Hydrocarbon recovery methods by creating high-permeability webs
First Claim
1. A method for enhancing recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
- drilling a vertical production well into a hydrocarbon reservoir; and
creating a horizontal radial high-permeability web in the subterranean formation proximal to a lower region of the hydrocarbon reservoir adjacent to the vertical production well.
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Abstract
A gravity-drainage hydrocarbon recovery method is provided to produce oil and gas from subterranean formations. A substantially horizontal high-permeability web is created at the bottom portion of an oil reservoir. The web is connected to a production well. The high-permeability web is fabricated by conventional drilling, high-pressure water jet drilling, and high-power microwave fracturing. Primary oil recovery will benefit from this configuration in terms of improved volumetric sweep efficiency, delayed gas break through, increased oil production rate and overall oil recovery. This method is also used with secondary oil recovery for which a gas is injected into the upper portion of a reservoir. Oil is produced from the bottom portion of the reservoir. If economically warranted, high-permeability web is also implemented to the injection well. The method for this invention is also used in conjunction with any horizontal and vertical well arrangement methods, enhanced oil recovery methods, and methods used for oil field conformance improvement.
154 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for enhancing recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
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drilling a vertical production well into a hydrocarbon reservoir; and creating a horizontal radial high-permeability web in the subterranean formation proximal to a lower region of the hydrocarbon reservoir adjacent to the vertical production well. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for enhancing recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
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drilling four vertical corner production wells in a square configuration into a hydrocarbon reservoir; drilling an injection well in the center of the square configuration; forming one or more horizontal wells extending horizontally outward from a lower region of each one of the four vertical corner production wells; and creating one or more high-permeability webs extending outwardly from each horizontal well. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for enhancing recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
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drilling at least two upper horizontal wells into a hydrocarbon reservoir in the formation; drilling at least one lower horizontal well, each one of said at least one lower horizontal well being spaced laterally and vertically below and between two of said at least two upper horizontal wells, and wherein the upper and lower horizontal wells are substantially parallel; and creating a high-permeability web in the subterranean formation from one or more points along a longitudinal axis of at least one of said upper and lower horizontal wells. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification