WO2017100354A1 - Production accrue d'hydrocarbures par stimulation thermique et radiale - Google Patents

Production accrue d'hydrocarbures par stimulation thermique et radiale Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017100354A1
WO2017100354A1 PCT/US2016/065435 US2016065435W WO2017100354A1 WO 2017100354 A1 WO2017100354 A1 WO 2017100354A1 US 2016065435 W US2016065435 W US 2016065435W WO 2017100354 A1 WO2017100354 A1 WO 2017100354A1
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Prior art keywords
reservoir
wellbore
steam
oil
radial
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PCT/US2016/065435
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert L. Morse
James M. Savage
Original Assignee
Morse Robert L
Savage James M
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Publication date
Application filed by Morse Robert L, Savage James M filed Critical Morse Robert L
Priority to US16/068,524 priority Critical patent/US20190017358A1/en
Priority to CA3044960A priority patent/CA3044960A1/fr
Publication of WO2017100354A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017100354A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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
    • E21B43/2401—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons using heat, e.g. steam injection by means of electricity
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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 DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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
    • E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
    • E21B7/14—Drilling by use of heat, e.g. flame drilling
    • E21B7/15—Drilling by use of heat, e.g. flame drilling of electrically generated heat
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
    • E21B7/18—Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets

Definitions

  • the present disclosure generally relates to radial drilling into subterranean oil and heavy oil reservoirs. More specifically, this disclosure discusses the innovative application of certain thermal (heat, hot water or steam) stimulations used in conjunction with radial drilling to stimulate oil recovery.
  • Natural resources such as oil can be recovered by drilling a well into subterranean formations. After the well is drilled, typically the tool string is pulled out of the wellbore and casing is placed downhole. Slurries such as hydraulic cement compositions are commonly employed in completing such wells. That is, cement is pumped into the annular space between the exterior of the well casing and the walls of the wellbore. As the cement sets, it forms a substantially impermeable barrier or sheath that limits the unwanted migration of fluids between zones or formations.
  • radial drilling procedures In radial drilling procedures, specialized tools are swept around the tight radius of a whipstock and are used to form one or more boreholes or tunnels radiating outward from the wellbore. Radial drilling is distinct from more-common coiled tubing drilling and conventional horizontal drilling in critical ways. For example, in conventional coil tubing and horizontal drilling procedures, the drilling tools are swept around a radius or "heel" that is hundreds or even thousands of feet in size. That is, in these procedures virtually all of the change in direction takes place outside of the original wellbore. By contrast, in radial drilling, the primary change of direction occurs within the tight radius of the whipstock itself.
  • any long or large-diameter rigid tools such as a mud motor, never moves into the radial that is being formed.
  • a full 90 degree arc or "heel" is completed within the wellbore.
  • a diameter of between about 41 ⁇ 2" to 7" this equates to a heel of about 3 inches or 0.25 feet.
  • coiled tubing drilling and conventional horizontal drilling which require on the order of 250 feet to over 2,500 feet, respectively, for a full 90 degree heel.
  • conventional horizontal drilling operates at a scale that is 3 to 4 orders of magnitude larger than radial drilling.
  • Radial drilling procedures can be used on open-hole completed or cased hole wells. If no opening is present in a cased well, access to the formation is sometimes gained by milling out a section of the well casing. More commonly, however, a specialized tool string is moved down the wellbore and is used to drill a small, round hole (about 3 ⁇ 4" to 13 ⁇ 4" in diameter) in the well casing. While such methods are familiar to practitioners of the radial drilling art, it is worth noting that these methods contrasts with conventional coiled tubing drilling, wherein one essentially uses a side-milling tool to form an extended slot in the well casing.
  • formation-drilling tools are then directed to the target formation by the whipstock.
  • the formation forming tools are manipulated by some form of control-line, such as wireline unit, a coil tubing unit (CTU) or jointed-tubing.
  • CTU coil tubing unit
  • the radial boreholes themselves may be formed by one of several methods. For example, some methods utilize high pressure jetting nozzles despite the fact that these systems have proven ineffective in drilling hard rock formations and suffer from ambiguity as to where and how far any radials have been drilled. Other more-reliably methods utilize a form of mechanical drilling system; while yet others have proposed using lasers to vaporize the rock, high temperature flames to spall the rock or percussive drilling techniques.
  • Perforations typically reach about 1 to 2 feet into the reservoir, essentially, within the "near wellbore area”.
  • Conventional horizontal drilling techniques reach 100s or even many 1000s of feet, essentially, to or beyond the "extended well area”.
  • radial drilling entails forming boreholes extending outward from about 5 feet to about 100 feet from the wellbore, basically to the area best described as "well vicinity”. Given the large differences in scales between horizontal and radial drilling and the limitations imposed by the whipstock, it should not be a surprise that the tools used in radial drilling have great difficulty reaching beyond the well vicinity.
