CA1196269A - Method of recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-containing formation - Google Patents
Method of recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-containing formationInfo
- Publication number
- CA1196269A CA1196269A CA000419247A CA419247A CA1196269A CA 1196269 A CA1196269 A CA 1196269A CA 000419247 A CA000419247 A CA 000419247A CA 419247 A CA419247 A CA 419247A CA 1196269 A CA1196269 A CA 1196269A
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- oil
- formation
- recited
- well
- fluid
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Abstract
A METHOD OF RECOVERING OIL FROM A SUBTERRANEAN
VISCOUS OIL-CONTAINING FORMATION
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a method for recovering oil from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation a gaseous driving fluid, such as carbon dioxide, is injected into the formation and oil is recovered therefrom while vibrations in the seismic frequency range and having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units are simultaneously transmitted through the formation to enhance the flow of the carbon dioxide and thereby increase the efficiency of oil recovery. The frequency of the vibrations is within the range of 0.1 to 500 Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz.
VISCOUS OIL-CONTAINING FORMATION
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a method for recovering oil from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation a gaseous driving fluid, such as carbon dioxide, is injected into the formation and oil is recovered therefrom while vibrations in the seismic frequency range and having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units are simultaneously transmitted through the formation to enhance the flow of the carbon dioxide and thereby increase the efficiency of oil recovery. The frequency of the vibrations is within the range of 0.1 to 500 Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz.
Description
VISCOUS OIL-CONTAINING FORMATION
The present invention relates to the use o~ low amplitude vibrations in the seismic frequency range for enhancing the recovery of oil ~rom subterranean, viscous oil-containing ~ormations employing a gaseous driving fluid such as carbon dioxide to drive the oil ~rom the formation.
Sonic energy has been used for increasing the recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation employing a fluid drive, such as water ~looding or a gas drive, as shown in U. S. No. 2,670,801 (Shsrborne).
The Snerborne process discloses the use of sonic or supersonic vibrations impressed upon an oil-bearing formation prior to and~or during a liquid flooding or gas driving recovery process to enhance the efficiency.
U.S. No. 2,700,422 ~Bodine~ discloses the use of sonic vibrations in the frequency range of 10 to 30 Cp5 for enhancing the recovery o~ oil ~rom oil~containlng formations in con~unctinn with a l~quid driving ~luid ~or sweeping oil ~rom the ~ormation~
U.S. No. 3,754,598 (Holloway, Jr.) discloses an enhanced ~looding ~luid process ~or the secondary recovery of oil ~rom oil-containing formations wherein during the recovery operation oscillating pressure waves are transMitted from the in~ection well thrcugh the formation having a preselected amplitude in the range o~
about 10 to 5,000 psi above the formation pressure and a ~requency in the range of about 0.001 to about 25 cycles per second.
In addition, other patents of interest are U.SO Patent No.
3,189,536 to Bodine; U. S. Patent ND. 3,520,362 to Galle; U. S. Patent No~ 3,527,300 to Phillips; U~S. Patent No. 3,952,800 to 80dine; and U.
S. Patent No. 4,060,128 to Wallacer The present invention resides in a method for the recovery uf viscous oil from a subterranean oil-bearing formation by injecting a gas, pre~erably carbon dioxide, into the ~ormation via an injection well to drive the oil through the formation and recover the oil .. ~
therefrom via a spaced apart production well wherein the oil-containing formation is subjected to vibrations in the seismic frequency range having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units during the carbon dioxide driving operation to enhance its efficiPncy. The frequency of the vibrations is ~Nithin the range of 0.1 to 500 Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz. The seismic frequency excitation of the formation is produced by generating seismic energy by means of a seismic source driven by air, gas, electric, or steam power coupled to the earth's surface or the fluid medium in one of the wellbores. The low amplitude seismic ~requency excitation enhances the flow of carbon dioxide through the oil-containing formation and increases the e~ficiency of oil recovery thereFrom.
In the accompanying drawings 9 Figure 1 shows an oil containing formation, an injection well, and seismic energy source coupled to the earth's surface and a production well.
Figure 2 is a graph showing the rate of flow of C02 through an oil-saturated core sample versus time for tests conducted under seismic frequency excitation and under a clamped or cradled state.
Referring to Figure 1, an injection well 10 and a production well 12 extend from the earth's sur~ace 14 through a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation 16. Both the injection well 10 and the production w211 12 are provided with perforations or other fluid communication means to establish fluid communication with the full vertical thickness of the formation 16. A seismic energy source 18 such as a vibrator or transducer driven by suitable power such as air, electrical, or steam power (not shown) is coupled to the earth's surface 14 by means of pier 20.
With the seismic energy source 18 in position, power is supplied to the source and seismic energy is generated to produce seismic vibrations 22 having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units toA) which excite the oil-containing formation 16. The frequency o~ the vibrations is within the range of 0.1 to 5ûO Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz.
During excitation o~ the formation 16 by the low amplitude seismic vibrations 2~, a gaseous driving Fluid, preferably carbon dioxide, is injected into the formation via injection well 10 so as to drive the oil through the formation and recover the oil from the formation via production well 12. Injection of the carbon dioxide and generation of the seismic energy couoled to the earth's surface is continued until there is a breakthrough of carbon dioxide at production well 12. ûnce carbon ~ioxide is being produced in well 129 production oF the oil and generation of the seismic energy is terminated.
Although the preferred gaseous driving fluid is carbon dioxide~ other gases may be used such as air, nitrogen, natural gas~ and mixtures thereof.
The low amplitude seismic eneryy excitation of the oil-containing formation enhances the flow of carbon dioxide through the formation thereby increasing the recovery of oil therefrom.
It should be understood that excitation of the oil-containing formation can be accomplished by coupling the seismic energy source to the fluid medium contained within the inJection well or production well. It should also be understood that the well to which the seismic energy is coupled can be either cased or open hole and the seismio energy source can be located either at the sur~ace or downhole positioned at different locations relative to the depth of the oil-containing formation to be excitedO
~e~
An oil-saturated core sandstone sample drilled from a reservoir in the Healdton Area Field in Oklahoma was mounted in an oscillator apparatus. The sample was vibrated at an amplitude of 100A. and a ~requency of lOO H~o During vibration, carbon dioxide was injected into the core sample under a confining pressure of 500 psi and flow was produced by a dif~erential pressurz o~ 350 psi across the ends of the sample. Figure 2 shows the influence of low amplitude seismic frequency vibratlon in this apparatus on carbon dioxide flow through the sample with an oil saturation (SO) equal to û.8. The results F-1~38 ~4~
show that seismic vibration enhances carbon dioxide flow throuyh the oil-saturated sample which was as high as 0.18 cc/hr. during a 19 hour test period. However, when the sample was clamped and unexcited, there was no flow during the next 24 hours. When excitation was resumed, carbon dioxide flow commenced again at a rate comparable with that of the initial cycle.
The results of the above experiment illustrate that carbon dioxide miscible flooding of oil reservoirs can be enhanced by low amplitude seismic excitation of the reservoir~
While the invention has been described in terms of a single injection well and a single spaced-apart production well9 the method according to the invention may be practical using a variety of well patterns. Any other number of wells~ which may be arranged according to any pattern, may be applied in using the present ~ethod as illustrated in U.S. Patent No~ 3,927,716 (Burdyn et al).
The present invention relates to the use o~ low amplitude vibrations in the seismic frequency range for enhancing the recovery of oil ~rom subterranean, viscous oil-containing ~ormations employing a gaseous driving fluid such as carbon dioxide to drive the oil ~rom the formation.
Sonic energy has been used for increasing the recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation employing a fluid drive, such as water ~looding or a gas drive, as shown in U. S. No. 2,670,801 (Shsrborne).
The Snerborne process discloses the use of sonic or supersonic vibrations impressed upon an oil-bearing formation prior to and~or during a liquid flooding or gas driving recovery process to enhance the efficiency.
U.S. No. 2,700,422 ~Bodine~ discloses the use of sonic vibrations in the frequency range of 10 to 30 Cp5 for enhancing the recovery o~ oil ~rom oil~containlng formations in con~unctinn with a l~quid driving ~luid ~or sweeping oil ~rom the ~ormation~
U.S. No. 3,754,598 (Holloway, Jr.) discloses an enhanced ~looding ~luid process ~or the secondary recovery of oil ~rom oil-containing formations wherein during the recovery operation oscillating pressure waves are transMitted from the in~ection well thrcugh the formation having a preselected amplitude in the range o~
about 10 to 5,000 psi above the formation pressure and a ~requency in the range of about 0.001 to about 25 cycles per second.
In addition, other patents of interest are U.SO Patent No.
3,189,536 to Bodine; U. S. Patent ND. 3,520,362 to Galle; U. S. Patent No~ 3,527,300 to Phillips; U~S. Patent No. 3,952,800 to 80dine; and U.
S. Patent No. 4,060,128 to Wallacer The present invention resides in a method for the recovery uf viscous oil from a subterranean oil-bearing formation by injecting a gas, pre~erably carbon dioxide, into the ~ormation via an injection well to drive the oil through the formation and recover the oil .. ~
therefrom via a spaced apart production well wherein the oil-containing formation is subjected to vibrations in the seismic frequency range having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units during the carbon dioxide driving operation to enhance its efficiPncy. The frequency of the vibrations is ~Nithin the range of 0.1 to 500 Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz. The seismic frequency excitation of the formation is produced by generating seismic energy by means of a seismic source driven by air, gas, electric, or steam power coupled to the earth's surface or the fluid medium in one of the wellbores. The low amplitude seismic ~requency excitation enhances the flow of carbon dioxide through the oil-containing formation and increases the e~ficiency of oil recovery thereFrom.
In the accompanying drawings 9 Figure 1 shows an oil containing formation, an injection well, and seismic energy source coupled to the earth's surface and a production well.
Figure 2 is a graph showing the rate of flow of C02 through an oil-saturated core sample versus time for tests conducted under seismic frequency excitation and under a clamped or cradled state.
Referring to Figure 1, an injection well 10 and a production well 12 extend from the earth's sur~ace 14 through a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation 16. Both the injection well 10 and the production w211 12 are provided with perforations or other fluid communication means to establish fluid communication with the full vertical thickness of the formation 16. A seismic energy source 18 such as a vibrator or transducer driven by suitable power such as air, electrical, or steam power (not shown) is coupled to the earth's surface 14 by means of pier 20.
With the seismic energy source 18 in position, power is supplied to the source and seismic energy is generated to produce seismic vibrations 22 having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units toA) which excite the oil-containing formation 16. The frequency o~ the vibrations is within the range of 0.1 to 5ûO Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz.
During excitation o~ the formation 16 by the low amplitude seismic vibrations 2~, a gaseous driving Fluid, preferably carbon dioxide, is injected into the formation via injection well 10 so as to drive the oil through the formation and recover the oil from the formation via production well 12. Injection of the carbon dioxide and generation of the seismic energy couoled to the earth's surface is continued until there is a breakthrough of carbon dioxide at production well 12. ûnce carbon ~ioxide is being produced in well 129 production oF the oil and generation of the seismic energy is terminated.
Although the preferred gaseous driving fluid is carbon dioxide~ other gases may be used such as air, nitrogen, natural gas~ and mixtures thereof.
The low amplitude seismic eneryy excitation of the oil-containing formation enhances the flow of carbon dioxide through the formation thereby increasing the recovery of oil therefrom.
It should be understood that excitation of the oil-containing formation can be accomplished by coupling the seismic energy source to the fluid medium contained within the inJection well or production well. It should also be understood that the well to which the seismic energy is coupled can be either cased or open hole and the seismio energy source can be located either at the sur~ace or downhole positioned at different locations relative to the depth of the oil-containing formation to be excitedO
~e~
An oil-saturated core sandstone sample drilled from a reservoir in the Healdton Area Field in Oklahoma was mounted in an oscillator apparatus. The sample was vibrated at an amplitude of 100A. and a ~requency of lOO H~o During vibration, carbon dioxide was injected into the core sample under a confining pressure of 500 psi and flow was produced by a dif~erential pressurz o~ 350 psi across the ends of the sample. Figure 2 shows the influence of low amplitude seismic frequency vibratlon in this apparatus on carbon dioxide flow through the sample with an oil saturation (SO) equal to û.8. The results F-1~38 ~4~
show that seismic vibration enhances carbon dioxide flow throuyh the oil-saturated sample which was as high as 0.18 cc/hr. during a 19 hour test period. However, when the sample was clamped and unexcited, there was no flow during the next 24 hours. When excitation was resumed, carbon dioxide flow commenced again at a rate comparable with that of the initial cycle.
The results of the above experiment illustrate that carbon dioxide miscible flooding of oil reservoirs can be enhanced by low amplitude seismic excitation of the reservoir~
While the invention has been described in terms of a single injection well and a single spaced-apart production well9 the method according to the invention may be practical using a variety of well patterns. Any other number of wells~ which may be arranged according to any pattern, may be applied in using the present ~ethod as illustrated in U.S. Patent No~ 3,927,716 (Burdyn et al).
Claims (10)
1. A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well, both of said injection and production wells being in fluid communication with a substantial portion of the formation, comprising:
(a) generating seismic energy and coupling said seismic energy to the earth's surface so as to produce seismic vibrations which have an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units and which are transmitted through the oil-containing formation;
(b) simultaneously injecting a gaseous driving fluid into the formation via said injection well; and (c) recovering fluids including oil from the formation via the production well.
(a) generating seismic energy and coupling said seismic energy to the earth's surface so as to produce seismic vibrations which have an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units and which are transmitted through the oil-containing formation;
(b) simultaneously injecting a gaseous driving fluid into the formation via said injection well; and (c) recovering fluids including oil from the formation via the production well.
2. A method as recited in Claim 1 wherein the frequency of the vibrations transmitted through the formation is within the range of 0.1 to 500 Hz.
3. A method as recited in Claim 1 wherein the frequency of the vibrations transmitted through the formation is 1 to 100 Hz.
4. A method as recited in Claim 1 wherein production of fluids from the formation is continued until gaseous fluid production occurs at the production well.
5. A method as recited in Claim 1 wherein the generated seismic energy is coupled to the fluid in the injection well at the head of said well.
6. A method as recited in Claim 1 wherein the generated seismic energy is coupled to the fluid in the injection well at a location within the thickness of the oil-containing formation.
7. A method as recited Claim 1 wherein the generated seismic energy is coupled to the fluid in the production well at the head of said well.
8. A method recited in Claim 1 wherein the generated seismic energy is coupled to the fluid in the production well at a location within the thickness of the oil-containing formation.
9. The method recited in Claim 1 wherein said gaseous driving fluid comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, natural gas, and mixtures thereof.
10. The method recited in Claim 1, wherein said gaseous driving fluid comprises carbon dioxide.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000419247A CA1196269A (en) | 1983-01-11 | 1983-01-11 | Method of recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-containing formation |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000419247A CA1196269A (en) | 1983-01-11 | 1983-01-11 | Method of recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-containing formation |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1196269A true CA1196269A (en) | 1985-11-05 |
Family
ID=4124314
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000419247A Expired CA1196269A (en) | 1983-01-11 | 1983-01-11 | Method of recovering oil from a subterranean viscous oil-containing formation |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1196269A (en) |
-
1983
- 1983-01-11 CA CA000419247A patent/CA1196269A/en not_active Expired
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