RF FRACTURING TO IMPROVE SAGD PERFORMANCE
First Claim
1. ) A method comprising of producing heavy oil from a vertically segregated subsurface formation, said method comprising:
- a. providing a borehole into a vertically segregated subsurface formation containing heavy oil and comprising a steam barrier between a first pay zone and a second pay zone, wherein said steam barrier prevents a steam chamber being formed between the first pay zone and the second pay zone;
b. heating the steam barrier with an electromagnetic wave of radio frequency (RF);
c. fracturing the steam barrier to permit a steam chamber to be formed within the first pay zone and the second pay zone; and
d. producing heavy oil from the heavy oil formation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of producing heavy oil from a heavy oil formation with steam assisted gravity drainage. The method begins by drilling a borehole into a heavy oil formation comprising a steam barrier between a first pay zone and a second pay zone, wherein the steam barrier prevents a steam chamber to be formed between the first pay zone and the second pay zone. The steam barrier is then heated with a radio frequency. The steam barrier is then fractured to permit a steam chamber to be formed within the first pay zone and the second pay zone. Heavy oil is then produced from the heavy oil formation with steam assisted gravity drainage.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. ) A method comprising of producing heavy oil from a vertically segregated subsurface formation, said method comprising:
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a. providing a borehole into a vertically segregated subsurface formation containing heavy oil and comprising a steam barrier between a first pay zone and a second pay zone, wherein said steam barrier prevents a steam chamber being formed between the first pay zone and the second pay zone; b. heating the steam barrier with an electromagnetic wave of radio frequency (RF); c. fracturing the steam barrier to permit a steam chamber to be formed within the first pay zone and the second pay zone; and d. producing heavy oil from the heavy oil formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. ) A method comprising:
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a. providing a borehole into a heavy oil formation comprising a steam barrier between an upper pay zone and a lower pay zone wherein the minimum depth of at least one pay zone is less than about 15 meters and the steam barrier prevents a thermal connection between the upper pay zone and the lower pay zone; b. optionally perforating the heavy oil formation with a perforating gun; c. injecting a fracturing fluid into the heavy oil formation, wherein the fracturing fluid contains a proppant; d. heating the steam barrier with a radio frequency energy to a temperature of about 90°
C.;e. vertically fracturing the steam barrier with the fracturing fluid to permit a thermal connection between the upper pay zone and the lower pay zone, wherein the pressure used to fracture the steam barrier is less than what is necessary to fracture the steam barrier prior to heating with the radio frequency; and f. producing heavy oil from the heavy oil formation with steam assisted gravity drainage with a steam to oil ratio less than 3.0.
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Specification