System and Method for Energizing Bitumen in a Bitumen Reserve for Recovery of Same, Using Acoustic Standing Waves

Abstract

A method is provided that uses acoustic energy propagating within the formation to contribute to hydrocarbon mobilization and/or increasing the permeability of the formation for producing such hydrocarbons, in part due to some degree of heating as well as due to vibration of the surrounding environment. An acoustic standing wave process can be used as a primary recovery process, during start up, or subsequent to another hydrocarbon recovery process. By selectively operating acoustic resonators in areas or zones within a pay region until that area or zone is energized, production can progress in stages in an efficient manner to avoid operating the acoustic resonators longer than is necessary to sufficiently energize the targeted area. In this way, the amount of equipment required to mobilize and produce the hydrocarbon in the pay region can be reduced.

1 . A method for enabling hydrocarbons to be recovered from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising:
 energizing an area comprising a portion of the formation using a first set of at least one acoustic resonator positioned in the formation that generates acoustic waves at a predetermined resonant frequency of a geological material in the portion, wherein the acoustic waves generate standing waves within the portion that increase permeability of, and/or energize hydrocarbons in, the portion;   ceasing operation of the first set of the at least one acoustic resonator; and   commencing energizing at least one additional portion of the formation by beginning to operate a second set of at least one acoustic resonator positioned in the at least one additional portion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recovering a hydrocarbon containing fluid from the formation after energizing the area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recovering a hydrocarbon containing fluid from the formation after energizing the at least one additional portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon containing fluid is recovered via gravity drainage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of the first set of at least one acoustic resonator positioned in the portion is ceased after the area of the pay region is energized. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first set of at least one acoustic resonator is removed from the formation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first set of at least one acoustic resonator is used in one or more of the at least one additional portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least three portions of the pay region are selectively energized over corresponding periods of time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one portion is selectively energized more than once. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of the pay region is energized such that both permeability of the formation is increased, and the hydrocarbon is mobilized for subsequent production. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formation comprises any one or more of shale, sandstone, or carbonate rock. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the formation comprises shale, and wherein increasing permeability in the pay region comprises creating fractures and/or microfractures in the shale using the acoustic standing waves. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is recovered from the pay region using at least one wellbore used to position the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator is positioned in the pay region via a substantially vertically oriented wellbore. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the energizing is performed by using a plurality of acoustic resonators, adjacently positioned ones of the plurality of acoustic resonators being positioned in a corresponding substantially vertically oriented wellbore. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator is positioned in the pay region via a substantially horizontally oriented wellbore. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein energizing is performed by using a plurality of acoustic resonators, oppositely positioned ones of the plurality of acoustic resonators being positioned in a corresponding substantially horizontally oriented wellbore. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 predetermining the resonant frequency of the geological material in the pay region.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 operating the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator at an additional resonant frequency of a geological material in the formation to achieve the additional resonant frequency.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator is powered by at least one acoustic generator from surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of acoustic resonators are each powered by an acoustic generator from surface. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic generator is coupled to a controller. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising selecting the resonant frequency from a plurality of resonant frequencies of the geological material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising testing at least one experimentally determined resonant frequency in situ prior to generating the standing waves. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a set of a plurality of resonant frequencies is determined based on the in situ testing. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein at least one resonant frequency of the geological material is determined using a drill core extracted from the formation rock. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining if the resonant frequency has changed in the geological material subsequent to at least some production of a hydrocarbon in the pay region. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein recovering the hydrocarbon from the pay region comprises applying an oil recovery technique. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the oil recovery technique comprises generating standing waves within the pay region to mobilize a heavy oil in the pay region. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the heavy oil is bitumen. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising producing a bitumen containing fluid to surface using a substantially horizontally oriented production well positioned below the first and/or second set of at least one resonator. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a lower one of a pair of substantially horizontally oriented wellbores containing a plurality of acoustic resonators is used to produce the bitumen containing fluid to surface. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising injecting solvent into the pay region. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the solvent is injected prior to operating the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator to mobilize the heavy oil. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the solvent is injected subsequent to operating the at least one acoustic resonator to mobilize the heavy oil. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the solvent is injected during operation of the first and/or second set of at least one acoustic resonator to mobile the heavy oil. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the oil recovery technique comprises a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technique. 
     
     
         38 . A system for enabling hydrocarbons to be recovered from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the system comprising:
 a first set of at least one acoustic resonator positioned in an area comprising a portion of the formation, the first set of at least one acoustic resonator configured to energize the area by generating acoustic waves at a predetermined resonant frequency of a geological material in the portion, wherein the acoustic waves generate standing waves within the portion that increase permeability of, and/or energize hydrocarbons in, the portion;   a second set of at least one acoustic resonator positioned in at least one additional portion of the formation, wherein the second set of at least one acoustic resonator is configured to commence energizing the at least one additional portion after ceasing operation of the first set of the at least one acoustic resonator; and   at least one acoustic generator coupled to the first and second sets of acoustic resonators.   
     
     
         39 . A method for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising:
 energizing a first portion of the formation using an acoustic resonator positioned within the formation to generate acoustic waves at a predetermined resonant frequency of a geological material in the first portion of the formation, wherein the acoustic waves generate standing waves that increase permeability and/or energize hydrocarbons in the first portion of the formation;   upon reaching a desired permeability and/or energization of the hydrocarbons, ceasing the energizing of the first portion of the formation and commencing a hydrocarbon production operation in the first portion;   commencing energizing a second portion of the formation using an acoustic resonator and continuing such energizing until reaching a desired permeability and/or energization of hydrocarbons in the second portion, upon which energizing the second portion is ceased and a production operation is commenced; and   repeating the energizing followed by production operation selectively at multiple portions of the formation.