US1510925A - Oil-wel heater - Google Patents

Description

DE KAISER ET AL.

OIL WELL HEATER Filed Feb. 8,

Wma ad ITNESSES:

resented-oci. i,y ieee.

sustained heat.`

fluids, such as paraiiine.

- lltgtt ern-Watt mana.

Application iled February 8, 19M. Serial No. @3,48%

To all whom t may conoem.

'Be it knownf' that We, ISAAC Dn KAISER and ARTHUR G. Poroxn, citizens ot' the United States, and residents of W'ilkins# burg and Pittsburgh, res ectively, in the county of Allegheny and tate of Pennsyh venia, have invented a new and useful linprovement in Oil-Well Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to heating devices for subterranean Wells and particularly tol devices for treating crudeoil Wells to increasetheir yield. l

Une object of 'our invention is to provide a'device of the above indicated character that shall effectively support combustion in a subterraneanwell.

Another object of our invention is to provide 'a heater that shall constitute a selfcontained heat-generating and heat-giving unit that may be lowered into a subterranean Well at the end of a cable an'd require no other connections extending to the Well mouth. l y

Another object of our invention is to provide a subterranean Well heater that shall utilize continuously supplied fuel to a substantially maximum .degree ot' efficiency.-

A further object of our invention is to provide a subterranean Well heater that shall be simple and durable in construction, convenient tofhandle and economical to manufacture and maintain.

In subterranean Wells, such as those containin(y gas andother elements and, par ticular v, those containing crude oil, it is desirable to periodically promote the circulation of the fluid in the Well. v@il Wells, in particular', become clogged or sluggish by the accumulation of heavy constituent Underthe latter conditions, the, Well yield falls to a very low value.

By heating a clogged well, the heavy constituents may be .rendered more liquid in form, which enablesI theni to be pumped from the Well and releases the lighter oils or elements that have been held back.

' Heretofore, the heating of a', subterranean well has usually *been a very undesirable op'- eration, because of the diculty of access to the- Well and of providing economical cally-sealed against thereto, from the Well, and against the es-A cape of gasand liame to the Well. Further,

One method of heating a subterranean Well is to lower bodies of iron, that have been previously heated, into the well. This method is very ineiiicient and tedious, by reason of the small quantities of heat that may be, thus, transported .and because of rapid radiation.v y i Attempts have beenl made toincrease the ilow et' oil Wells icy/"the usel of ni-tro-glyc crine but, since lit is necessary to sustain a relatively high temperature long period of time, this method has not been very effective. lt is, further, very ex.: pensive and dangerous.

- Heating by steam has'acconipliehed seine goed results but at a relatively great cost in time, labor and material, since itA mustA be accomplished by means of pipes extend ing to the pay sand of a Well that may be several thousand feet deep.

Heat treating of subterraneanv Wells b electricity has been accomplished to a higii degree ot' perfection, in consideration of the limitations imposed by its use. Sonnev of these limitations are the lack of available power circuits, the inaccessibility of the wells to be treated, and the expense of pm vidingpernianent or portable power units.

In practicing our invention, we provide a subterranean Well heater that relatively sinall self-containing heat-genenl ating and heat-giving unit that is adapted for lowering into Wells and through Well y comprises a I i .l'he entire device, with pressure and control valves and other features, is hermetithe ingress of liquid the device is adapted to support combustion i in its isolated position in a well that is void of air, may be readily handled and lowered into a, well, at the end of acable or sand line. Without any other connections, such. as gas pipes or electrical conductors, and may be conveniently transported in standard Avehicles. The device may he readily-separated into two or three parts so that wellsothe ice lis a diagrammatic representation ot an oil fili Well. of usual character in which a heater embodying` our invention is submerged.,

Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the heater shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the heater casing as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, With a modified form of venting or heat-retarding means for the upper endthereoitand a modified torch ora burner chamber.

lteerringto Fig. 1, a subterranean cham ber 1, formed in i stratum 2 of oil-bearing sand, is filled with a body ot crude oil l Whichit is desired to remove by means of an oil pump of usual construction (not shown), Aecumulations ol: paraliine, asphalt and other-heavy hydro-carbone seriously inter` tere with the-production of oil from the Well, by clogging the interstices in the oilbearing stratum and by filling or partly filling the perforations in the pump barrel. Further, the main body of oil produced by the well may be sufficiently viscous to cause diiiculty in its removal by the pump.