  • a number of methods have been developed to address the problem of poor thermal efficiency and to extend the economic depths to which thermal stimulations can be applied. Many of these systems rely upon electricity to power a heat source placed either at the individual wellsite or even downhole in the main wellbore. Such systems include: 1) resistive heating elements; 2) electrical resistance heating (“ERH”) processes; and 3) electromagnetic or radio frequency (“RF”) elements. Other approaches entail combining a fuel and oxidant (e.g. oxygen) in a combustion process or catalytic process to produce heat; and, then introduce water to generate hot water or steam.
  • oxidant e.g. oxygen
  • a further problem with certain current thermal stimulations stems from the inability to place high absolute quantities of hot water or steam in the reservoir. This phenomenon especially affects wells that have only been perforated. Basically, in these wells the limited contact area of the perforations acts as choke on the quantity or rate at which steam can be emplaced into the reservoir. Indeed, many reservoirs might warrant say a 5mm BTU/hour steam solution on a well, but perhaps only 1mm BTU/hour can be emplaced through the given "injection" well. Moreover, this same “choke” concept also applies oil recovery from the production wells in the reservoir.
  • a wellbore or reservoir might warrant a larger thermal source than is currently used, but it is pointless to make the expenditure for such an upgrade if one cannot extract sufficiently higher incremental volumes on the production well(s) to recoup the incremental investment.
  • SAGD steam assisted gravity drainage
  • This disclosure provides a means to address the various shortcomings that affect current industry practices related to thermal stimulations and recovery from conventional oil and heavy oil reservoirs.
  • this disclosure utilizes radials to more efficiently emplace thermal stimulations directly into the reservoir (i.e. via radial injection radials).
  • radials to more efficiently emplace thermal stimulations directly into the reservoir (i.e. via radial injection radials).
  • it also provides for radial production wells that more efficiently recover oil from the thermally stimulated reservoirs. While geared toward vertical wells, this disclosure also has applicability to horizontal wells.
  • these radials negates the choke created by the limited contact area of the perforations. That is, one dramatically improves the conductivity (and hence flow potential) between the wellbore and the payzone.
  • these radials can be used to not only to improve the emplacement of thermal stimulations into the reservoir, but also to increase production from the reservoir.
  • Another feature of this invention is to generate steam (vapor) that: more readily permeates into the reservoir rock; dissolves or returns waxes to solution; dries or shrinks clays; and, partially re-pressurizes the reservoir.
  • Certain embodiments of this disclosure allow one to generate high quantities of steam near or in the wellhead (e.g. "at surface”) and to efficiently emplace pressurized hot water or steam into the reservoir.
  • Other embodiments feature the ability to generate the heat, hot water or steam downhole in the main wellbore and to efficiently place it into the reservoir, while yet other embodiments actually generate the heat, hot water or steam in the radials themselves.
  • all embodiments of this disclosure involve either: 1) the emplacement of the thermal stimulation into the reservoir through radials; 2) the production of oil from radials in a thermally-stimulated reservoir; or 3) both the emplacement of the thermal stimulation into the reservoir via radials and the production of oil from radials in the reservoir.
  • the radials used to emplace the thermal stimulation may be the same as those used to produce the oil, such as in a cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) procedure; or, altogether different radials may be used to recover the oil, such as might be employed on a continuous stimulation basis involving multiple wells.
  • Embodiments of this disclosure feature thermal stimulations (heat, hot water or steam) that are produced by an electrical power source using either: resistive heating elements or “heating cables”; by radio frequency (RF) heating systems; or by a series of resistive heating elements (RHE) defined by electrode arrays.
  • RF radio frequency
  • RHE resistive heating elements
  • Yet other embodiments define a combustion process, while yet others entail a catalytic process wherein a fuel is oxidized with the assistance of a catalytic bed. Regardless of the exact heat source, water can be introduced to generate hot water or steam.
  • Fig. la illustrates a wellbore in a heavy oil reservoir where one radial has been already formed and a second is being created by a flexible mechanical drill-string, which, in this case is powered by a mud motor.
  • Fig. lb illustrates a wellbore with an electrically-powered steam generator position near the wellhead that is being used to emplace steam into a reservoir via radial s.
  • Fig 2 illustrates a wellbore in which a catalytic heater has been positioned downhole and is being used to heat water that is being emplaced deep into the reservoir via radials.
  • FIG 3 illustrates a downhole steam generator that employs a combustion system fed by supply lines running to the surface. Large quantities of high quality steam are being emplaced in the reservoir with minimal pressure loss due to the large contact area provided by the radials.
  • Fig. 3b, 3c and 3d illustrates cross-sectional examples of the supply lines for the fuel, oxygen and water used to power various downhole hot water or steam generators.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a wellbore where two radials have been drilled for continuous injection of steam into an oil zone. Water is being pumped downhole across heating cables in order to generate steam. The steam enters the reservoir via the radials, driving oil to an adjacent production well (not shown).
  • Fig 5a illustrates a reservoir in which radials have been emplaced from a wellbore and is being used in a cyclic steam simulation procedure incorporating an ESP and unique valve system that alternately allows the flow of water downhole, the shutting in of the well or the production from the reservoir.
  • Fig 5b illustrates the wellbore of Fig 5a during the production phase, wherein the valve for reservoir inflow has been opened and an ESP is pumping oil to the surface.
  • Fig 6a illustrates a wellbore in which two radials have been formed into a reservoir containing medium API oil.
  • a special guide device is being lowered on production tubing toward a landing nipple that is sitting upon an anchor that was previously left in the well from when the radials were formed.
  • Fig 6b illustrates the wellbore of Fig 6a wherein a conductor line is attached to an ESP and flexible heating cables. The conductor line, ESP and heating cables are being lowered toward the special guide device.
  • Fig 6c shows the wellbore of figure 6b with the flexible heating cables emplaced and generating heat in the radials. The heat is carried into the reservoir around the wellbore by conduction and convection and is reducing the viscosity of the oil.
  • Fig 7 we see an RF based heat sourced used in conjunction with a gravity drainage configuration defined by radials emplaced in two different wells.
  • the RF antenna is connected to and controlled by surfaced-based control equipment.
  • the reduced viscosity oil is moving toward the lower radial with the assistance of gravity drainage.
  • Figure 8 shows an electric resistive heating system used in conjunction with radials positioned at different elevations in a reservoir. Water is being pumped down the well and is entering the radials, assuring that the space between the sets of electrodes retain high conductivity.
  • Fig 9A shows a well in which heating elements have been emplaced in the radials in a fashion generally similar to that seen in Fig 6C.
  • the well being operated in a huff-and-puff procedure. Water pumped downhole enters the radials, contacts the heating elements, turns to steam and proceeds to enter the reservoir.
  • Fig 9B shows the well of Fig 9A during the production cycle, with the pump jack bringing oil to the surface.
  • This disclosure combines radial tunnels and certain innovative thermal stimulations treatments to improve oil recovery. This disclosure addresses shortcomings in how current thermal stimulations are applied and the efficiency with which oil is recovered from many such reservoirs.
  • This disclosure involves forming one or more radials in an oil-bearing reservoir by means of a whipstock and toolstring operated by a control-line such as a coiled tubing unit (CTU).
  • CTU coiled tubing unit
  • this last category covers several genres of "drive shafts" or drill-strings to rotate a mechanical cutting head.
  • a spring that circumscribes a hose For example, one may use: 1) a spring that circumscribes a hose; 2) a hose that is circumscribed by a counter-wound spring; or, 3) a series of segments or links that are pinned or nest together to transmit torque to the cutting head.
  • Certain embodiments of the flexible drive shaft are described in PTC Application WO2014039078 Al, U.S. Patent Application 20120067647 Al and U.S. Patent Application 13/226,489, all incorporated in their entirely herein by their reference.
  • the heat can be generated downhole in the wellbore or in the radials, themselves.
  • These solutions apply primarily to moderate to higher API oil reservoirs, where the added complications and costs of generating steam may not be necessary for satisfactory improvements in oil recovery rates.
  • An example of such embodiments entails the placement of heating cables (described below) in the radials themselves. In these cases, the heat is used primarily to reduce the viscosity of the oil in the area immediately surrounding the radials.
  • This solution is well-tailored to moderate to high permeability conventional reservoirs with permeability of over about 20mD and with moderate or low viscosity oils (e.g. over about 20 API).
  • this invention utilizes a series of resistive heating elements or "heating cables” as the heat source.
  • These electrical heating elements can include a restive core surrounded by an insulation layer, such as magnesium oxide, and a sheathing, such as stainless steel.
  • the resistive elements heat up transferring heat to adjacent solids and fluids by means of convection and conduction.
  • a timer can be used to prevent over-heating of the cables or a continuous computer controller can be used to assure proper and even heating along the heating cables.
  • the heating elements in the heating cables can be placed and controlled in distinct arrays or in conjunction with distributed sensors, thereby allowing varying power and duty-cycles along various parts of the extended cables based on localized temperatures. In this fashion, optimal and uniform heating along the full length of the cables can be attained.
  • the sheathing may incorporate fins or undulations that increase the surface area.
  • heating cables are cable of operating at elevated temperatures, water can be circulated across them to generate steam.
  • An example of a heating cable suitable for this application is the PetroTraceTM mineral insulated heat cable that can generate over 650 watts per meter of length and operates to over 850°F.
