Hydrocarbon sweep into horizontal transverse fractured wells
First Claim
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1. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:
- (a) drilling a substantially horizontal wellbore that intersects the existing well;
(b) forming at least one transverse fracture in the reservoir along the substantially horizontal wellbore;
(c) drilling an injection well into the reservoir;
(d) injecting a fluid into the reservoir through the injection well so as to force the hydrocarbons toward the at least one transverse fracture; and
(e) draining the hydrocarbons into the at least one transverse fracture.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of increasing hydrocarbon production in an existing well in a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method includes the steps of forming a substantially horizontal transverse fractured wellbore that intersects the existing well and injecting a fluid remote from the existing well so as to form a fluid front that sweeps the hydrocarbons into the horizontal transverse fractured wellbore. Successive fractures can be sealed to control propagation of the fluid front and delay infiltration of the fluid into the production.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:
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(a) drilling a substantially horizontal wellbore that intersects the existing well;
(b) forming at least one transverse fracture in the reservoir along the substantially horizontal wellbore;
(c) drilling an injection well into the reservoir;
(d) injecting a fluid into the reservoir through the injection well so as to force the hydrocarbons toward the at least one transverse fracture; and
(e) draining the hydrocarbons into the at least one transverse fracture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:
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drilling a substantially horizontal wellbore that intersects the existing well;
forming a plurality of transverse fractures in the reservoir along the substantially horizontal wellbore;
installing a tubing in the substantially horizontal wellbore with an end of the tubing being disposed at a toe portion of the substantially horizontal wellbore, downhole of the transverse fracture farthest from the existing well;
installing a packer between the tubing and a sidewall forming the substantially horizontal wellbore uphole of the transverse fracture farthest from the existing well;
injecting a fluid into the reservoir through the end of the tubing at the toe of the substantially horizontal wellbore to force the hydrocarbons toward the plurality of transverse fractures; and
draining the hydrocarbons into the plurality of transverse fractures. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well from a reservoir infiltrated with a non-hydrocarbon fluid, comprising the steps of:
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(a) drilling a first substantially horizontal wellbore that intersects the existing well;
(b) forming a plurality of transverse fractures in the reservoir along the first substantially horizontal wellbore;
(c) drilling a second substantially horizontal wellbore that intersects the existing well;
(d) forming at least one transverse fracture in the reservoir along the second substantially horizontal wellbore;
(e) sealing the at least one transverse fracture formed along the second substantially horizontal wellbore; and
(f) draining the hydrocarbons into the plurality of transverse fractures formed along the first substantially horizontal wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of increasing the hydrocarbon production of an existing well formed in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:
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drilling a pair of oppositely disposed substantially horizontal injection wellbores that intersect the existing well;
drilling a plurality of substantially horizontal producing wellbores that intersect the existing well and are disposed between the injection wellbores;
forming a plurality of transverse fractures in the reservoir along each of the plurality of substantially horizontal producing wellbores;
injecting a fluid into the reservoir from the pair of oppositely disposed substantially horizontal injection wellbores; and
draining the hydrocarbons into the plurality of transverse fractures formed along the plurality of substantially horizontal producing wellbores. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well formed in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:
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drilling a pair of oppositely disposed substantially horizontal injection wellbores that intersect the existing well;
drilling a pair of oppositely disposed substantially horizontal producing wellbores that intersect the existing well and are disposed between the substantially horizontal injection wellbores, wherein each substantially horizontal producing wellbore is formed with a plurality of laterals;
forming a plurality of transverse fractures in the reservoir along each of the plurality of laterals;
injecting a fluid into the reservoir from the pair of oppositely disposed substantially horizontal injection wellbores; and
draining the hydrocarbons into the plurality of transverse fractures formed along the plurality of laterals. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well, comprising the steps of:
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forming a substantially horizontal transverse fractured wellbore that intersects the existing well; and
injecting a fluid remote from the existing well so as to form a fluid front that forces the hydrocarbons to drain into the horizontal transverse fractured wellbore.
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67. A method of increasing hydrocarbon production of an existing well, comprising the steps of:
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forming a substantially horizontal wellbore having a toe portion and a heel portion that is disposed opposite to the toe portion with the heel portion intersecting the existing well;
forming a transverse fracture at the toe section of the substantially horizontal wellbore; and
producing hydrocarbons from the well. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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Specification