Emerging technologies for optimizing recovery from heavy crude deposits

Abstract

A method for extracting hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir that includes initiating a combustion reaction inside a reservoir by injecting oxidizing gas through a set of pipes arranged inside the injection well, thereby generating a combustion front, the path of which first meets an end of a horizontal portion of a production well and, subsequently, the other end of the same; and using an assembly of pipes located inside the production well to extract from inside the reservoir the hydrocarbons entering the horizontal portion.

1 . Process for the extraction of hydrocarbon from an underground reservoir comprising
 providing at least one injector well comprising an assembly of pipes adapted to inject the necessary means to initiating and/or maintaining the combustion reaction within the reservoir;   providing at least one production well comprising a substantially horizontal portion, and having a set of pipes suitable for extracting the hydrocarbons entering in the interior of said production well through the substantially horizontal portion, wherein said substantially horizontal portion comprises a first end, and a second end, while standing the horizontal portion of the production well so that the end is in a relative position closest to the injector well that the end;   initiate the combustion reaction within the reservoir injecting oxidizing gas through the pipe set present inside the injector well which generates a combustion front what in its path, will meet with the first end of the horizontal portion and, subsequently, with the end;   extracting from inside of the reservoir, through the assembly of pipes inside the production well, the hydrocarbon that is entering to the horizontal portion.   
     
     
         2 . Process according to  claim 1 , wherein the injector well, has, along the length or part of the submerged section in the reservoir. a plurality of openings through which gases and/or fluids liquid enter into the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . Process according to  claim 1 , wherein the injector well has at least 2 pluralities of openings on the submerged section in the reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . Process according to  claim 3 , where openings extending along submerged section in the reservoir of the injector well, can occupy 100% of the length thereof. 
     
     
         5 . Process according to  claim 1 , where between the means to initiating and/or maintaining the combustion reactions is found: air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen or other oxidizing agent suitable for combustion and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . Process according to  claim 5 , where among other means that can be injected into the reservoir with the oxidizing gas, either simultaneously or sequentially, are agents that assist in the combustion such as, carbon dioxide, hydrogen donor agents, steam, water, aqueous solutions containing chemical compounds and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . Process according to  claim 1 , where the horizontal portion can have at least a plurality of openings which may extend along the length of the horizontal portion. 
     
     
         8 . Process according to  claim 5 , where the plurality of openings may extend along the length of the horizontal portion occupy 100% of the length thereof. 
     
     
         9 . Process for the extraction of hydrocarbon from an underground reservoir comprising
 providing at least one injector well comprising an assembly of pipes adapted to inject the necessary means to initiating and/or maintaining the combustion reaction within the reservoir and comprising multiple laterals derivations;   providing at least one production well comprising a substantially horizontal portion, and having a set of pipes suitable for extracting the hydrocarbons entering in the interior of said production well through the substantially horizontal portion, wherein said substantially horizontal portion comprises a first end, and a second end, while standing the horizontal portion of the production well so that the end is in a relative position closest to the injector well that the end wherein said production well comprises multiple laterals derivations;   initiate the combustion reaction within the reservoir injecting oxidizing gas through the pipe set present inside the injector well which generates a combustion front what in its path, will meet with the first end of the horizontal portion and, subsequently, with the end;   extracting from inside of the reservoir, through the assembly of pipes inside the production well, the hydrocarbon that is entering to the horizontal portion.   
     
     
         10 . Process according to  claim 10 , wherein the injector well has, along the length or part of the submerged section in the reservoir, a plurality of openings through which gases and/or means enter into the reservoir. 
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 9 , wherein the injector well has at least 2 pluralities of openings on the submerged section in the reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . Process according to  claim 11 , wherein the openings extend along the length of the submerged section in the reservoir of the injector well, can occupy 100% of the length thereof. 
     
     
         13 . Process according to  claim 9 , where among the means to initiating and/or maintaining combustion reactions is found: air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen or other oxidizing agent suitable for combustion and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . Process according to  claim 13 , where among other means that can be injected into the reservoir with the oxidizing gas, either simultaneously or sequentially, are found agents that assist in the combustion such as, carbon dioxide, hydrogen donor agents, steam, water, aqueous solutions containing chemical compounds and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . Process according to  claim 9 , where the horizontal portion can have at least a plurality of openings which may extend along the length of the horizontal portion. 
     
     
         16 . Process according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of openings may extend along the length of the horizontal portion occupy 100% of the length thereof. 
     
     
         17 . Process according to  claim 1 , where contemplates the use of multiple variable sensors arranged along the length in part of the horizontal portion of the horizontal production well to monitor and control the front combustion. 
     
     
         18 . Process according to  claim 1 , where contemplates to install a series of control sensors both surface and bottom of wells, in order to control the combustion front in real time and distance.