  • the high operating temperatures of these cables is noteworthy as they allow one to generate steam at depths well below the approximate 3,000 ft working depth limit of surface- generated steam solutions. For example, at 3,000 ft of water head pressure (approx. 1,500 psi), it only takes about 600°F to generate steam.
  • the solutions disclosed herein will typically be applied on older reservoirs, where the absolute bottom hole pressure is below the hydrostatic gradient. Basically, meaning that the water will flash to steam at significantly lower temperatures than otherwise suggested by the depth of the zone. Conversely, this also means that one can use these cables at even deeper depths and, yet, still generate steam or can produce superheated steam well above the flash point.
  • this disclosure uses an electrical resistance heating (“ERH”) process to generate heat in the reservoir.
  • ERH electrical resistance heating
  • ERH can be used as a standalone process to merely generate heat in the reservoir; or, it can be used with the introduction of water to produce steam.
  • an electric current is passed between arrays of electrodes placed downhole or in the radials themselves. Water or brine serve as the conductive flow-path between the electrodes. The resistance that is encountered by the current when passing from electrode to electrode causes the brine and hence the reservoir to heat-up.
  • a power delivery system helps control the flow of current between the electrodes and can thus be used to alter the current flow between individual sets of electrodes, assuring more even heating of the reservoir.
  • ERH can operate at a reduced duty-cycle, allowing time for new brine to permeate into the spaces between the electrodes; or, one can pro-actively pump water between the opposite polarity sets of electrodes.
  • resistive heating elements if operated at high power levels and with a consistent water supply, hot water or steam can be generated.
  • ERH systems can be powered by A/C or D/C current.
  • Another aspect of this disclosure is to generate heat downhole using electromagnetic or radio frequency "RF" heating.
  • a signal generator produces a signal in the range of about lOkhz to 400khz and powers a downhole antenna array.
  • the antenna emits RF energy, the energy is dissipated in the form of heat, with the area closest to the antenna being heated the most.
  • water in the formation turns to steam, which then moves toward lower pressure areas in the reservoir.
  • the area of now-reduced water content has reduced electrical conductivity, which in turn results in the electromagnetic field penetrating further into the formation. This situation creates a sort of self-regulating system that helps avoid high localized temperatures.
  • the RF source unit can have real-time monitoring capabilities allowing for modification of individual antenna power levels and/or cycle time. In this fashion one can control the location and quantity of heat being generated along the antenna array.
  • An example of an RF heating system is offered by Harris under the HeatWaveTM trade name and described in a typical deployment in US 8,646,527 B2, incorporated herein by reference.
  • the heat is generated by a combustion process involving burning a fuel source (whether a liquid or gaseous fuel) in the presence of an oxidizing material (i.e. an oxidant).
  • a fuel source whether a liquid or gaseous fuel
  • an oxidizing material i.e. an oxidant
  • methane, butane or diesel in the presence of air, oxygen-enriched air, or oxygen.
  • the fuel and oxidant mixed are passed across a catalyst bed. To maximize the surface are of the catalyst bed and thereby assure complete oxidization, one can use a "honeycomb", "waffle" pattern or similar large-surface area.
  • an optional ignition or pre-heater system can be employed.
  • both the combustion and the catalytic fuel oxidization processes could employ sensors and valves to measure and regulate the flow of the water, fuel and any consumable oxidizing material (e.g. enriched air). Again, these controllers will be useful to regulating combustion or catalyst bed temperatures and the quantity and quality of heat, hot water or steam that is generated. Discussed more fully below, the combustion or catalytic process can occur at the surface or downhole in the main wellbore.
  • the heat source In embodiments involving the generation of steam for shallow applications, to about 1,000 meters, the heat source and may be located at the surface near the wellhead or near the surface, in the actual well. Obviously, the hot water or steam would be generated in this proximity. These embodiments avoid the losses associated with central systems that distributing steam to individual wells.
  • the heat and steam is generated downhole in the main wellbore. If generated close to the reservoir, these embodiments can avoid most of the 5-20% heat loss that is typically lost in conveying the hot water or steam downhole.
  • Embodiments where the heat, hot water or steam is generated downhole in the main wellbore apply to both the electrically-powered heat sources, as well as the fuel and oxidizer-based heat sources.
  • the conductor line to supply power downhole would be strapped to the outside of production tubing.
  • the fuel, water and oxidant would be conveyed downhole by a flatpack with multiple conduits, a series of concentric tubing strings, or a multi-conductor line formed into a single round shape.
  • Another feature of embodiments of this invention is to generate the heat, hot water and steam in the radials themselves. While more difficult to deploy, this location has minimal heat losses, i.e. nearly 100% of the heat that is generated can be emplaced directly into the formation.
