(12) International Application Status Report

Received at International Bureau: 07 August 2000 (07.08.2000)

Information valid as of: (..)
Report generated on: 05 December 2017 (05.12.2017)

(10) Publication number: (43) Publication date: (26) Publication language:

WO2000/077340 21 December 2000 (21.12.2000) English (EN)

(21) Application Number: (22) Filing Date: (25) Filing language:

PCT/US2000/040164 08 June 2000 (08.06.2000) English (EN)

(31) Priority number(s): (31) Priority date(s): (31) Priority status:

60/138,441 (US) 10 June 1999 (10.06.1999) Priority document received (in compliance
with PCT Rule 17.1)
09/358,174 (US) 20 July 1999 (20.07.1999) Priority document received (in compliance
with PCT Rule 17.1)

(51) International Patent Classification:

E21B 43/16 (2006.01); E21B 43/25 (2006.01)

(71) Applicant(s):
NITROGEN OIL RECOVERY SYSTEMS, LLC [US/US]; Suite 309 836 Euclid Avenue Lexington, KY 40502 (US) (for all
designated states)

(72) Inventor(s):
MILLER, Bernard, J.; 1850 Evans Mill Road Lexington, KY 40515 (US)

(74) Agent(s):
SHOUSE, Emily, A.; Waddey & Patterson Bank of America Plaza Suite 2020 414 Union Street Nashville, TN 37219 (US)

(54) Title (EN): HUFF AND PUFF PROCESS UTILIZING NITROGEN GAS
(54) Title (FR): PROCEDE DE STIMULATION CYCLIQUE A L'AIDE D'AZOTE GAZEUX

(57) Abstract:
(EN): A cyclic or 'huff and puff' enhanced oil recovery process utilizes purified nitrogen gas as the injection gas. The purified
nitrogen gas is preferably generated near the well site by the use of a membrane separator (26). The resulting purified nitrogen
gas comprises at least 90 % by volume nitrogen with the remaining gas mixture fraction being primarily oxygen. The producing
well (10) is shut in. The gas mixture is injected down through the well (10) into the formation (14). The well (10) is then shut in
allowing the gas mixture to soak into the formation (14) for a predetermined period of time of at least 7 days and in some cases as
much as 180 days or more. Then the well (10) is placed on production and additional hydrocarbons are produced back from the
same well (10) into which the nitrogen gas was injected.
(FR): Dans ce procédé perfectionné de récupération de pétrole, par stimulation ou injection cyclique, on utilise en tant que gaz
d'injection de l'azote gazeux purifié. De préférence, on produit cet azote à proximité du site de forage, au moyen d'un séparateur
membranaire (26), l'azote gazeux purifié résultant comprenant au moins environ 90 % en volume d'azote, la fraction de mélange
gazeux restante étant constituée essentiellement d'oxygène. Ce procédé consiste à fermer le puits de production (10), à injecter
dans le puits (10) en formation le mélange gazeux, à fermer le puits et à laisser le mélange gazeux tremper dans la formation (14)
pendant une durée déterminée d'au moins 7 jours et dans certains cas pendant 180 jours ou davantage, puis à mettre le puits (10)
à l'état de production, des hydrocarbures supplémentaires étant produits en retour à partir du même puits dans lequel on a injecté
l'azote gazeux.

International search report:

Received at International Bureau: 17 October 2000 (17.10.2000) [US]

International Report on Patentability (IPRP) Chapter II of the PCT:

Chapter II demand received: 04 January 2001 (04.01.2001)
(81) Designated States:
AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH,
GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW
European Patent Office (EPO) : AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE
African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) : BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) : GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW
Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) : AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM