METHOD FOR PRODUCING VISCOUS HYDROCARBON USING STEAM AND CARBON DIOXIDE

• US 20130037266A1
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: World Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: World Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Ware, Charles H., Kuhlman, Myron I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,573,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/272.3
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/02 using burners
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection

Abstract

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir is provided. The method includes positioning a burner having a combustion chamber in a first well, supplying a fuel, an oxidant, and one of water or steam from the surface to the burner in the first well, supplying a viscosity-reducing gas from the surface to the reservoir in a conduit separate from the fuel, igniting the fuel and the oxidant in the combustion chamber to generate heat and steam in the burner, injecting the viscosity-reducing gas and steam into the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of and heat hydrocarbons within the reservoir, and recovering hydrocarbons from the reservoir.

Claims

1. A method for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir, comprising:

positioning a burner having a combustion chamber in a first well;

supplying a fuel, an oxidant, and one of water or steam from the surface to the burner in the first well;

supplying a viscosity-reducing gas from the surface to the reservoir in a conduit separate from the fuel;

igniting the fuel and the oxidant in the combustion chamber to generate heat a steam in the burner;

injecting the viscosity-reducing gas and steam into the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of and heat hydrocarbons within the reservoir; and

recovering hydrocarbons from the reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbons are recovered from the reservoir through the first well or through a second well that is spaced from or intersects the first well.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the conduit for supplying the viscosity-reducing gas to the reservoir comprises an annulus of the first well.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas and steam are simultaneously or intermittently injected, into the reservoir.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas and steam form a gaseous product comprising carbon dioxide.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the gaseous product comprises at least 5 percent carbon dioxide.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the gaseous product comprises 10 percent or more carbon dioxide.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the gaseous product comprises 25 percent or more carbon dioxide.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons to below 14.3 by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons to below 5.65 by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising increasing cumulative oil production of the recovered hydrocarbons by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas is flowed to the burner with the oxidant or the water or steam.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of elevating the temperature of the viscosity-reducing gas using heat generated by the burner to deliver heat to the reservoir, and using the viscosity-reducing gas to increase formation pressure in the reservoir.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas comprises carbon dioxide.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second wells comprise at least one horizontal, vertical, and slanted well section.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein the gaseous product comprises at least 5 percent carbon dioxide.

17. A method for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir, comprising:

positioning a burner comprising a combustion chamber in a first well;

supplying a fuel, an oxidant, and one of water or steam from the surface to the burner in the first well;

supplying a viscosity-reducing gas from the surface to the reservoir in a conduit separate from the fuel;

igniting the fuel and the oxidant in the combustion chamber to generate heat and steam in the burner;

injecting the viscosity-reducing gas and steam into the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of and heat hydrocarbons within the reservoir; and

recovering hydrocarbons from the reservoir through a second well that is spaced from or intersects the first well.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the conduit for supplying the viscosity-reducing gas to the reservoir comprises an annulus of the first well.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas and steam are simultaneously or intermittently injected into the reservoir.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas and steam form a gaseous product comprising carbon dioxide.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaseous product comprises 10 percent or more carbon dioxide.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaseous product comprises 25 percent or more carbon dioxide.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons to below 14.3 by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising reducing a steam/oil ratio of the recovered hydrocarbons to below 5.65 by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising increasing cumulative oil production of the recovered hydrocarbons by increasing a percentage of carbon dioxide in the gaseous product.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of elevating the temperature of the viscosity-reducing gas using heat generated by the burner to deliver heat to the reservoir, and using the viscosity-reducing gas to increase formation pressure in the reservoir.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas comprises carbon dioxide.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the viscosity-reducing gas is flowed to the burner with the oxidant or the water or steam.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second wells comprise at least one horizontal, vertical, and slanted well section.