Wellbore manufacturing processes for in situ heat treatment processes

• US 8,327,681 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Davidson, Ian Alexander, Geddes, Cameron James, Rudolf, Randall Lynn, Selby, Bruce Allen, MacDonald, Duncan Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yusuf, Mohammad I
• Application Number:
  US12/106,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20090090158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 723/68, 723/69, 721/35, 721/38, 721/42
• US Class Current: 72/368
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/845 containing inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/86 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/008 Controlling or regulating of liquefaction processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/04 by extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/042 by the use of hydrogen-donor solvents
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A method includes making coiled tubing at a coiled tubing manufacturing unit coupled to a coiled tubing transportation system. One or more coiled tubing reels are transported from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to one or more moveable well drilling systems using the coiled tubing transportation system. The coiled tubing transportation system runs from the tubing manufacturing unit to one or more movable well drilling systems, and then back to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit.

Claims

1. A method for making coiled tubing for a wellbore in a formation, comprising:

assessing properties of at least a first portion of a treatment area in the formation;

making a first coiled tubing at a coiled tubing manufacturing unit based on, at least in part, one or more of the assessed properties of the first portion of the treatment area, wherein the coiled tubing manufacturing site is coupled to the first portion of the treatment area with a coiled tubing transportation system;

transporting the first coiled tubing from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to the first portion of the treatment area using a transport gantry that moves along a coiled tubing transportation system with the first coiled tubing on a reel on the transport gantry;

coupling the transport gantry to a chilling gantry located at the first portion of the treatment area;

transferring the first coiled tubing from the transport gantry to the drilling gantry;

drilling a first wellbore using the drilling gantry and the first coiled tubing;

returning the reel to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit on the transport gantry after completion of the drilling of the first wellbore using the first coiled tubing;

making a second coiled tubing at the coiled tubing manufacturing unit based on, at least in part, the assessed properties of the first portion of the treatment area; and

transporting the second coiled tubing from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to the first portion of the treatment area using the transport gantry that moves along the coiled tubing transportation system with the second coiled tubing on the reel on the transport gantry;

coupling the transport gantry to the drilling gantry located at the first portion of the treatment area;

transferring the second coiled tubing from the transport gantry to the drilling gantry; and

drilling a second wellbore using the drilling gantry and the second coiled tubing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the coiled tubing transportation system comprises a looped path from the tube manufacturing unit to one or more wellbore drilling areas, and from one or more of the wellbore drilling systems to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling a heater wellbore using one or more of the well drilling systems.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling a subsurface heater wellbore using one or more of the well drilling systems, and installing a heating system in the heater wellbore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coiled tubing manufacturing unit is located at the treatment area.

6. A method for making coiled tubing and transporting such coiled tubing to a well, comprising:

drilling at least a portion of a first well in a treatment area using a drilling gantry;

assessing properties of the first well;

making a first coiled tubing at a coiled tubing manufacturing unit based on, at least in part, the assessed properties of the first well, wherein the coiled tubing manufacturing unit is coupled to the first well with a coiled tubing transportation system;

transporting the first coiled tubing from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to the first well using a transport gantry that moves along the coiled tubing transportation system;

coupling the transport gantry to the drilling gantry located at the first well;

transferring the first coiled tubing from the transport gantry to the drilling gantry;

completing drilling of the first well using the drilling gantry and the first coiled tubing;

drilling at least a portion of a second well in the treatment area using the drilling gantry;

assessing properties of the second well;

making a second coiled tubing at the coiled tubing manufacturing unit based on, at least in part, the assessed properties of the second well, wherein the coiled tubing manufacturing unit is coupled to the second well with the coiled tubing transportation system; and

transporting the second coiled tubing from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to the second well using the transport gantry.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second coiled tubing comprises at least one property different from properties of the first coiled tubing.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the coiled tubing transportation system comprises a loop from the coiled tubing manufacturing unit to one or more wellbore drilling areas, and from one or more wellbore drilling systems to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising installing a heating system in the first well.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the coiled tubing manufacturing unit is located at or near the treatment area.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

coupling the transport gantry with the second coiled tubing to the drilling gantry located at the second well;

transferring the second coiled tubing from the transport gantry to the drilling gantry; and

completing drilling of the second well using the drilling gantry and the second coiled tubing.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising returning the transport gantry to the coiled tubing manufacturing unit after completing drilling of the first well and transferring the second coiled tubing to the transport gantry for transport to the second well.