'llo facilitate the removal of the oil from the vvell, a heating device 5, constructed in accordance with our invention and to ybe hereinafter described, is lowered into the Well at the end of a cable or sand line 6.

lhe heat from the device 5 affects the oil l in such mani'ierl as .to permit the latter to be readily pumped from the well and, also to enhance the flow of oil into the chamber l from the oil bearing sands 2,

The heating device 5 preferably comprises sections 7 and 8 ot metall tubing that are joined to each other by a union 9, and are provided Witli'upper and lower end members l1 and 12, that may be threaded, or otherwise suitably secured, thereto, to complete a substantially totally enclosed casing. A gas-escape tube 14, similarly secured to the upper end member 11, is of'sul'licient length to extend above the Water level of a Well and'is provided, at its upper end, with a terminal device 15. The latter comprises a nut or head member 16 that is threaded, or otherwise secured, to the tube 14 and is embraced by a hood or dome member 18.

ilhe domemember may be held in position by an eye bolt or terminal member 19 that extends into the nut 16 and is attached to the cable t3. Perforations 2l, in the upper end ot the tube-14, permitV the escape of combusted gases to the dome member 18 that is; provided with perforations 22, at its lower portion, to permit the gases "o escape' remesa to the upper part of the Well and to the cute air. The end members l1 and l2 of the heater 5, the union 9 and the dome 19 aretapered or rounded to avoid the end of the Well casing or other obstructions in the Well shaft to, thus, permit the free travel of the heater to and from the chamber l..`

The upper portion of the tubing il com. stituting the active heat-giving pcittoa the heater 8, is lined with a bir'tuhe preferably of refractory heat-intensifying material5 such as lire clay or other suitable material, and contains a body 26 of' similar material, that is supported by a perfor j"ed refractory, or other incombusti ble, partition ce 27. The partition 27 may be a separate .member oi' similar material or constitute an integral portion of a heat insulatingA tube that serves, similarly to the tube 25, to protect a portion ol." the tube 'Y and surrounds e5 regi-on in the latter that "functions as corn.- bustion chamber 29. As shown in Fig. cylindrical heat-insulating block 30 is disposed below the combustion chamber 29 and is supported on an inwardly projecting transverse annular dange 31 on the union 9.

ri torch or burner 32, similar to that em ployed in usual and Well known welding; outfits and comprising a head 33, a mixer Se and stop cocks or valves 35 and 36, extends through an opening 37 in the block 3l?, that a flame 38 may impinge against the partition 27 and ascend through a portion of the heat-'intensifying material burner 32 is supported by the upper olf a loc pair of gas tanks or cylinders') and All 3sat are arranged in base-tobase'- relation the section of tubing 8, with a; felt, or other yieldable shock-absorbing, pad el therebetween. The tanks 39 and ll() v are supporte on a saddle supporting member l2 disposed at the lower end of the tubing 8. The tank 39 is connected to the burner 32 through a pressure regulating device 111.3 and the valve 36. 'lhe tank l0 is connected te the burner through a similar pressure regulating device fle, a pipe l5 and the valve 35. The B9 and e0 are, preferably, of slightly less diameter than the interior diameter olf t tube 8 to admit the pipe l5 that may ne cylindrical or flat tubing, formed to p. the tanks to be of maximum diameterL arrangement of parts is such thatJ by um screwing;r the section of 'tubing 8 from the union 9, the burner 32 and the tanks 39 an@ 40 may readily be removed for inspect and replacement. One of the tanks 39 4U may contain oxygen or compressed and the other acetylene, calorene, gasel, clgas, carbo-hydrogen or any other combusti ble fluid.

