US3472318A - Hydrocarbon production by secondary recovery - Google Patents

Hydrocarbon production by secondary recovery Download PDF

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Publication number
US3472318A
US3472318A US649924A US3472318DA US3472318A US 3472318 A US3472318 A US 3472318A US 649924 A US649924 A US 649924A US 3472318D A US3472318D A US 3472318DA US 3472318 A US3472318 A US 3472318A
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Prior art keywords
well
production
wells
pattern
hydrocarbons
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US649924A
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English (en)
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Charles D Woodward
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Texaco Inc
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Texaco Inc
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
    • E21B43/24—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons using heat, e.g. steam injection
    • E21B43/243—Combustion in situ
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/30—Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells

Definitions

  • Production at the other wells of the original pattern unit may be contained till breakthrough and then/or used as produced water disposal wells to prevent reinvasion, and the original injection well is converted to a water disposal well also, thus maintaining a pressure gradient in the original pattern unit.
  • This invention relates generally to the production of hydrocarbons from underground hydrocarbon-bearing formations, and more particularly, to a method for increasing the overall production of hydrocarbons therefrom.
  • secondary recovery programs are now an essention part of the overall planning for virtually every oil and gas-condensate reservoir in underground hydrocarbon-bearing formations.
  • this involves injecting an extraneous fluid, such as water or gas into the reservoir zone to drive the oil or gas toward production wells by the process frequently referred to as flooding.
  • Another secondary recovery procedure employed for recovering the remaining hydrocarbons comprises the igniting and burning of hydrocarbons in situ within the permeable underground formations, whereby hot gases are generated to force hydrocarbons in the formation toward the production wells. While such in situ combustion has been quite successful in secondary recovery operations, it has been much less than one hundred percent efficient because the combustion front tends to progress through the formations along locally channeled paths from the area of injection to the production area, thus bypassing substantial volumes of the hydrocarbons in the formation, rather than sweeping the hydrocarbons as a bank from a broad area of the formation.
  • An inverted five-spot pattern initiates the in situ combustion operation and proceeds until breakthrough occurs at one of the production wells.
  • this production well is converted to an air injection well, the original air injection well is converted to a water injection well for receiving the produced water, and the remaining pattern wells are put on a standby basis, either being shut in completely or used for produced water disposal, while production is initiated at a well adjacent the recently converted production to air injection well.
  • FIG. 1 discloses four units of a five-spot pattern well arrangement, the third quadrant unit operating as an inverted five-spot pattern;
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 disclose the well arrangement of FIG. 1 during a later phase of the in situ combustion operation, illustrating the change from a well pattern drive to a single well drive;
  • FIG. 4 shows a further change to a single well meandering operation
  • FIGS. 5, 5a and 6 disclose also four units of a fivespot pattern well arrangement showing the manner in which the direction of a pattern drive can be controlled by means of the conversion of production wells to injection wells;
  • FIG. 7 is a grouping of symbols used. throughout the drawing.
  • FIG. 1 discloses four units of a five-spot pattern well arrangement, wherein the third quadrant unit is operating as an inverted five-spot pattern, the figure depicting in dotted outlines an ideal burnt out area for the inverted five-spot pattern, while the cross hatching indicates the actual burnt out area at breakthrough at one of the interior wells of the pattern.
  • the corner wells of each pattern unit are production wells while the central well is used for injection.
  • the same symbols will be maintained as follows: the open circle to indicate a well site, a solid circle to indicate a production well, a crossed circle to indicate a shut in well, a single head arrowed circle to indicate a water injection well, and a double head.
  • arrowed circle to indicate an air injection Well.
  • FIG. 2 discloses the conversion of the pattern pilot of FIG. 1 into a single well drive, wherein the production Well at breakthrough in FIG. 1 now has been converted into an air injection well, the former air injection well is now a water injection well to receive the water produced from the underground formation, and an interior well of the five-spot pattern adjacent the production well on breakthrough in FIG. 1 has been put on production.
  • This well has been selected for production assuming that the drive is toward the northeast, but any of the other well sites could be chosen to direct the pattern flood in that direction, as will be developed further.
  • FIG. 3 discloses a later state of the production drive patterns of FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the single well drive is meandering toward the northeast to the corner well indicated as No. 1, the production well at breakthrough in FIG. 2 having been converted to an air injection well, the former air injection well to a water injection well, while the water injection well of FIG. 2 is indicated as remaining so, although it could be closed in as are the corner wells of the original pattern.
  • production can be initiated at either wells Nos. 2 and 3 or at any other of the adjacent well sites, depending on the direction of choice.
  • the production well at breakthrough at No. 1 is converted to a water injection well to prevent reinvasion while the previously functioning air injection well of FIG. 3 remains so and the two water injection wells maintain their same function. If production at well No. 2 has been chosen, then the additional sweepout area indicated by the different angled cross hatching would result.
  • these wells could be converted to air injection wells in the manner disclosed basically in FIG. 2 and a drive commenced towards the newly selected production well, e.g.
