Method and system for recirculating fluid in a well system

• US 7,134,494 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Effective Exploration LLC
• Original Assignee: CDX Gas LLC (EnerVest Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zupanick, Joseph A., Rial, Monty
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, KENNETH L
• Application Number:
  US10/457,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250.01, 166/250.03, 166/252.1, 166/267, 166/369, 166/305.1, 166/75.12, 166/50, 166/52, 166/90.1, 175/66, 175/206, 175/207
• US Class Current: 166/267
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/00 Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells E21B21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/006 Production of coal-bed methane E21B43/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/35 specially adapted for separating solids down-hole drilling fluid separation systems E21B21/002; separating solids from drilling fluids E21B21/065

Abstract

A method for recirculating fluid in a well system includes drilling a first well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone, and drilling an articulated well bore that is horizontally offset from the first well bore at the surface and that intersects the first well bore at a junction proximate the subterranean zone. The method also includes drilling a drainage bore from the junction into the subterranean zone, and receiving gas, water and particles produced from the subterranean zone at the junction via the drainage bore. The gas, water, and particles are received from the junction at the surface, and the water is separated from the gas and the particles. The method also includes determining an amount of water to circulate, and recirculating a portion of the separated water according to this determination.

Claims

1. A method for recirculating fluid in a well system, comprising

drilling a first well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone;

drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the subterranean zone;

drilling a drainage bore from the junction into the subterranean zone;

receiving gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone at the junction via the drainage bore;

receiving gas, water, and particles from the junction at the surface;

separating the water received at the surface from the gas and the particles received at the surface;

determining a bottom hole pressure;

determining an amount of separated water to recirculate based at least in part on the bottom hole pressure; and

recirculating a portion of the separated water into the junction from the surface according to the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an amount of separated water to recirculate comprises determining a water level at the junction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enlarging the first well bore to form a cavity in the subterranean zone, wherein the cavity comprises the junction at which the articulated well bore intersects the first well bore.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling a drainage pattern in the subterranean zone from the drainage bore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the water is gas-lifted from the junction to the surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the water is pumped from the junction to the surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the water is recirculated to the junction from the surface via the articulated well bore.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the water is recirculated to the junction from the surface via the first well bore.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the subterranean zone comprises a coal seam.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a tubing in the first well bore that extends from the surface to the junction, the tubing operable to communicate at least water from the junction to the surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the tubing further comprises stirring arms coupled to a first end of the tubing that is positioned in the junction; and

the method further comprises rotating the tubing to cause the stirring arms to rotate in the junction.

12. A multi-well system, comprising:

a first well bore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone;

an articulated well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore intersecting the first well bore at a junction proximate the subterranean zone;

a drainage bore extending from the junction into the subterranean zone; and

a separation/recirculation system operable to;

receive, at the surface, gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone via the drainage bore;

separate the water from the gas and the particles;

determine an amount of the separated water to recirculate based at least in part on a bottom hole pressure; and

recirculate a portion of the separated water into the junction from the surface according to the determination.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the separation/recirculation system is operable to determine an amount of separated water to recirculate based on a water level at the junction.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cavity formed in the subterranean zone from the first well bore, wherein the cavity comprises the junction at which the articulated well bore intersects the first well bore.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a drainage pattern extending from the drainage bore in the subterranean zone.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a pressure in the subterranean zone is operable to lift water that is received at the junction from the drainage bore to the surface.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a pump operable to lift water that is received at the junction from the drainage bore to the surface.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the separation/recirculation system is operable to recirculate the water to the junction from the surface via the articulated well bore.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the separation/recirculation system is operable to recirculate the water to the junction from the surface via the first well bore.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the subterranean zone comprises a coal seam.

21. The system of claim 12, further comprising a tubing positioned in the first well bore and extending from the surface to the junction, the tubing operable to communicate at least water from the junction to the surface.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the tubing further comprises stirring arms coupled to a first end of the tubing that is positioned in the junction; and

a motor operable to rotate the tubing to cause the stirring arms to rotate in the junction.

23. A method for recirculating fluid in a well system, comprising:

drilling a well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone;

receiving gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone in the well bore;

receiving gas, water, and particles from the well bore at the surface;

separating the water received at the surface from the gas and the particles received at the surface;

determining a bottom hole pressure in the well bore;

determining an amount of separated water to recirculate based at least in part on the desired bottom hole pressure; and

recirculating a portion of the separated water into the well bore from the surface according to the determination.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining an amount of separated water to recirculate comprises determining a water level in the well bore.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising enlarging the well bore to form a cavity in the subterranean zone.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising positioning a tubing in the well bore that extends from the surface to the cavity, the tubing operable to communicate at least water from the cavity to the surface.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the subterranean zone comprises a coal seam.

28. A well system, comprising:

a well bore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone; and

a separation/recirculation system operable to;

receive, at the surface, gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone via the well bore;

separate the water from the gas and the particles;

determine an amount of the separated water to recirculate based at least in part on a bottom hole pressure and; and

recirculate a portion of the separated water into the well bore from the surface according to the determination.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the separation/recirculation system is operable to determine an amount of separated water to recirculate based on a water level in the well bore.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising a cavity formed in the subterranean zone from the well bore.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a tubing positioned in the well bore and extending from the surface to the cavity, the tubing operable to communicate at least water from the cavity to the surface.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising a pump operable to lift water that is received in the well bore from the subterranean zone to the surface.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the subterranean zone comprises a coal seam.

34. A method for recirculating fluid in a well system, comprising:

drilling a well bore from a surface to a subterranean zone;

receiving gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone at the surface;

receiving gas, water, and particles from the junction at the surface;

separating the water received at the surface from the gas and the particles received at the surface;

determining an amount of separated water to recirculate based at least in part on an amount of particles received at the surface; and

recirculating a portion of the separated water into the well bore from the surface according to the determination.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising:

drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore intersecting the well bore at a junction proximate the subterranean zone; and

drilling a drainage bore from the junction into the subterranean zone; and

wherein recirculating a portion of the separated water comprises recirculating a portion of the separated water into the junction from the surface according to the determination.

36. A well system, comprising:

a well bore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone; and

a separation/recirculation system operable to;

receive, at the surface, gas, water, and particles produced from the subterranean zone;

separate the water from the gas and the particles;

determine an amount of the separated water to recirculate based at least in part on an amount of particles received at the surface; and

recirculate a portion of the separated water into the well bore from the surface according to the determination.

37. The well system of claim 36 further comprising:

an articulated well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore intersecting the well bore at a junction proximate the subterranean zone; and

a drainage well bore extending from the junction into the subterranean zone; and

wherein the separation/recirculation system is operable to recirculate a portion of the separated water into the junction from the surface according to the determination.