US2010170672A1PendingUtilityA1

Method of and system for hydrocarbon recovery

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 14, 2008Filed: Jul 13, 2009Published: Jul 8, 2010
Est. expiryJul 14, 2028(~2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jeffrey J. SchwoebelDaniel J. BrunnerBruce Sakashita
E21B 43/305
40
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir. The method includes drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well, drilling a plurality of offset production wells generally around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation, and drilling a plurality of offset injection wells generally around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation. The method further includes injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir and inducing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery and injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir and inducing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well;   drilling a plurality of offset production wells generally around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation;   drilling a plurality of offset injection wells generally around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation;   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir and inducing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir and inducing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing each one of the plurality of offset injection wells between a pair of the plurality of offset production wells. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of disposing is operable to create an alternating pattern of offset production wells and offset injection wells. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disposing at least one substantially-lateral portion from at least one of the plurality of offset production wells; and   connecting, via the at least one substantially-lateral portion, the at least one of the plurality of offset production wells with the substantially-vertical primary production well at an intersection region.   
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising disposing a plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks from the at least one substantially-lateral portion, the plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks extend outwardly from the at least one substantially-lateral portion. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks are operable to enhance secondary recovery of hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of connecting is operable to provide, via the intersection region, fluid communication between the substantially-vertical primary production well and at least one of the plurality of offset production wells. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid has a density higher than the hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas is absorbed by the hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the absorbed gas lowers the viscosity of the hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising disposing at least one substantially-lateral portion from at least one of the plurality of offset injection wells. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one substantially-lateral portion does not intersect the substantially-vertical primary production well. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising disposing a plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks from the at least one substantially-lateral portion, the plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks extend outwardly from the at least one substantially-lateral portion. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of substantially-lateral sidetracks are operable to enhance tertiary recovery of hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claims 1 , wherein at least one substantially-lateral portion of the plurality of offset production wells decline through the subterranean reservoir. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claims 1 , wherein at least one substantially-lateral portion of the plurality of offset production wells extend substantially through a down-dip side of the subterranean reservoir. 
   
   
       18 . A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well;   drilling a plurality of offset production wells around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation;   drilling a plurality of offset injection wells around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation, wherein each one of the plurality of offset injection wells is disposed between a pair of the plurality of offset production wells;   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the liquid includes additives. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the liquid does not include additives. 
   
   
       21 . A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well;   drilling a plurality of offset production wells and a plurality of offset injection wells around the substantially-vertical primary production well creating an alternating pattern of offset production wells and offset injection wells;   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       22 . A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well;   drilling a plurality of offset production wells on one side of the substantially-vertical primary production;   drilling a plurality of offset injection wells on an opposite side of the substantially-vertical primary production;   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       23 . A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 drilling a substantially-vertical primary production well;   drilling a plurality of offset production wells and a plurality of offset injection wells around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a random pattern;   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   injecting, via the plurality of offset injection wells, a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir causing the mobilized hydrocarbons to migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       24 . A well pattern to recover hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir comprising:
 a substantially-vertical primary production well extending into the subterranean reservoir;   a plurality of offset production wells extending into the subterranean reservoir around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation;   a plurality of offset injection wells extending into the subterranean reservoir around the substantially-vertical primary production well in a radial orientation;   the plurality of offset injection wells operable to inject a liquid to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir so that the mobilized hydrocarbons migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for secondary recovery; and   the plurality of offset injection wells operable to inject a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir so that the mobilized hydrocarbons migrate towards the plurality of offset production wells for tertiary recovery.   
   
   
       25 . A well pattern to recover hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir comprising:
 a substantially-vertical primary production well extending into abandoned coal mining voids;   a plurality of offset injection wells extending into the subterranean reservoir around the perimeter of the abandoned coal mining voids in a radial orientation; and   the plurality offset injection wells operable to inject a gas to mobilize the hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoirs so that the mobilized hydrocarbons migrate towards the abandoned coal mining voids for hydrocarbon recovery.   
   
   
       26 . The well pattern of  claim 25 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, and combinations thereof.

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