  • the heat can be created by means of flexible heating cables, RF arrays run on flexible lines, or by means of resistive heating elements (electrodes) conveyed on flexible cables. Because any of these heat sources are deployed on flexible lines or cables, they can be transitioned around the tight heel in the whipstock and inserted into a radial.
  • radial If only one radial is to have a flexible heating element placed within it, that element can be run through the whipstock that is used as part of the process to create the radial. If heating elements are to be emplaced in multiple radials an alternate method and apparatus can be used in order to "re-find" or "re-center” on a radial in order to then insert the heating elements.
  • One such method employs a special landing nipple atop the anchor used to secure the whipstock during the radial forming process. In this approach, after the radials have been formed, the toolstring and whipstock would be removed, leaving in place the anchor and landing nipple. The operator would then lower a special kick-off or guide apparatus with multiple pre-arranged guide paths.
  • the correct depth in the well is maintained by the unmoved anchor, while the correct azimuth can be dictated by mating features on the landing nipple and special guide apparatus.
  • the landing nipple may have a slide or taper that directs a mating feature on the special guide assembly into the pre-determined, specific azimuth.
  • the operator would lower the special guide apparatus until it fully seated into the landing nipple.
  • the multiple guide paths would each be oriented toward a radial. The operator could now lower the multiple flexible heating elements through the special kick-off apparatus and emplace them in the radials.
  • the flexible heating elements would be powered by a common conductor running to the surface.
  • This conductor could run through or be strapped to production tubing running to the surface, such as might be employed on a single well used in a huff-and-puff process.
  • production tubing running to the surface, such as might be employed on a single well used in a huff-and-puff process.
  • the well is to be used as a continuous steam injection well, one can eliminate the production tubing entirely and simply lower the conductor cable directly into the well.
  • a downhole tool e.g. landing nipple
  • a downhole tool e.g. landing nipple
  • the conductor cable used to power a downhole electrical element could also power a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) used to pump oil to surface.
  • ESP downhole electric submersible pump
  • This configuration could be used in a single well cyclic steam stimulation procedure, wherein the same supply-line powers both the electric heating elements and an ESP.
  • the heating elements could be in the main wellbore with the ESP, or they could be emplaced into the radials.
  • ESP electric submersible pump
  • heat generation source is located near the wellhead, supply lines would be connected directly to appropriate supply sources and surface control equipment. Obviously, in the moving of the hot water or steam into the reservoir, back-pressures would be generated. Fortunately, because this invention can emplace the hot water or steam through the large surface-area of radials, the "choke” caused by the perforations is dramatically reduced. This is particularly important when emplacing steam into tight reservoirs or reservoirs with limited perforation contact area. Whatever the particular case, large quantities of steam can be efficiently emplaced into the reservoir with minimal pressure drop. Heat sources that comprise combustion or catalytic processes offer the further advantage that any nitrogen or produced CO 2 can also be placed into the reservoir; potentially further enhancing the oil recovery.
  • the water used to generate hot water or steam would be pumped down a conduit.
  • This conduit may be the production tubing, a separate tubing string or an annulus of the well.
  • the water flow could be divided by a manifold and regulated through a set of valves or orifices. In this fashion, appropriate quantities of water could be made to contact multiple downhole heating sources and/or be brought into contact with different parts of a single heating element.
  • the heating source is a set of extended heating cables each in a different radial and each operated at the same power level, one can assure that each cable receives the appropriate amount of water based on how fast each is able to emplace steam into the reservoir. Furthermore, using this approach each part of each cable can receive the appropriate amount of water based upon the heat being generated along that part of the heating cable.
  • the heat source is in the radials themselves, the water can be pumped down the wellbore via a conduit and then out the radials. In some embodiments, the water entering the radial may simply travel in the annular space between the element and the borehole wall.
  • the water may be positioned in the radials by means of a flexible conduit that transitions from the main wellbore and into the radial.
  • heating elements defined by heating cables may circumscribe a perforated flexible conduit used for delivering water into the radials.
  • the flexible conduit may circumscribe the heat source placed in the radials. Whether a passive method (e.g. surface pumping only) or an active method (conduit that delivers fluid into the radials) is employed, the heat source and hence the hot water or steam would thus be generated in the radials themselves.
  • Various combinations of injection and production wells may be employed with the radials and thermal stimulations described herein. That is, the radials may be emplaced on the injection wells; on the production wells; or on both. Moreover, these wells may constitute various combinations of vertical, slant and horizontal wells.
  • a vertical injection well with one or more radials can be used to efficiently emplace the heat, hot water or steam directly into the reservoir; with an offsetting vertical well then producing oil from the reservoir.
  • the well allows adequate emplacement of heat, hot water or steam without the need for an injection radial; but instead the production well has one or more radials that extend outward for improved recovery of oil from the reservoir.