`For facility in handling; and shipping, the device may be separated into several easily-assembled units. @ne such unit mcy comprise the tube 14 and the terminal device 'mits the upper und Leidens 15, uttscbed to euch other but separated from the remainder of the heater. Another unit muy comprise the upper tube 7 of the heater 5, the union 9, the top member .ll und the other contents of the tube 7, exccptmu the burner A still further unit, or co lection of units, muy comprise the lower tube 8, the saddle and the lower end member l2, either with the burner 32 und the tanks m end 4l() in the 'tube 8 or seperate therefrom ln operation, essuming the parte to lieve been transported to e Well, the first operotion is, preferably, to et-tech the tube 'il to tbe upper end member li. Fresh tanks 39 und di) of oxygen sud acetylene, or of other elements above mentioned, muy be secured in operative relation to the burner and to its accessory vulves end pressure regulators.

dit e. locution suiliciently removed 'from the Well inoutb. to evoid igniting gases from the well, the deine 32 muy be sterted, end ndiusted by Ineens of the vulves and 36 and the pressure regulators 43 and 44. The tanins ere then placed in the tube 8, the burner inserted through tbe'opening 3?, in the bloclr 3G, und tbe tubes and il secured together, by ineens of ille union 9; The device muy tben be raised, by theceble that extends e -:fulley wheel. et the iop of the Well derriclr, und quickly lowered into the well. An obvious `eltennetive arrangement of ports, which would require only slightly diierent manipulation, is to lieve the pipe e5, leading from the lower itu-nl: l0 to the burner 32, permanently mounted in the tube 8, as by spot Weldin et its ends or by other suitable means. 'ibis construction renders it necessary to remove the lower end member 12 toedjust the pressure regulator 44 und' to connect the letter to the pipe l5` but. has the edvcntuge of permitting the tanks S9 end te be placed in tbe tube 8 before igniting the burner 32. i

Crude oil Wells are usually provided with a pocket or'cbember 46 for seating un unclior to steedy the 'pump und it is in this pocket thet the lower nubes/ted` portion of the bee-ter 5 is pleced. the few wells that muy not lieve sucb, u pocket, it is e compare t.vely simple operation to lower e drill und to drill tbe few feet necessary to properly position 4the heater. rliis arrangement peractive heating portion ofthe heater 5 to be positioned in the cheniber l at the oil bearing stratum. Q Ait/the upper end of lthe tube 7, e beatinsuleting member 4?', having a. tapered opening 48, is positioned in the member ll to 'protect the latter und to direct the gases of combustion toward the tube 14. As shown in Fig. 2, a copper mesh screen 49 may be provided, between the member e7 and the refractory materiel 26, to prevent the pussagc of flame into tbe tube le.

52, may be provided 'to cool disposed entirely As shown in 3, in place of the screen 4:9, u series off be e plates 59, having offset openings 5l. and reliructoryepucing rings the gases, be fore they enter the tube le.

Primarily, our invention consists in the provision of e self-contained, lient-givingl und beet-generating unit of simple construe tion, reedy transportution and uienipulutiouA and of eiective operotioru'thet does not injure 4the Well or casing und requires no source of energy shove ground. lu .this aspect, our invention, therefore, oontemw plates ell similar self-conteined units, such as may be constructed to employ Storace betteries, reactive gases, liquids end solids and, also, comprehends obvious changes, such as the elimination of one of the tanksnnd providing the other with oxygen. or compressed uir for burning a combustible nluterial, such es charcoal. In the letter case, no materiel change in the construction of our device, as shown, is' necessary. A The chercoel may be substituted inthe place of the material 26 and u single oxygen or conipressed air tunic placed in the tube 8 und connected to the burner 32, through one of the velves and 36 or to a similar burner having; only one such vulve.

