Axially segmented depletion operations in horizontal wells

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for improved production of hydrocarbons along the length of a horizontal well where non-uniform fluid chambers have formed in the reservoir. The present method distributes fluid along the length of a substantially horizontal wellbore that is located within a reservoir such that different recovery processes, or distinct phases of a given recovery process, operating proximally or adjacently within that same reservoir, and in hydraulic communication with each other within that reservoir, are managed concurrently along the single wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, where the reservoir has a well operating a recovery process, the method comprising:
 a. Operating the recovery process in the well, including injecting a mobilizing fluid into the reservoir and producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the reservoir, wherein the producing mobilized hydrocarbons forms at least two fluid chambers in the reservoir axially along the length of the well, and wherein the producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the reservoir is non-uniform causing the at least two fluid chambers in the reservoir to be non-uniform;   b. Assessing parameters indicative of the hydrocarbon recovery in the reservoir to allow for the segmentation of the well into distinct segments axially along the length of the well, where each segment is associated with one of the at least two fluid chambers;   c. Segmenting the well into at least two segments, each segment of the well communicating with at least one of the fluid chambers formed in the reservoir, wherein the fluid chamber in each segment is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber in at least one other segment;   d. Operating the at least two segments independently, at substantially similar pressures, for improving the hydrocarbon recovery as compared to a well where the same recovery process is carried out along the length of the well.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein operating the at least two segments independently comprises:
 a. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and injecting a second mobilizing fluid into a second of the at least two segments; or 
 b. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and injecting no mobilizing fluid into a second of the at least two segments; or 
 c. concurrently producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the at least two segments; or 
 d. producing hydrocarbons from a first of the at least two segments and producing no mobilized hydrocarbons from a second of the at least two segments; or 
 e. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and withdrawing or producing fluids from a second of the at least two segments; 
 to maintain desired pressures in each of the fluid chambers of the at least two segments. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein operating each segment independently comprises operating each segment at a pressure that is identical or substantially identical to the pressure in an adjacent segment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a first of the at least two segments has less hydrocarbon recovery than a second of the at least two segments and wherein operating the at least two segments independently comprising injecting steam into the first of the at least two segments and injecting non-condensable gas into the second of the at least two segments. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein segmenting the well comprises positioning flow control devices to isolate sections of the well and limit fluid flow from the well into the reservoir and/or limit fluid flow from the reservoir into the well. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobilizing fluid comprises one or more of steam, hydrocarbon solvents, surfactants, and non-condensing gas. 
     
     
         7 . The method  claim 6  wherein the non-condensing gas comprises a light hydrocarbon or oxygen comprising gas. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the parameters indicative of the hydrocarbon recovery comprises temperature, seismic data, geology of the reservoir, geology of the wellbore, pressures, surface heave, and simulations based on one or more of the parameters. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the recovery process is a gravity dominated process or a cyclic process. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gravity dominated process is steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). 
     
     
         11 . A method for recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, where the reservoir has a well pair, comprising an injection well and a production well, the well pair operating a gravity drainage recovery process, the method comprising:
 a. Operating the gravity drainage recovery process in the well pair, including injecting a mobilizing fluid into the reservoir through the injection well and producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the reservoir through the production well, wherein the producing mobilized hydrocarbons forms at least two fluid chambers in the reservoir axially along the length of the well, and wherein the producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the reservoir is non-uniform, causing the at least two fluid chambers in the reservoir to be non-uniform;   b. Assessing parameters indicative of the hydrocarbons recovery in the reservoir to allow for the segmentation of the well into distinct segments axially along the length of the well, where each segment is associated with one of the at least two fluid chambers;   c. Segmenting the well into at least two segments, each segment of the well communicating with one of the at least two fluid chambers formed in the reservoir wherein the fluid chamber in each segment is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber in at least one other segment, and   d. Operating the at least two segments independently, at substantially similar pressures, for improving hydrocarbon recovery as compared to a well pair where the same recovery process is carried out along the length of the well.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein operating the at least two segments independently comprises:
 a. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and injecting a second mobilizing fluid into a second of the at least two segments; or 
 b. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and injecting no mobilizing fluid into a second of the at least two segments; or 
 c. concurrently producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the at least two segments; or 
 d. producing hydrocarbons from a first of the at least two segments and producing no mobilized hydrocarbons from the second of the at least two segments; or 
 e. injecting a first mobilizing fluid into a first of the at least two segments and withdrawing or producing fluids from a second of the at least two segments, to maintain desired pressures in each of the fluid chambers of the at least two segments. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein operating each segment independently comprises operating each segment at a pressure that is identical or substantially identical to the pressure in an adjacent segment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a first of the at least two segments has less hydrocarbon recovery than a second of the at least two segments and wherein operating the at least two segments independently comprising injecting steam into the first of the at least two segments and injecting non-condensable gas into the second of the at least two segments. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein operating each segment comprises injecting into one segment a mixture of steam and non-condensable gases. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein segmenting the well comprises positioning flow control devices to isolate sections of the well and limit fluid flow from the injection well into the reservoir and/or limit fluid flow from the reservoir into the production well. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the parameters indicative of the hydrocarbon recovery comprises temperature, seismic data, geology of the reservoir, geology of the wellbore, pressures, surface heave, and simulations based on one or more of the parameters. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the mobilizing fluid comprises one or more of steam, hydrocarbon solvents, surfactants, and non-condensing gas. 
     
     
         19 . The method  claim 18  wherein the non-condensing gas comprises a light hydrocarbon or oxygen comprising gas. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the gravity dominated process is steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).