Single well combination oil production/water dump flood apparatus and methods

Abstract

A subterranean well production system utilizes a single well to perform both hydrocarbon fluid production and water dumpflooding processes. The well has a primary wellbore that is communicated with first and second subterranean zones respectively containing hydrocarbon fluid and higher pressure water. A second, lateral wellbore extends from the primary wellbore and communicates with the first zone. A remotely controllable routing system, including a valved production tubing structure extending through the primary wellbore, is operable to (1) flow hydrocarbon fluid from the first zone to the surface via the production tubing and (2) simultaneously dumpflood water from the second zone into the first zone, via the production tubing, to increase the pressure within the first zone and thereby increase the hydrocarbon fluid production rate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A subterranean fluid production system comprising: 
 a first subterranean zone containing a recoverable production fluid;    a second subterranean zone containing a recovery fluid flowable into the first zone to increase the pressure therein; and    a well including: 
 a first wellbore communicated with each of the first and second zones,  
 a second wellbore extending outwardly from the first wellbore and communicating it with the first zone,  
 a flow path extending through the first wellbore and having first and second portions, and  
 routing structure associated with the flow path and operable to (1) selectively cause production fluid to be flowed sequentially from the first zone into and through the first flow path portion to the surface, and/or (2) selectively cause recovery fluid from the second zone to flow into the first zone via the second flow path portion.  
   
     
     
         2 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the production fluid is a hydrocarbon fluid.  
     
     
         3 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the recovery fluid is water.  
     
     
         4 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the pressure within the second zone is greater than the pressure within the first zone.  
     
     
         5 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the second zone is positioned above the first zone.  
     
     
         6 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the first zone is positioned above the second zone.  
     
     
         7 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the first wellbore is a primary wellbore, and the second wellbore is a secondary, lateral wellbore.  
     
     
         8 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the first flow path portion is disposed uphole of the second flow path portion.  
     
     
         9 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the well further includes a tubing string extending through the first wellbore, and the first and second flow path portions, respectively, are at least partially defined by first and second longitudinal sections of the tubing string.  
     
     
         10 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein the well further includes a pump operatively connected in the second flow path portion.  
     
     
         11 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the routing system is remotely controllable.  
     
     
         12 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 9  wherein the tubing string and the first wellbore define an annulus therebetween, and the well further includes a sensor structure operative to sense the temperature and pressure in the annulus and the interior of the tubing string.  
     
     
         13 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 12  wherein at least a portion of the routing system is automatically controlled in response to an output of the sensor structure.  
     
     
         14 . A subterranean fluid production system comprising: 
 a first subterranean zone containing a recoverable production fluid and having a first internal pressure;    a second subterranean zone containing a recovery fluid and having a second internal pressure higher that the first internal pressure; and    a single well capable of simultaneously transporting production fluid from the first zone to the surface and using recovery fluid from the second zone to increase the first internal pressure and thereby increase the production rate of the production fluid in the first zone, the single well including: 
 a first wellbore communicated with the first and second zones,  
 a second wellbore intersecting the first wellbore and communicated with the second zone, and  
 a routing system operative to selectively flow production fluid from the first zone to the surface sequentially through the second and first wellbores, and to selectively flow recovery fluid from the second zone to the first zone through the first wellbore.  
   
     
     
         15 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 14  wherein the production fluid is oil.  
     
     
         16 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 14  wherein the recovery fluid is water.  
     
     
         17 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 14  wherein the second zone is positioned above the first zone.  
     
     
         18 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 14  wherein the first zone is positioned above the second zone.  
     
     
         19 . The subterranean fluid production system of  claim 14  wherein at least a portion of the routing system is remotely controllable.  
     
     
         20 . For use in conjunction with a subterranean region having disposed therein a first zone containing a recoverable production fluid, and a second zone containing a recovery fluid, a single well useable to simultaneously produce production fluid from the first zone while utilizing recovery fluid from the second zone to increase the pressure in the first zone and thereby increase the well production rate, the single well comprising: 
 a first wellbore extending through the first and second zones;    a tubing string extending through the first wellbore and defining therewith an annulus circumscribing the tubing string;    a longitudinally spaced plurality of sealing structures circumscribing the tubing string, disposed in the annulus and forming first and second sealed off annulus intervals therein, a third interior portion of the first wellbore being disposed downhole of the first and second annulus intervals and communicated with the interior of the tubing string;    a second wellbore extending outwardly from the first wellbore and intercommunicating the first annulus interval with the first zone;    a first valve connected in a portion of the tubing string disposed within the first annulus interval and operable to selectively communicate the interior of the tubing string with the first annulus interval;    a second valve connected in a portion of the tubing string disposed within the first annulus interval downhole from the first valve, the second valve being operable to selectively permit and preclude fluid flow through the tubing string past the second valve;    a third valve connected in a portion of the tubing string disposed within the second annulus interval, the third valve being operable to selectively communicate the interior of the tubing string with the second annulus interval;    a first sidewall opening formed in the first wellbore at said second interval and intercommunicating one of the first and second zones with the second interval; and    a second sidewall opening formed in the first wellbore and intercommunicating the other of the first and second zones with the third interior portion of the first wellbore.    
     
     
         21 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the production fluid is oil.  
     
     
         22 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the recovery fluid is water.  
     
     
         23 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the first valve is a production interval control valve.  
     
     
         24 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the second valve is a production/dumpflood isolation control valve.  
     
     
         25 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the third valve is a dumpflood control valve.  
     
     
         26 . The single well of  claim 20  further comprising a pump operatively installed in a portion of the tubing string disposed in the second interval.  
     
     
         27 . The single well of  claim 26  wherein the pump is operative to pump fluid through the tubing string in a downhole direction.  
     
     
         28 . The single well of  claim 26  wherein the pump is operative to pump fluid through the tubing string in an uphole direction.  
     
     
         29 . The single well of  claim 20  wherein the first, second and third valves are remotely controllable.  
     
     
         30 . The single well of  claim 20  further comprising a sensor structure operative to sense the pressures in the second annulus interval and within the tubing string downhole of the second valve.  
     
     
         31 . The single well of  claim 20  further comprising a sensor structure operative to sense the temperatures in the second annulus interval and within the tubing string downhole of the second valve.  
     
     
         32 . A method of producing fluid from a first subterranean zone at a rate accelerated using fluid from a second subterranean zone, the method comprising the steps of: 
 extending a primary wellbore through the first and second zones;    extending a secondary wellbore from the primary wellbore into the first zone;    flowing fluid from the first zone to the surface sequentially through the second and first wellbores; and    flowing fluid from the second zone into the first zone through the first wellbore.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the step of flowing fluid from the first zone includes the step of remotely controlling the flow of fluid from the first zone into the first wellbore.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the step of flowing fluid from the second zone includes the step of remotely controlling the flow of fluid from the second zone into the first wellbore.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the step of flowing fluid from the second zone is performed by pumping fluid from the second zone into the first zone through the first wellbore.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the pressure in the second zone is higher than the pressure in the first zone, and the step of flowing fluid from the second zone is performed utilizing the pressure differential between the first and second zones.  
     
     
         37 . A water dumpflooding-enhanced hydrocarbon production method utilizing a single well and comprising the steps of: 
 forming intersecting first and second wellbores;    communicating the first wellbore with an oil-containing subterranean zone and a subterranean aquifer;    communicating the second wellbore with the oil-containing subterranean zone;    flowing oil to the surface sequentially through the second and first wellbores; and    increasing the pressure in the oil-containing zone by forcing water from the aquifer into the oil-containing zone through the first wellbore.