KR20140109477A - Apparatus and method for oil sand exploitation - Google Patents

Abstract

Improved oil sand development is achieved by using a downhole device, the downhole device comprising a casing (130) for receiving a water conduit for receiving water through a water conduit, And one or more electric heaters that are thermally connected to the steam generating chamber, wherein the downcomer includes one or more crude conduits to recover crude oil that has been collected by the steam, (125).

Description

[0001] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OIL SAND EXPLOITATION [0002]

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for in situ mobilizing heavy oil or crude oil by steam injection.

An oil sand (also referred to as a tar sand) comprises tar-coated sand grains, such as petroleum crude, simply referred to as crude. Crude oil within the oil sands must be heated or diluted to flow with high viscosity. The in-situ development of oil sands can be achieved by "steam assisted gravity drainage" reduced to SAGD. SAGD uses a horizontal extended steam injection well to form a steam generating chamber for collecting crude oil in the oil sands. The pooled crude flows downward and is recovered by a second horizontal extension as a so-called production well as disclosed in US2001 / 0278001A1.

The steam can be produced by a downhole or above ground facilities by an electric heater proposed by U.S. Patent No. 4,805,698. Water is supplied from the ground by a water supply line. Electric steam generators heat water to generate steam. The steam is injected into the sand to gather the crude oil collected by the adjacent production lines.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve in-situ oil sand development.

The solutions to the problem are provided by a downhole device and method for the development of an oil sand storage as described by each independent claim. The dependent claims relate to further improvements of the present invention.

A downhole device for oil sand development comprises a casing for receiving a water conduit for receiving water via at least a water pipe and at least one steam in fluid communication with the water conduit and having at least one steam outlet, Generating chamber. The steam generating chamber is thermally connected to the electric heater. The downcomer further comprises at least one crude conduit for collecting the crude oil, the crude oil being collected by the steam. Such a downhole device allows steam to be pumped into the oil sands for collection of crude oil and recovery of crude oil by a single device, thus requiring only a single bore.

The casing is preferably capable of receiving one or more crude conduits. The casing may be, for example, or comprise a plurality of conduit tubes, wherein one or more water conduits and one or more crude conduits are each one or more of the plurality of conduits. This allows a stable design of the housing.

The at least one steam generating chamber is preferably supported by the peripheral surface of the casing. This position of the steam generating chamber allows a simple injection of the steam generated in the steam generating chamber into the oil sand.

There are preferably a plurality of, for example five or nine, two or more steam generating chambers arranged around the peripheral surface of the casing forming a bundle of vapor generating chambers. The downstream implement may have one or more bundles. In one embodiment, there is one bundle of steam generating chambers. In another embodiment, there are two or more bundles arranged at different locations along the terminal length of the casing. One or more bundles of steam generating chambers allow uniform infusion of steam and thus effective development of the oil sand. Because one or more bundles of steam generating chambers are arranged around the casing, one or more bundles may also be used to maintain or raise the temperature of the casing that assists in the removal of crude oil from the reservoir (through the crude conduit in the casing) .

Each vapor generating chamber preferably has a cladding compartment surrounding the heater tube. The heater trough can accommodate one or more electric heater cartridges. This, on the other hand, permits simple replacement of the electric heater cartridge in order to efficiently heat water and, on the other hand, in case of a failure. The heater tube preferably houses one or more spare electric heater cartridges. This allows longer operating intervals between shrinking the downhole device.

The heater tube may be hollow and may have an interior comprising a composition of inorganic compounds and preferably pure atomic species. Examples of such compositions are disclosed in patents US 6,132,823, US 6,911,231, US 6916,430, US 6811720 and application US 2005/0056807, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Such a composition acts as a thermally conductive material or medium to provide an at least nearly completely uniform distribution by the heater tubes of the heat provided by the heater cartridge. The heater tube may also be evacuated as suggested in the above references. In a preferred embodiment, the heater tube is evacuated and an amount of a solution of a liquid inorganic compound, e.g., one or more inorganic salts, is inserted into the tube. Subsequently, power is supplied to the electric heater. As a result, the liquid inorganic compound in the solution of the above-mentioned example is evaporated so that the at least one inorganic salt coats and holds the inner surface of the heater tube and the electric heater, and thermally connects the electric heater and the heater tube. Preferably, the heater tube is rotated or pivoted while the heating element powers the heating element to obtain an improved distribution of the solution in the heater tube and thereby obtain a more uniform coating. The amount of solution inserted into the heater tube is preferably significantly less than the volume of the tube and is, for example, less than 1/10 of the volume of the heater tube or advantageously 1/50 less. Preferred coating solutions are disclosed in the cited documents. The coating of the heater tube is preferably performed prior to attaching the heater tube to the downcomer.

