Systems, methods and apparatuses for monitoring and recovery of petroleum from earth formations
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for production of petroleum from an earth formation, the system comprising:
- at least one injection borehole for injecting a thermal source into the formation;
at least one production borehole for recovering material including the petroleum from the formation; and
a plurality of drainage boreholes separate from the at least one injection borehole, each of the plurality of drainage boreholes including a generally horizontal portion that intersects a portion of the at least one production borehole, the horizontal portions forming at least one of a vertical and an azimuthal array.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for production of petroleum from an earth formation is provided. The system includes: at least one injection borehole for injecting a thermal source into the formation; at least one production borehole for recovering material including the petroleum from the formation; and at least one drainage borehole intersecting a portion of the at least one production borehole. Methods of recovering petroleum from an earth formation and creating a petroleum production system are also provided.
205 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for production of petroleum from an earth formation, the system comprising:
-
at least one injection borehole for injecting a thermal source into the formation; at least one production borehole for recovering material including the petroleum from the formation; and a plurality of drainage boreholes separate from the at least one injection borehole, each of the plurality of drainage boreholes including a generally horizontal portion that intersects a portion of the at least one production borehole, the horizontal portions forming at least one of a vertical and an azimuthal array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of recovering petroleum from an earth formation, the method comprising:
-
disposing an injection assembly in at least one injection borehole, the injection assembly including an injector extending from a distal end of the assembly; disposing a production assembly in at least one production borehole, the production assembly including a production conduit extending between a distal location of the production borehole and a proximal location of the production borehole, the production borehole being intersected by a plurality of drainage boreholes separate from the at least one injection borehole, each of the plurality of drainage boreholes having a horizontal portion that at least partially intersects the production borehole and forms at least one of a vertical and an azimuthal array; injecting a first thermal source into the injector to introduce thermal energy to a portion of the earth formation and reduce a viscosity of the material therein; and recovering the material through the production assembly. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of creating a petroleum production system, the method comprising:
-
selecting a location and path of at least one production borehole, the path extending in a direction selected from at least a vertical and an azimuthal direction; drilling a plurality of drainage boreholes, each of the plurality of drainage boreholes having a horizontal portion that at least partially intersects the selected path, the horizontal portions forming at least one of a vertical and an azimuthal array; drilling at least one production borehole along the selected path and at least partially intersecting the horizontal portion; and drilling at least one injection borehole separate from the plurality of drainage boreholes for injecting a thermal source into the formation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification