Apparatus, method and system for single well solution-mining

Abstract

The claimed invention is a method, system and apparatus for solution-mining of subterranean materials such as trona, nahcolite, thermonatrite, pirssonite, natron, dawsonite, wegscheiderite, gaylussite, shortite, halite, and other salts, minerals, and so forth. The method comprises injecting a fluid into an elbow well, the fluid forming a subterranean mixture with the subterranean material, and collecting the subterranean mixture from the elbow well. The system comprises a means for injecting a fluid into an elbow well, the fluid forming a subterranean mixture with the subterranean material, and a means for collecting the subterranean mixture from the elbow well. The apparatus further comprises a production casing, wherein the production casing has a production casing inner diameter of sufficient size to allow for production of a subterranean mixture of the fluid and the subterranean material between an outer surface of the injection tube and an inner surface of the production casing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for solution-mining of a subterranean material, the method comprising: 
 injecting a fluid into an elbow well, the fluid forming a subterranean mixture with the subterranean material; and    collecting the subterranean mixture from the elbow well.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subterranean material comprises trona.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising making the elbow well.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein making the elbow well comprises drilling an elbow well into a bed comprising the subterranean material.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises casing the elbow well.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said injecting the fluid further comprises injecting the fluid into an injection tube located in the elbow well.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises creating a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises the subterranean material.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the cavity comprises the subterranean material mixture after said injecting the fluid.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subterranean mixture comprises a subterranean solution.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises water.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a caustic mixture.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises heating the fluid.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said collecting the subterranean mixture further comprises collecting the subterranean mixture through a production tube located in the elbow well.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said collecting the subterranean mixture comprises pumping the subterranean mixture.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said pumping the subterranean mixture comprises lifting the subterranean mixture through the production tube.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises delivering the subterranean mixture to a collection location.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the collection location comprises the earth's surface.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises placing a pump in the elbow well.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method occurs at ambient well pressure.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises processing the subterranean mixture after said collecting the subterranean mixture.  
     
     
         21 . A system for solution-mining of a subterranean material, the system comprising: 
 means for injecting a fluid into an elbow well, the fluid forming a subterranean mixture with the subterranean material; and    means for collecting the subterranean mixture from the elbow well.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the subterranean material comprises trona.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising means for making the elbow well.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said means for making the elbow well comprises means for drilling the elbow well into a bed comprising the subterranean material.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system comprises means for casing the elbow well.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said means for injecting the fluid further comprises an injection tube located in the elbow well.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the subterranean mixture comprises a subterranean solution.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid comprises water.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid comprises a caustic mixture.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system further comprises means for heating the fluid.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said means for collecting the subterranean mixture comprises means for pumping the subterranean mixture.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the system further comprises means for placing a pump in the elbow well.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the system further comprises means for delivering the subterranean mixture to a collection location.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the collection location comprises the earth's surface.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system occurs at ambient well pressure.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system further comprises means for processing the subterranean mixture after said means for collecting the subterranean mixture.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for solution-mining of a subterranean material, the apparatus comprising: 
 an injection tube, wherein the injection tube has an injection tube inner diameter of sufficient size to allow for injection of a fluid for mining of a subterranean material; and    a production casing, wherein the production casing has a production casing inner diameter of sufficient size to allow for production of a subterranean mixture of the fluid and the subterranean material between an outer surface of the injection tube and an inner surface of the production casing.    
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , further comprising a production tube for collecting the subterranean mixture.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , further comprising a pump connected to the production tube.