The heater tube may extend over the steam generating chamber, for example, in the axial direction. Thereby, at least one portion of the heater tube extends into the bore from the vapor generating chamber. The heater tube thereby not only heats the water inside the steam generating chamber against the steam, but also reheats the cooled steam or water in the storage after its injection. This improves the effectiveness of development.

A method for the development of an oil sand storage includes the steps of creating steam in the steam generating chamber of the downhole apparatus and injecting the steam into the oil sand storage for collecting crude oil of the oil sand storage through the steam outlets do. At least a portion of the collected crude oil is recovered by the downcomer. This method reduces the minimum number of bores for in situ oil sand development compared to SAGD, thereby reducing costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.
1 shows a schematic view of an oil sand development system,
Figure 2 shows a part of the downhole device in perspective view,
3 shows a section of the steam generating chamber,
Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of an oil sand development system.

The oil sand development system 100 of FIG. 1 has a ground station 110 for receiving ground equipment for monitoring and controlling oil sand development, such as, for example, a control station 115. The terrestrial station 110 may also include a power source for providing power to, for example, an extraction well. The land station 110 may include a source of water, such as a reservoir, for providing water (e.g., fresh water) as an extraction well. Terrestrial station 110 is described as an onshore station, but may also be a swimming station for the development of oil sands covered with water.

The oil sand development system 100 includes an extraction well 120 having a downwardly inserted device into the bore 105. The downhole apparatus may include a plurality of conduit tubular members (not shown) for powering the downhole equipment, e.g., protector 165, as shown schematically in FIG. 1, for example, A casing 130, and / or a motor 153 for driving a well head and a well monitor device 140. The extraction well 120 includes a steam generator 200 that can be mounted on the peripheral surface of the casing 130. The steam generator 200 is described in more detail below with respect to Figures 2 and 3. The steam generator 200 is positioned about the casing 130 at the bottom or distal end of the casing 130, which in this embodiment is positioned in a preferably vertical first section of the extraction bore 105. The steam generator 200 injects steam into the oil sludge, preferably laterally, as shown in Fig. Steam collects crude oil in the oil sands.

The extraction wells 120 are configured to collect the oil, and in particular, the extraction wells can be configured to collect the crude oil collected in the oil sand. To this end, the casing 130 of the extraction chute 120 includes one or more oil inlets 135 along its length to allow the oil to penetrate the casing. Located within the casing 130 is one or more oil conduits 125. The oil conduit 125 extends from the bottom or end portion of the casing 130 to the ground station 110. The oil seeping into the casing 130 may be introduced into the oil conduit 1225 at the distal end of the conduit, for example, through the inlet of one of the oil inlets 135, and preferably at the bottom or distal end of the casing 130. [ And may be pumped to the surface by a centrifugal pump 180, for example, arranged in a portion of the production line 109. [ Before pumping crude oil to ground station 110, water may be separated from crude oil by separator 176. An electric cable clip 195, a venting valve 172, a single flow valve 185, a power cable 175, a rotation separator 176, a protector 165, a cable 165, A head 162, a motor 152, and a positive monitor device 140 are provided. There is a pair of water nozzles 145 and an additional oil inlet 135 between the two. The water splash chamber 145 is preferably in fluid communication with one or more of the steam generating means, such as the steam generating chamber 375 (see FIG. 3), to allow the steam to be injected into the oil sand for collecting the crude oil do.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a portion of the casing 130 including the steam generator 200 of the extraction well 120. The steam generator 200 includes a bundle of heating elements 300 (see FIG. 3). The heating members 300 are arranged around the peripheral surface of the casing 130. The casing 130 is a tubular casing 130 and includes a water conduit 250 (for water from the ground station 110 to the steam generator 200), oil (which is purged from the oil inlets 135 in the casing 130) ) Oil conduit 125 or a cable conduit (for heat cartridges that provide power to the compartment (e.g., centrifugal pump 180, motor 152) in the casing and associated with the steam generator 200) And has a plurality of compartments or conduits around the inner perimeter that can function.