  • a horizontal well may subtend one or more vertical wells into which heat, hot water or steam has been emplaced with the aid of radials.
  • a single well may be operated in a dual completion. In such instances, one or more isolation packers would be utilized to emplace heat or steam into the reservoir in one area of the wellbore and allow production of oil from another area of the same wellbore.
  • Fig. la illustrates a wellbore (7) in a heavy oil reservoir where one radial (9a) has been already formed in the oil zone (29) and a second radial (9b) is being created by a flexible mechanical drill-string (11), with attached cutting-head (13), powered by a mud motor (5).
  • a bottom hole assembly Positioned inside of the wellbore (7) is a bottom hole assembly (BHA) consisting of an anchor (17) and a whipstock (15) run on the end of tubing (19), in this case production tubing (19).
  • the whipstock (15) sits upon a landing nipple (17b) located on the anchor (17), also a sealing mechanism (16) located on the anchor (17) seals against the wellbore (7).
  • the flexible mechanical drill-string (11), with attached cutting-head (13), and the mud motor (5) are deployed inside of the production tubing (19) by coil tubing (3) which is controlled by a coil tubing unit (1). Also evident is a wellhead (21) located atop the wellbore (7).
  • FIG. lb illustrates a wellbore (7) with insulated production tubing (23) and an isolation packer (25).
  • Two radials (9) have been formed by the mechanical drilling system of Fig la.
  • an electrically-powered steam generator (22) consisting of resistive heating elements has been positioned in the wellbore (7) near the wellhead (21).
  • a water supply (20) and power supply (24) are connected to the steam generator (22).
  • a large volume of steam (27) is generated by the steam generator (22) and travels through the insulated production tubing (23) and exits into the wellbore (7) below the isolation packer (25).
  • FIG 2 illustrates a wellbore (7) where two radials (9) have been made and very high temperature water (14) is being injected into the oil zone (29).
  • a supply line for the fuel (28), a supply line for the oxidant (113), along with a water supply line (20) and a conductor cable (30) are located at the surface.
  • the water supply line (20), oxidizer supply line (113) and fuel supply line (28) each contain a check valve (18b, 18d and 18c) and another check valve (18) is located inside the insulated production tubing (23) to keep pressure from traveling up the lines.
  • the catalytic heater (32) creates superheated 650°F water (14), but the bulk of the water (14) does not flash to or remain as steam, as the in-situ pressure at which this would occur is 750°F.
  • the superheated hot water (14) moves through the insulated production tubing (23), which rests upon the landing nipple (25b) of the upper isolation packer (25), through the upper isolation packer (25), into the radials (9) and then deep into the oil zone (29) in a continuous flooding procedure.
  • a lower isolation packer (25c) is also shown.
  • Fig. 3a illustrates a downhole steam generator (35) that employs a combustion system fed by a water supply line (41), a fuel supply line (39), an oxygen supply line (37) and a multi-conductor electrical supply line (36) run inside of production tubing (19) within a wellbore (7).
  • a burner combusts fuel and oxygen, with the aid of an electrical ignition system (51), after combustion water is introduced and steam (27) is created.
  • the steam generator (35) has been positioned above an isolation packer (25).
  • a check valve (38) is located in the tailstock (40) of the isolation packer (25) to prevent back-feeding of steam (27) from the reservoir, when the steam generator (35) is shut down.
  • FIG. 3b illustrates a cross-sectional example of the oxygen supply line (37), fuel supply line (39), water supply line (41) and the multi-conductor electrical line (36) of Fig 3a in the form of a flat-pack assembly (53).
  • Fig. 3c illustrates a cross-sectional view the water supply line (41), fuel supply line (39), oxygen supply line (37) and multi -conductor electrical line (36) of Fig 3a in the form of a concentric tubing assembly (55) with the multi -conductor electrical line (36) in the center.
  • FIG. 3d illustrates a cross-sectional example of the water supply line (41), oxygen supply line (37), fuel supply line (39) and the multi-conductor electrical line (36) of Fig 3a, in the form of a round-pack, used to power the downhole steam generator (35) of Fig 3a.
  • the multi -conductor electric line (36) of Figs 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d is used to power the ignition system (51) and any downhole sensors of Fig 3a.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a wellbore (7) where two radials (9) have been drilled into the oil zone (29) for continuous injection of steam (27) into the oil zone (29).
  • An electrical conductor cable (58) has been strapped to the outside of tubing (19) and connected to heating elements (61), in this case "heating cables” (61) located inside of a heating apparatus (59), positioned downhole in the main wellbore (7).
  • Heating cables (61) located inside of a heating apparatus (59), positioned downhole in the main wellbore (7).
  • Water is being pumped down the tubing (19) by a surface pump (62) and is flashing to steam (27) on account of the fact that the heating cables (61) have been activated (turned on) via the electrical conductor cable (58) that is controlled by an electrical power control (64) at the surface.