  • the sweepout of the fourth quadrant pattern can be completed.
  • the pattern of FIG. 3 can be applied along parallel diagonals of a five'spot pattern production field.
  • FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the former production wells of FIG. 1 are shown as shut in, they are classified as stand-by for either water injection, if necessary to control the pattern as will be discussed below, or they could be maintained on production until breakthrough occurs thereat and converted to water injection wells to prevent reinvasion of the pattern from adjacent areas not yet swept out.
  • An air injection well was drilled between two existing wells, one a former producer and another a former water injection well. Service installations were made, these latter two wells were equipped as principal producers, and air receptivity was established at the air injection well. Ignition of the in place crude was accomplished with spontaneous ignition chemicals. During the life of the experiment, lease oil production more than doubled in the four months after ignition and at the termination of the project, the former producer well was pumping and flowing under normal operating conditions at a rate better than fifteen times the settled production rate prior to ignition. Combustion gas showed up at most of the wells on the leases sometime during the project, with the closest production wells being affected to a greater degree. Five months after ignition, a test well was drilled behind the reaction zone, showing the entire vertical section as burned substantially clean, the rate of advance of the reaction zone being in excess of 0.5 ft./day.
  • FIGS. 5, 5a and 6, there is shown how the disclosed invention can be used to control the direction of the drive considering different permeabilities of the reservoir.
  • a pattern pilot has broken through at one of the production wells on the outside edge of a four unit, five-spot pattern in a direction opposite to that desired, e.g. toward the northeast quadrant.
  • the production well suffering breakthrough is now converted into a water injection well to continue the drive toward the other production wells of the pattern unit, until breakthrough is achieved in the desired direction. If breakthrough occurs at one of the boundary pattern production wells, then it too can be converted from a production well to a water injection well, as indicated in FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 6 there is disclosed how the sweepout pattern of FIG.
  • FIG. 5 has been controlled by changing the drive direction toward the northeast quadrant.
  • the breakthrough well in production in FIG. 5 has been converted into a water injection well to prevent reinvasion from adjoining patterns and force the sweepout pattern in the opposite direction, with breakthrough occurring at an inside boundary production well.
  • the function of this well is changed to an air injection well, the former air injection well in the center of the first five-spot pattern being exploited being converted into a water injection well, and production beginning at one of the Wells adjacent the pattern in the direction desired.
  • This pattern of FIG. 6 corresponds to that in FIG. 2 but differs therefrom by the conversion of the corner production wells of the pattern to a water injection well upon respective breakthroughs.
  • FIG. 7 is self explanatory and indicates the various symbols used in the preceding figures of the drawing.
  • a method of producing hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon-bearing formation involving an injection well and a pair of wells immediately adjacent thereto and to each other and in line therewith and penetrating into said formation, at least one of said pair of wells being a production well which comprises introducing a combustion-supporting fluid into said formation via said injection well and initiating in situ combustion thereat, producing fluids including hydrocarbons from said formation via the well closer to said injection well and maintaining producing fluids therefrom until the front of said in situ combustion arrives thereat, thereupon, ceasing producing fluids therefrom and commencing introducing said combustion-supporting fluid thereinto and ceasing introducing said combustion-supporting fluid into said formation via said injection well and beginning the introducing of water into said formation via said aforementioned injection well while producing fluids including hydrocarbons via the other of said pair of wells until breakthrough of said front thereat.
  • a method of producing hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon-bearing formation involving a centrally located injection well surrounded by production wells located at the vertices of a quadrilateral and penetrating into said formation which comprises introducing a driving fluid into said formation via said injection well, producing fluids including hydrocarbons from said formation via the production wells defining said quadrilateral until breakthrough of said driving fluid occurs at one of said production wells, thereupon ceasing introducing said driving fluid into said formation via said injection well and producing fluids including hydrocarbons from said production well where said breakthrough of said driving fluid has occurred and converting said last mentioned production well into an injection well for said driving fluid, and initiating the producing of fluids including hydrocarbons from a well adjacent said injection well converted from said production well where said breakthrough of said injection fluid has occurred.
  • a process for recovering hydrocarbons by in situ combustion from a gas pervious underground hydrocan hon-bearing formation by exploitation through a well pattern penetrating thereinto wherein a central well is located within a ring of a plurality of diametrically positioned wells comprising:
  • step (d) injecting a pressurized fluid into said central well to maintain a pressure gradient outwardly from the zone burned out by in situ combustion whereby the air injection of step (c) is restricted to the hydrocarbon-bearing formation outside of said zone.
  • said well pattern is a five-spot well pattern located within a much larger pattern of wells in a producing field, and wherein said steps are applied to a series of adjoining wells arranged in a series of such well patterns within said larger pattern.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
US649924A 1967-06-29 1967-06-29 Hydrocarbon production by secondary recovery Expired - Lifetime US3472318A (en)

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US64992467A 1967-06-29 1967-06-29

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DE (1) DE1758570B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES355490A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1226009A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3905422A (en) * 1974-09-23 1975-09-16 Texaco Inc Method for recovering viscous petroleum
US4031956A (en) * 1976-02-12 1977-06-28 In Situ Technology, Inc. Method of recovering energy from subsurface petroleum reservoirs
US4120357A (en) * 1977-10-11 1978-10-17 Chevron Research Company Method and apparatus for recovering viscous petroleum from thick tar sand
US4166503A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-09-04 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4166501A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-09-04 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4177752A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-12-11 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4194562A (en) * 1978-12-21 1980-03-25 Texaco Inc. Method for preconditioning a subterranean oil-bearing formation prior to in-situ combustion
US4993490A (en) * 1988-10-11 1991-02-19 Exxon Production Research Company Overburn process for recovery of heavy bitumens
WO2012028910A1 (es) * 2010-08-31 2012-03-08 Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. Sistema sincronizado de producción de crudo por combustión in-situ
CN111350485A (zh) * 2018-12-20 2020-06-30 中国石油天然气股份有限公司 井网调整方法及装置

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2798556A (en) * 1953-06-08 1957-07-09 Exxon Research Engineering Co Secondary recovery process
US2841375A (en) * 1954-03-03 1958-07-01 Svenska Skifferolje Ab Method for in-situ utilization of fuels by combustion
US3113617A (en) * 1960-09-21 1963-12-10 Monsanto Chemicals Secondary recovery technique
US3143169A (en) * 1959-08-20 1964-08-04 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Secondary recovery method for petroleum by fluid displacement
US3150715A (en) * 1959-09-30 1964-09-29 Shell Oil Co Oil recovery by in situ combustion with water injection
US3153448A (en) * 1959-09-17 1964-10-20 Continental Oil Co Combination in situ combustion-aqueous medium drive oil recovery method
US3253652A (en) * 1963-06-24 1966-05-31 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Recovery method for petroleum oil
US3256934A (en) * 1963-03-21 1966-06-21 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Petroleum secondary recovery method for oil-bearing reservoirs exhibiting uniform anisotropic permeability
US3270809A (en) * 1963-09-11 1966-09-06 Mobil Oil Corp Miscible displacement procedure using a water bank

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3109487A (en) * 1959-12-29 1963-11-05 Texaco Inc Petroleum production by secondary recovery
US3208519A (en) * 1961-07-17 1965-09-28 Exxon Production Research Co Combined in situ combustion-water injection oil recovery process
US3113618A (en) * 1962-09-26 1963-12-10 Monsanto Chemicals Secondary recovery technique
US3232345A (en) * 1964-07-17 1966-02-01 Phillips Petroleum Co Thermal recovery of heavy crude oil

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2798556A (en) * 1953-06-08 1957-07-09 Exxon Research Engineering Co Secondary recovery process
US2841375A (en) * 1954-03-03 1958-07-01 Svenska Skifferolje Ab Method for in-situ utilization of fuels by combustion
US3143169A (en) * 1959-08-20 1964-08-04 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Secondary recovery method for petroleum by fluid displacement
US3153448A (en) * 1959-09-17 1964-10-20 Continental Oil Co Combination in situ combustion-aqueous medium drive oil recovery method
US3150715A (en) * 1959-09-30 1964-09-29 Shell Oil Co Oil recovery by in situ combustion with water injection
US3113617A (en) * 1960-09-21 1963-12-10 Monsanto Chemicals Secondary recovery technique
US3256934A (en) * 1963-03-21 1966-06-21 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Petroleum secondary recovery method for oil-bearing reservoirs exhibiting uniform anisotropic permeability
US3253652A (en) * 1963-06-24 1966-05-31 Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc Recovery method for petroleum oil
US3270809A (en) * 1963-09-11 1966-09-06 Mobil Oil Corp Miscible displacement procedure using a water bank

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3905422A (en) * 1974-09-23 1975-09-16 Texaco Inc Method for recovering viscous petroleum
US4031956A (en) * 1976-02-12 1977-06-28 In Situ Technology, Inc. Method of recovering energy from subsurface petroleum reservoirs
US4120357A (en) * 1977-10-11 1978-10-17 Chevron Research Company Method and apparatus for recovering viscous petroleum from thick tar sand
US4166503A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-09-04 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4166501A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-09-04 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4177752A (en) * 1978-08-24 1979-12-11 Texaco Inc. High vertical conformance steam drive oil recovery method
US4194562A (en) * 1978-12-21 1980-03-25 Texaco Inc. Method for preconditioning a subterranean oil-bearing formation prior to in-situ combustion
US4993490A (en) * 1988-10-11 1991-02-19 Exxon Production Research Company Overburn process for recovery of heavy bitumens
WO2012028910A1 (es) * 2010-08-31 2012-03-08 Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. Sistema sincronizado de producción de crudo por combustión in-situ
CN111350485A (zh) * 2018-12-20 2020-06-30 中国石油天然气股份有限公司 井网调整方法及装置
CN111350485B (zh) * 2018-12-20 2022-05-10 中国石油天然气股份有限公司 井网调整方法及装置

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ES355490A1 (es) 1970-03-01
DE1758570B1 (de) 1971-07-15
GB1226009A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-24

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