The steam generator 200 includes a bundle of heating elements 300 (see FIG. 3). The heating element 300 is arranged around the peripheral surface of the casing 130 and is each connected to the casing 130 by, for example, one or more weld connections. If it is desired to have two or more bundles associated with the same tablets as the extraction tablets 120, the bundles may be stacked up and down along the casing 130. Referring to FIG. 3, each heating element 300 includes a heater tube 310 and a vapor generating chamber 375, respectively.

The front facing (upper) side of the heating tube 310 is closed by a conical cap 330 which can be welded to the heater tube 310. The rear opposite side of the heater tube 310 may be closed by an end cap 340, which may preferably be a watertight but releasable connection, for example a threaded connection. The heater tube 310, the conical cap 330 and the end cap 340 form a volume or chamber 335.

3, the chamber 335 of the heating element 300 is separated into a first portion and a second portion by a cap 360 of a thermally conductive material, such as a metal material (e.g., steel) . In one embodiment, an electric heater cartridge 350 with positive and negative terminals located at a single end (tip end as shown) is mounted on a first portion of the chamber 335 (adjacent to the cap 340) . The cap 360 can separate the chamber from the first end such that it is sufficient to allow the heater cartridge 350 to be disposed in the first portion of the chamber 335 but any additional volume Minimize it. The terminals 355 may extend into the end cap 340 when the heater cartridge 350 is disposed in the first portion of the chamber 335, as shown in FIG. The end cap 340 preferably includes a lateral opening 365, for example a threading opening for power connection to the terminals 355. The conductors are fed into the lateral openings 365 through the peripheral conduits of the casing 130. The current may be supplied to the conductor from the ground power source within the ground station 110.

Each vapor generating chamber 375 is formed by, for example, a cylindrical shell 320, a front wall 380 and a rear wall 370 connected by, for example, weld connections. The front wall 380 and the rear wall 370 each have an opening through which the heater tube 310 is disposed. The heater tube 310 extends axially through the steam generating chamber 375. The connection of the heater tube 310 and the front wall 380 and / or the rear wall 370 may be a weld connection.

The electric heater cartridge 350 is thermally connected to the heater tube 310 and electrically connected to the power line by, for example, a power cable 230. The power (e.g., current) is preferably controlled by the control station 115 and ducted through a lateral opening, such as the lateral opening 365, to the conduit. The gasket can be used to seal the cable feedthrough. Inside the heater, the tube 310 may be a thermally conductive material or the like, as described in U.S. Patent 6,132,823; 6,911,231; 6,916,430; 7,220,365 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0056807.

The rear wall 370 of the shell 320 includes an inlet 395 for a water source connected to the rear wall of the shell to provide water to the steam generating chamber 375. Water is provided from the source at ground station 110 to the vapor generating chamber 375 by a peripheral conduit of casing 130 in fluid communication with inlet 395. In order to heat the water with steam, power may be supplied to the electric heater cartridge 350. Thus, the heater cartridge 350 generates heat, which is transferred to the steam generating chamber 375 via the heater tube 310. The steam develops inside the steam generating chamber 375 and leaks into the oil sand through the steam outlet 390. A single flow pressure valve may be provided at the steam outlet 390. Whereby foreign substances such as granules and the like can be prevented from flowing into the steam generating chamber 375. [ In addition, the steam can be pressurized. As the heater tube 310 extends above the steam generating chamber, a portion of the heat provided by the electric heater cartridge 350 is also directly transferred into the oil sand. This heat is close to the extraction well 120 to reduce the condensation of the steam thereby allowing the steam to heat the larger area around the extraction well and thereby better concentrate the crude oil. The collected crude oil may be collected via oil inlets 135 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and separated from the water by rotary separator 176 and circulated by centrifugal pump 180 in schematic manner in FIG. 1 And may be pumped into the illustrated production line 109.

