Bore
Temperature Achieved (celcius)
Pressure Change
Production Change
A9-6
May 2 to May 25, 2007 - 23 days
110 degrees
0 psi to 14 psi
600% increase
A15-6
June 23 to August 11, 2007 - 60 days
190 degrees
598% increase
The success of the Company's DHT is significant. As a point of comparison to the DHT, the use of steam to assist in oil recovery is well known in heavy oil recovery. The current methods, such as Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) and Vapor-Extraction (VAPEX) production methods of injecting steam downhole are energy and capital intensive. The capital costs associated with designing, building and operating a surface steam plant are significant, requiring years of production from the formation to make the investment worthwhile. As a consequence, heavy oil recovery using surface steam production is generally limited to large scale projects while smaller scale projects that could benefit from steam injection to aid in hydrocarbon recovery are typically abandoned.
As a result, there has been a need for steam production facilities with lower infrastructure costs that can deliver steam more efficiently to downhole formations. Petrostar Petroleum Corp. believes it has an answer to the foregoing expensive oil recovery methods with the introduction of its DHT.
Additional Application of DHT
There is potential for the DHT as a replacement to current production tank-heating systems otherwise known as propane or gas-fired tank heaters (burners). Current heaters are used to heat the tank oil and maintain it at approximately 70 degrees celcius, which is a significant operating cost especially during the winter months. In addition to the operating costs, the burner system emits potentially harmful CO2 emissions.
Petrostar's improved electric tank heater (ETH) has the potential to lower operating costs by reducing consumption of fossil fuels and additionally, it would lead to zero CO2 emissions. This would be a major development to help Canada's oil industry meet or surpass the standards put forth by the Kyoto accord. The company plans on approaching the regulatory agencies to discuss implementing a program that if endorsed, could offer producers an incentive to change. The Company plans to initiate a test on one of its tanks as soon as it can complete fabrication of the equipment.
Gen-1 DHT
Gen-2 DHT Surface Test
DHT-3 Extensive Surface Testing
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