  • An isolation packer (25) placed above the radials (9) assures that the steam (27) does not travel back up the wellbore (7), but instead enters and reaches deep into the oil zone (29) via the large-contact area of the radials (9). Oil is heated and driven to an adjacent production well (not shown) by the steam (27).
  • FIG 5a illustrates an oil zone (29) in which radials (9) have been emplaced from a wellbore (7) and is being operated in a cyclic steam simulation procedure with an ESP (67).
  • Electrically-powered heating elements (73) have been positioned downhole in the main wellbore (7) along a tubing string (19), which extends through an isolation packer (25).
  • the heating elements (73), downhole valve (69) and ESP (67) are supplied power from a surface supply source (63) via a conductor line (62).
  • Above the heating element (73) is a downhole valve (69) that allows one of three conditions.
  • Condition one is the flow of fluid (water) down the tubing (19), through the passageway (71) located inside the apparatus (65), through the valve (69) and through the heating elements (73), where steam (27) is generated and reaches deep into the oil zone (29) through the radials (9).
  • the valve (69) allows for no flow whatsoever in either direction through the tubing (19).
  • the valve (69) allows for flow from the wellbore (7) into the passageway (72), and into the ESP (67), discussed more in Fig 5b.
  • the ESP (67) is turned off and the heating element (73) is turned on while the downhole valve (69) has been actuated, by the conductor line (62), to the position that allows the flow of water downhole through the production tubing (19) and the passageway (71).
  • a pump (79) connected to a water supply source (not shown) is pumping water into the tubing (19), of notice is the valve (77) at the surface is open to allow the flow of water into the tubing (19).
  • the water must move downhole as a valve (75) running from the tubing (19) to an oil tank battery (81) is closed.
  • tailstock (40) that drops below the isolation packer (25) for better injection of steam (27). While not shown in the figure, if one wished to perform maintenance or provide a soak period for the steam (27), the downhole valve (69) could be shifted to the no-flow position.
  • Fig. 5b illustrates the wellbore (7) of Fig 5a during the production phase (i.e. scenario 3).
  • the heating elements (73) and surface water pump (79) have been turned off by the conductor line (62).
  • the valve (77) to the pump (79) has also been closed while the valve (75) to the oil tank battery (81) has been opened allowing a path for produced oil to travel into the oil tank battery (81).
  • the downhole valve (69) has been actuated by the conductor line (62), allowing for oil to enter the passageway (72) connected to the ESP (67).
  • the ESP (67) has now been powered on and is lifting oil to the surface through the tubing (19) where it travels to the oil tank battery (81).
  • the steam (27) from Fig 5a has heated a large area (58) of oil, thus lowering the viscosity of that oil which allows for better oil flow/production.
  • the oil is pulled (shown by dotted arrows) from the oil zone (29), through the radials (9), up the tubing (19) and into the oil tank battery (81) by the ESP (67).
  • FIG. 6a illustrates a wellbore (7) in which two radials (9) have been emplaced.
  • the whipstock (15) like that in Fig la, has been removed, but the anchor (17) and attached landing nipple (17b) have been left in place in the wellbore (7).
  • a special guide device (85) is being lowered toward the landing nipple (17b), on which the special guide device (85) will seat, on the end of a string of production tubing (19).
  • the production tubing (19) has a seat (83) into which an electric submersible pump (ESP) can seat and form a seal.
  • the reservoir in this case can be a conventional reservoir with medium API oil.
  • FIG. 6b illustrates the wellbore (7) of Fig 6a wherein a conductor line (89), connected at the surface to an electric power supply (90), is attached to an ESP (67) and flexible heating cables (87).
  • a conductor line (89) is being lowered inside the wellbore (7) inside of production tubing (19)
  • the attached ESP (67) is being lowered toward its seat (83) and the flexible heating cables (87) are beginning to transition through special guide device (85).
  • Said guide device (85) sits atop a landing nipple (17b) attached to an anchor (17), and directs the flexible heating cables (87) into radials (9) that have been emplaced in the oil zone (29).
  • the apparatus (91) connected to the conductor line (89) and the flexible heating cable (87) serves to distribute the power from the conductor line (89) to both flexible heating cables (87).
  • FIG. 6c illustrates the wellbore (7) of Fig 6b with the flexible heating cables (87) emplaced into the radials (9) and generating heat (93) in the oil zone (29).
  • the heat (93) radiates (shown by dotted lines) into the oil zone (29) around the wellbore (7) by conduction and convection, and reduces the viscosity of the oil in the oil zone (29).
  • the lower viscosity oil flows (shown by dotted arrows) through the radials (9) and into the wellbore (7) where it is being pumped out of the wellbore (7), through the production tubing (19), by the ESP (67), which forms a leak-proof seal with the production tubing (19) at its seat (83).