Typically, as described above with reference to Figure 1, one or more of the tube bundles 200 of the extraction wells 120 produce and discharge the vapors into the oil reservoir, which, in the case of oil sands, To allow extraction of crude oil through the casing 130 and the pumping conduit 125 and secondarily also to heat the casing 130. Preferably, the temperature of the steam produced in the steam generating chamber 375 is monitored and / or controlled by the controller 115. For example, the processing protocol delivered to control the computer 115 may include instructions for receiving temperature measurements from one or more temperature sensors. Based on these measurements, instructions are provided in a machine-readable form to be executed by the controller 115. [ The controller 115 executes commands to increase or decrease the power output to one or more of the heating rods 350 to achieve a target temperature in the range f (e.g., 250 占 폚 to 280 占 폚) do. It is understood that the controller 115 may increase the power to certain heating cartridges 350 while at the same time reducing the power to other heating cartridges 350. Controller 115 may alternatively or additionally control, i. E., Increase or decrease the flow of water provided to vapor generating chamber (s) 375, thereby controlling the vapor temperature. Still further, controller 115 may be coupled to pump 180 and other components within pumping conduit 125 to provide pump and / or other components based on program instructions to achieve the desired throughput from the well You can control elements.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of an oil sand development system. In this embodiment, the oil sand development system 400 includes a ground station 410 for receiving ground equipment such as, for example, a controller 415, a power source, and a water source. Similar to FIG. 1, the ground station 410 is described as a ground station, but may also be a swing station for the development of water-covered oil sands. The system 400 includes a bore 405 into which an extraction well 420 having a downward opening is inserted. In Figure 1, the extraction tablets were inserted vertically or approximately vertically with the full length of the wall. In FIG. 4, the extraction well 420 extends vertically through the bore 405 at the extraction definition ground surface, but laterally into the extraction well. Alternatively, the configuration and operation of the extraction wells 420 and system 400 is similar to the configuration and operation of the extraction wells 120 and system 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1-3. The downcomer comprises a casing 430 which is, for example, a multi-conduit casing constructed similar to the casing 130 in FIG. 1, and one or more bundles of steam generators 500 constructed similar to the steam generators 200 . Fig. 4 shows a single bundle disposed around and connected to the distal end portion of the casing 430. Fig. The water provided in each vapor generating chamber of the steam generator 500 is converted into steam and heat conductive material as described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3 by the heat provided to the chamber by the heater tube comprising the heater cartridge . The steam is distributed from the steam outlets 490 of the steam generating chamber into the oil sand reservoir to collect the oil within the oil sand. The collected oil seeps through the oil inlets 435 into the casing 430 and is pumped to a positive surface.

100 system
105 bore
108 well head
109 production lines
111 valve
110 ground level station
115 control station
120 Extracts
125 Oil conduit
130 extraction tube
135 Oil inlet
140 positive monitor device
150 motor
162 cable head
165 Protector
170 Rotary Separator
172 Venting valve
175 Power cable
176 Rotary Separator
180 Centrifugal pumps
185 single flow valve
190 Venting valve
195 Electrical cable clip
200 tube bundle / steam generator
230 Electrical cable
250 water conduit
300 heating element
310 heater tube
320 Shell
330 conical cap
335 chamber
340 end cap
350 Electric heater cartridges
End cap of 360 heater cartridge
365 side opening
370 Rear wall (downward)
375 Steam generating chamber
380 front wall (upward)
390 steam outlet
395 water inlet
400 system
405 bore
410 Ground station
415 controller
420 extract
430 casing
435 Oil inlets
490 steam outlets
500 steam generator

Claims (10)

A casing 130 for receiving a water conduit 250 for receiving water through a water tube,
- at least one steam generating chamber (375) in fluid communication with said water conduit (250) and having at least one steam outlet (390)
- one or more electric heaters (350), which are thermally connected to the steam generating chamber (375)
A downhole device for oil sand development, the downhole device comprising:
Characterized in that the downcomer further comprises at least one crude conduit (135) for collecting crude oil, which is collected by the steam.
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
The method according to claim 1,
Characterized in that the casing (130) contains one or more crude conduits (135)
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Characterized in that the casing (130) is a plurality of conduit tubes, wherein the at least one water conduit (250) and the at least one crude conduit (125) are each one of a plurality of conduits,
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Characterized in that the at least one steam generating chamber (375) is supported by a peripheral surface of the casing (130)
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Characterized in that two or more steam generating chambers (375) are arranged in bundles arranged around the peripheral surface of the casing (130)
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The steam generating chamber 130 has a cladding partition surrounding the heater tube 310,
Characterized in that the heater tube (310) receives one or more electric heating cartridges (350)
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
The method according to claim 6,
Characterized in that the heater tube (310) is hollow and has an inner surface, the inner surface being coated with inorganic salts.
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
8. The method of claim 7,
Characterized in that the heater tube (310) is evacuated.
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
Characterized in that the heater tube (310) extends axially above the steam generating chamber (375)
Downhole equipment for oil sands development.
- generating steam in the steam generating chamber (375) of the downcomer,
- injecting the steam through the steam outlets (390) into the oil sand storage to assemble the crude oil in the oil sand storage,
The method comprising the steps of:
Characterized in that at least a portion of the gathered crude oils are recovered by the downcomer.
A method of developing an oil sand reservoir.

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