US1372743A

US1372743A - System for removing obstructions to the flow of fluid in the earth strata adjacent to wells

Info

Publication number: US1372743A
Application number: US393436A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gardner Benjamin Fulton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-07-01
Filing date: 1920-07-01
Publication date: 1921-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1938-03-29

Description

naires srarns 'rarest carica.

BENJAMIN 'FULTON GARDNER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLIIIIOIS.

SYSTEM FOR REMOVING OBSTBUCTIONSTO THE FLOW OF FLUID IN THE EARTH Specicaton of Letters Patent.

STRATA ADJ' AGENT T0 WELLS.

Patented Mar.l 29, 192i.

Application filed July l, 1920. Serial No. 393,436.

To allfwhm t my concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FULTON GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at 4315 Drexel Boulevard, Chicago,

in the county'of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Systems for Removing3 Obstructions to the Flow of Fluid in the arth Strata Adjacent to Wells, of which the follow-ing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a system' for removing obstructions to the ow of fluids in 'earth strata, and my object f/ is to provide means by which an electric current of relatively high voltage can be maintained in a predetermined oil, gas, sulfur or other mineral bearing strata for the purpose of producingelectrical effects therein.

There are inventions -for which patents have been granted for methods, systems and devicesfor removing the obstructions to the 'ow of oil in oil wells. Where heat has been employed. to liquey the parailin, asphaltum or other gummy residue of petroleum, it merely resulted in cleansing the bore'o the well and the inclosing rock for a distance limited to the heat generating capacity of a vheater adapted to enter the bore of a well and to be submerged in cooling fluids. Prir smarily the object of my invention is to accomplish all that it was possible to do by the old methods and by an enlarged system to comprise a plurality of wells in one operation; to electrically heat and produce other electrical effectsthe expansion of gasin the territory between and adjacent tooil and 40 gas wells.

`for removing obstructions to the flow of fluid in the earth strata designed in accordance with the invention. y

Referring to the` drawing A., designates the bore of a well, as for exam le an oil or gas well, a, the casing and a t e tubing or mine pipe of a well. B designates the bore of an adjacent well, b the casing and b the tubing of said adjacent well. C designates a source 'of relatively high potential such as an electric dynamo. The circuit per se, is

designated by c, from the positive side of brush oi' the dynamo to the well andthence, as illustrated by a dotted line, to the grounded heater-electrode, D, located at the bottom of the well. The circuit from well A through the earth strata to the adjacent well B is indicated by arrows and connected to the grounded electrode D', from said electrode through the insulated circuit c to the negative brush of the dynamo or other source of potential.

It will be observed the two wells and the strata between them are electrically connected in series.

The operation of my improved system for vremoving obstructions to the flow of iiuids in earthl strata is as follows:

An electric current of suiiicient voltage to overcome whatever resistance there may be in the circuit described to maintain a watt outputpower, to increase the temperature at the bottom of said well and in thestrata between said wells to a degree suiicient to liquefy paraffin, asphaltum and other obstructing residue of petroleum and to increase the gas pressure by heat, thereby forcing or blowing movable detritus from out the interstices and crevices of the rock adj acent to said wells.

The wire circuits from the source of potential or dynamo to the grounded electrode D, is insulated for a high potential and threaded through the tubing or mine pipe to the electrodes grounded to the metal tubing, which is likewise grounded by the fluid and earth. if desirable, resister elements may be in circuit and connected to the grounded electrodes. As the electric current passes. through and from the metal tubing of the initial well to and through the tubing of the adjacent well, it is essential to use alternating electric current as direct current would produce electrolysis in iron tubing and in time puncture it, causing leakage.

" Oil is a dieletric of high efficiency and used for insulating currents of high potential but water and salt water are conducting i'luids and universally found at the bottom of dee Wells @if the character described. Water is :decomposed and is easily heated tothe boiling point by conducting an electric current through the fluid. The water at a temperature of 212 F., will impart suicient heat to the superimposed strata to melt paralin, etc. Gas is likewise a conductor of electricity but improved system will cause the gas to exI pand and as a result the Well will blow This effect I have heretofore produced with other methods of heating'wells with electricity and for which I was granted patents.

While I have described in considerable detail one specific embodiment of my linvention. it will be understood that this is illustrative only, and for the purpose of making the invention more clear, and that I do not regard the invention as /limited to these details, nor any of them, except in so far as such limitations are included within the terms of the accompanying claims in which it is my intention to claim all novelty 1nherent in my invention as 'broadly as is permimible in view of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In a system of the class described means for liquefying paraffin and similar gummy residue in'oil bearing strata, said means comprising electrodes located within the tubing of a plurality of oil im and means to connect said electrodes in series whereby electric current will be caused to pass from one well to adjacent wells.

'2. .In a system of the class described electrodes Withinthe bore and at the bottom of the tubing in a plurality of oil wells said electrodes grounded to said tubing and said tubing grounded to the earth and means whereby electric current is caused to pass from one electrode to another thereby reduc# ing obstructions to the How of fluid into said wells. v

3. In a system of the class described, electrodes comprising resister parts, within and grounded to 'the bottom vof tubing submerged in tluid'at the bottom ot oil wells, and means to electrically unite said electrodes within said wells in series whereby heat may be geIierated to liquefy indurated matter removing obstructing deposits to the fiow of Huid into said wells.

4. In a system of the class described means to generate gas pressure by expanding the gas in an oil bearing strata whereby the said generated pressure will remove obstructing matter to the ow of Huid to wells in said oil bearing strata, said means comprising combined heater-electrodes located at the bottom of said wells and means to simultaneously maintain an electric current in a series of said heater-electrodes in a plurality4 of wells.

. 5. In a system of the class described means to increase the temperature of water under oil bearing strata, thereby imparting a liquefying heat to-the indurated products of petroleum in the superimposed. oil bearing strata, said means comprising a source of electrical otential, circuits and submerged electrodes ocated in dierent wells.

6. In a system of the class described means to impart heat to oil bearing strata whereby the gas therein is expanded creating a force to dislodge and liquefy the obstructing residue of petroleum, said means comprising a source of electric energy, circuits, submerged electrodes adapted to enter the bore of oil Well tubing and be lowered to vthe bottom of said tubing and means to ground said electrodes to said tubing, which is also rounded to the earth as bywater surroun ing said tubing or by the bottom end of'said tubing resting upon the earth, a plurality of said electrodes in electrical connection distributed soI MLN. rf.