Method and system for accessing a subterranean zone from a limited surface area
First Claim
1. A method for accessing a subsurface formation from a limited surface area, comprising:
- forming a first well bore extending from the surface to a target zone, the well bore having an angled portion disposed between the target zone and the surface;
forming a second well bore extending from the surface to the target zone, the second well bore offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the target zone; and
forming through the second well bore a well bore pattern, the well bore pattern extending from the junction into the target zone.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for accessing subterranean resources from a limited surface area includes a first well bore extending from the surface to the target zone. The first well bore includes an angled portion disposed between the target zone and the surface to provide an offset between a surface location of the first well bore and an intersection of the first well bore with the subterranean resource. The system also includes an articulated well bore extending from the surface to the target zone. The articulated well bore is offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersects the first well bore proximate the target zone. The system further includes a well bore pattern extending from the intersection of the first well bore and the articulated well bore in the target zone to provide access to the target zone.
214 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method for accessing a subsurface formation from a limited surface area, comprising:
-
forming a first well bore extending from the surface to a target zone, the well bore having an angled portion disposed between the target zone and the surface;
forming a second well bore extending from the surface to the target zone, the second well bore offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the target zone; and
forming through the second well bore a well bore pattern, the well bore pattern extending from the junction into the target zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system for accessing a subsurface formation from a limited surface area, comprising:
-
a first well bore extending from the surface to a target zone, the first well bore having an angled portion disposed between the target zone and the surface;
a second well bore extending from the surface to the target zone, the second well bore offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the target zone; and
a well bore pattern extending from the junction into the target zone. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for accessing a subsurface formation from a limited surface area, comprising:
-
forming a first well bore from the surface to a target zone of the subsurface formation, the first well bore having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion;
forming a second well bore extending from the surface to the target zone, the second well bore offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the target zone;
forming a well bore pattern extending from the junction into the target zone operable to collect resources; and
removing resources from the target zone through the first well bore. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 23)
-
- 20. The method of 17, wherein forming the well bore pattern comprises forming a pinnate well bore pattern.
-
24. A system for extracting resources from a subsurface formation, comprising:
-
a first well bore extending from the surface to a target zone of the subsurface formation, the first well bore having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion;
a second well bore extending from the surface to the target zone, the second well bore offset from the first well bore at the surface and intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the target zone;
a well bore pattern extending from the junction into the target zone operable to collect resources; and
a production unit disposed in the first well bore operable to remove resources from the target zone through the first well bore to the surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 30)
-
- 27. The system of 24, wherein the well bore pattern comprises a pinnate well bore pattern.
Specification