Open hole gas well closed cycle drilling and production system without gas venting and flaring or reservoir damages

Abstract

An open-hole drilling method and process is embodied in creation of a closed cycle and system for extracting gas from shale and other impermeable and natural vertical fracture dominated reservoirs. The closed cycle system enables gas from reservoir to be used as a drilling fluid, with any excess gas produced as the wellbore is extended, to be sold in real time through a gas pipeline. Since only natural gas exists throughout the closed system, no risk exists for downhole explosions, and no wellbore damages occur from foreign fluids, such as mud, cement, and water. Limits of wellbore length due to gas produced while drilling, and risks during gas flaring are eliminated. All products produced from wellbore are captured so no venting of any liquids, gases, or solids. All hydraulic fracturing issues are avoided. Gas flow rate measurements while drilling enables technical, financial, reserve estimate models development in real time.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A closed loop system for natural gas extraction, the system comprising:
 an external gas pipeline;   a master meter valve, wherein the master meter valve supplies natural gas to the system, the supplied natural gas is obtained from the external gas pipeline;   one or more of a first compressor, wherein the natural gas supplied from the master meter valve flows to the first compressor so to increase gas pressure;   a surge and storage tank reservoir, wherein once a desired pressure is reached, the pressurized natural gas flows from the first compressor and system to the surge and storage tank reservoir;   one or more of a second natural gas compressor which receive natural gas when needed from the surge and storage reservoir so to deliver gas at rates and pressures required for drilling processes;   a well site, including a vertical well and a drill rig;   the drill rig further comprising a drill bit which is actuated by the pressurized natural gas fluid received from within the system or by a rotating drill pipe;   a particle separator for separating large particle cuttings from gas circulating fluid received from the well site;   a filter subsystem for removing smaller particles the gas circulating fluid received after being processed by the particle separator;   a natural gas stream conditioner for preparing the natural gas suitable to enter the external gas pipeline;   wherein once the natural gas is processed by the filter subsystem, the processed natural gas is dispersed between the natural gas stream conditioner and reentry into the system at the storage and surge tank reservoir as needed.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein the system is closed and sealed so that no substances other than natural gas are entered, exited or circulated within.   
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein the system is closed and sealed so that no substances are vented into the atmosphere.   
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein a primer quantity of natural gas is obtained from the external gas pipeline.   
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , the system further comprising:
 wherein after being primed, the pressurized natural gas fluid is obtained from the same gas reservoir borehole as the one being drilled.   
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein the system does not use any of drilling mud, cementing pipe through the pay zone, perforating pipe and hydraulic fracturing.   
     
     
         7 . A method using a closed loop system for natural gas extraction, the method comprising:
 obtaining natural gas from an external gas pipeline;   supplying natural gas to the system from a master meter valve;   receive the flow of natural gas from the master meter valve at one or more of a first compressors;   increase gas pressure using the one or more of a first compressors to a desired pressure within the system;   wherein the pressurized natural gas flows from the first compressor and system to a surge and storage tank reservoir;   when needed, receive natural gas at one or more of a second natural gas compressors from the surge and storage reservoir so to deliver gas at rates and pressures required for drilling processes;   actuating a drill bit of a drill rig using a vertical well at a well site using the pressurized natural gas fluid received from within the system or actuating a drill bit by a rotating string of drill pipe;   separating large particle cuttings from gas circulating fluid received from the well site at a particle separator;   removing smaller particles from the gas circulating fluid received after being processed by the particle separator at a filter subsystem;   preparing the natural gas to enter the external gas pipeline at a natural gas stream conditioner;   wherein once the natural gas is processed by the filter subsystem, the processed natural gas is dispersed between the natural gas stream conditioner and reentry into the system at the storage and surge tank reservoir as needed.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising;
 a process of completion that does not involve the injection of any substance into the reservoir rock.   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 wherein the natural gas produced and processed from the well site being drilled is recycled back into the system as drilling fluid through the system.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , the method further comprising:
 the obtained natural gas from the external pipeline is used to prime the system, once the system is primed, the system then switches to used recycled natural gas.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 a drilling process;   wherein the drilling process comprises:
 reaming a borehole while drilling a directionally controlled pilot hole by forward and reverse cycles, wherein the cycles are determined manually, periodically, or based upon measured variables values to achieve at least one of a plurality of objectives, the objectives comprising:
 a) cleaning the borehole of larger particles and crushing larger chunks suitable for gas stream entrainment and circulation to above ground facilities, 
 b) enlarging the diameter of a borehole, and 
 c) removing the damaged surface due to the front end drill bit. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein the excess natural gas produced beyond that required for drilling is cycled back through the system and out to the master meter valve, wherein the master meter valve supplies natural gas back to a master sales meter and the external gas sales pipeline.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 wherein the excess natural gas produced beyond that required for drilling is cycled back through the system and out to the master meter valve, wherein the master meter valve supplies natural gas back to a master sales meter and the external gas sales pipeline.   
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein the system is hypoxia or anaerobic oxygen-free such that no internal system explosions can occur.   
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed In  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein after the conventionally drilled vertical well is drilled and completed, the system does not use any water on the drill pad, so to eliminate the risks of spills, prevent environmental violations, and prevent environmental damage to any adjacent water, ponds, creeks, streams, or rivers.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 wherein after the conventionally drilled vertical well is drilled and completed, water is not used on the drill pad, so as to eliminate the risks of spills, prevent environmental violations, and prevent environmental damage to any adjacent water, ponds, creeks, streams, or rivers.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 wherein a closed cycle extraction process is independent of mechanical properties of reservoir rock or its states of in situ stress field.   
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 real time gas flow rate data from a master flow meter, which are used in real time to create computer models including reserve estimates.   
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 calculating reserve estimates, by using real time gas flow rate data in conjunction with the real time created computer models.   
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 wherein a length of drilled borehole that can be drilled is not limited as a result of an amount of gas liberated into a wellbore while drilling, when using the pressurized natural gas fluid as a drilling fluid, because quantities of the amount of gas liberated into a wellbore while drilling is unsafe and too great of a quantity to be flared.