In the form of our invention, in which charcoal or other combustible ash-forming material is used, the block 30 muy be omitted and the construction shown et en intermedi ete portion of Fig. 3 employed. in this construction, the burner 32 is protected by u lieutfinsulcting tube-53 having ev tapered upper end 54 to deflect ashes that may sift througliftiie partition 27, adjacent to the burner into an ash-receiving chamber 55, tbe space included by which is partially-'occupied by the block 30, in the forni of our invention shown in Fig. 2. The tubeI 53 muy con# stit'ute e. Aportion of a discodul member 56 that is supported on the flange 3l of the union 9.. Also, in this form, tbe tube-28 muy be constructed longer, to constitute e lining for Athe chambers 29 und 55.

TWhile We have shown and described perticuler forms of our invention, changes muy be ei'ected therein, without departing rom the spirit the appended claims.

Vile claim es our invention:

l. A subterranean Well heater unit for disposition in swell, comprising e beet-con` vducting element for heating the Well by heat radiation therefrom only and ineens to be in the well for heating seid element und generating e continuously renewed supply of seid heet for e predetermined period of time. I

2. A subterranean well-heating device comprising an enclosed vessel having-ineens for disposing ofcoinbustion Gases generated i therein, und mea-ns forsupplying and suplll und scope thereof, es set forth in if; Y mienne porting combustion entirely Within the vessel, the heat of said combustion being primarily for conduction to the Well through closed Walls oit seid container.

3. subterranean Well heater unit for dispositionv in n, Well, comprising n container embodying closed Wells through which snbstantially all of the heat of the heater is transmitted to the Well, heating means for effecting; seid heat disposed in sind container and supply means for seid heating means to be entirely disposed in the Well.

4, A subterranean Well heater unit 'for disposition in 'e well, comprising e container embodying closed Walls through which sul)- stentinlly all of the heat of the heater is transmitted to the well and ineens to he entirely disposed in the Well for causing said heet in said container and generating a oontinuonsly renewed supply o'snid-heator a predetermined period of time. o

5. A subterranean Well heater unit for disposition in :r-Well comprisingl it container embodying closed Wells through which suh- -stointially all of the heet of the heater is transmitted to the Welt, o ges burner in the containerr for initiating said heat, and a, source of ges supply tor seid burner to be yentirely disposed in the Well.

'6. A vheating device comprising en eilclosed `vessel having outlet means for cornhustion gases only and constituting the only exception to totni enclosure, and means for supplying and support-ing combustion en tirely within Ythe Vessel.

7. A subterranean Well'heater comprising s container, gaseseepe means therefor, e

body of materiel to loe hested in the conteiner, the heet from said material to be transmitted to the well' through closed wells of the container, s torch .or burner for heee.

ing seid material, end s gasstorage Acheminer connected to said burner.

8. A subterranesn Well heating device' comprising e tubular container, gas-escape ineens therefor, e body of material to be heated in the container, the heat from seid burner, seid tanks constituting e the deviceitor lowering; into n wel?.

l0. A subterranean Well hesting devise omprising e container 'for hosting the through its closed Wells, ges-escape menne therefor, e torch or burner supporting flame in the container, and e gem-storage chamber therein connected to seid burner,

ll. A snhterrsneangyell heater comprising s, container, ges-escape Ineens therefor, e body of hesbgiving materiali disposed in the container, s burner for projeeting e flame against seid materiel, e plurality of Hind-containing 'tanks reinovshly disposed in seid container, the fluid of said oeopernting to form flame st seid burner, end means for connecting and *for controlling 'the pressure and flow o said 'iuids to seid burner. Y

l2. snhterrstnenn Well hentai comprising; e container, gasescepe means therefor, e proteetiye lining iior e portion of the oontainer, e. .body of rersctorf motorini dis-- posed in the container, e, ges-liurnerwor heating seid refractory materiel., n jinlnrnliity of gas tanks removably disposed in the container, and means oreonneoting and controlling the pressure and flow or from said tanks to seid burner. i

In testimony whereof, We here hereunto subscribed our names this .7th dey of iielA ruary, i921.

leien/fi@ DE KASER. WUR' G. EFUPCHE,

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