  • This system allows for continuous heating and producing of the oil zone (29) simultaneously.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates an RF based heat source used in conjunction with a gravity drainage configuration defined by radials (9c, 9d) emplaced in two different wellbores (7b, 7c).
  • An RF antenna (95) connected, by a control line (94), to surfaced-based control equipment and a water supply (not shown), has been inserted through a whipstock (15) into an upper radial (9c) of one wellbore (7b).
  • a whipstock positioned below this radial (9c) is another radial (9d) extending outward from an adjacent wellbore (7c).
  • the RF antenna array (97) has been activated and is generating heat in the area (98) of the oil zone (29) around and between the upper radial (9c) and lower radial (9d).
  • the reduced viscosity oil is moving (shown by curved arrows) toward the lower radial (9d) and is aided by the benefit of gravity drainage.
  • the oil is then produced from the wellbore (7c).
  • Fig. 8 illustrates an electric resistive heating system used in conjunction with radials (9e, 9f).
  • current shown by dotted arrows
  • electrode (102a) is passed from electrode (102a) to electrode (102b).
  • A/C alternating current
  • an electrode (102) at one moment may be an anode (102), while at a later point in time it may be a cathode (102).
  • the array of electrodes (102a, 102b) are connected to surface-based power control equipment (not shown) and in the heating phase cycle, water is pumped down the wellbore (7) to assure that the space between the sets of electrodes (102a, 102b) retain high conductivity.
  • Fig 9a illustrates a wellbore (7) in which heating elements (87) have been emplaced in the radials (9) in a fashion generally similar to that seen in Fig 6C.
  • the wellbore (7) is pumped by a pump-jack (86) and is being operated in a huff-and-puff procedure.
  • the pump-jack (86) is shown turned off, and an optional downhole valve (82), which regulates the flow to the downhole sucker rod pump (88), has been closed.
  • the surface-based water pump (100) has been engaged and is pumping water down the annulus (shown by dotted arrows) of the wellbore (7).
  • the heating elements (87) in the radials (9) have also been turned on and are operating.
  • the water travels through a one-way check valve (92) positioned on an isolation packer (25) in the wellbore (7) above the radials (9).
  • a one-way check valve (92) positioned on an isolation packer (25) in the wellbore (7) above the radials (9).
  • An extended soaking period now typically follows.
  • FIG 9b illustrates the wellbore (7) of Fig 9a during the production cycle.
  • the water pump (not shown) and heating cables (87) have been turned off, the downhole valve (82) has been opened, by the conductor line (89), in order to allow flow into the downhole sucker rod pump (88).
  • the steam that previously entered the reservoir is now driving reduced-viscosity oil (shown by dotted arrows) into the radials (9) and wellbore (7).
  • the pump jack (86) is operating and is lifting oil to the surface through the sucker rod pump (88) which is connected to the sucker rods (84).
  • the invention defines a surface-based heat source that is used to generate hot water or stream that is conveyed downhole through a conduit where it enters an oil reservoir through one or more radials drilled into the reservoir by mechanical means.
  • the hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and then oil is produced from that reservoir.
  • the invention defines a surface-based heat source wherein hot water or stream is generated and pumped downhole through a conduit where it then enters an oil reservoir.
  • the hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more radials drilled by mechanical means into the reservoir.
  • the invention defines a surface-based heat source wherein hot water or stream is generated and pumped downhole through a conduit where it enters an oil reservoir through one or more radials drilled by mechanical means into the reservoir. The steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from that reservoir through one or more other radials reaching into the reservoir, either the same or a different wellbore.
  • the invention defines a heat source positioned inside of and near the top of a wellbore wherein hot water or stream is generated and conveyed downhole through a conduit where it enters an oil reservoir through one or more radials. The hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir.
  • the invention defines a heat source positioned inside of and near the top of a wellbore wherein hot water or stream is generated and conveyed downhole through a conduit where it enters an oil reservoir.
  • the hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the invention defines a heat source positioned inside of and near the top of a wellbore wherein hot water or stream is generated and conveyed downhole through a conduit where it enters a reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the source of heat for the aforementioned embodiments which define a surface or near-surface based heat source, being defined by one of the following:
  • the fuel source may be liquid or gaseous.
  • the oxidizing material may be air, oxygen enriched air or pure oxygen.
  • the heating source may define a pre-heater or ignition source to initiate and assure complete combustion of the fuel.
  • the invention defines a downhole heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within the wellbore and which then moves into a reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the invention defines a downhole heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within the wellbore and which then moves into a reservoir through perforations or an open-hole section.
  • the heat, hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the invention defines a downhole heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within the wellbore and which then moves into a reservoir through one or more radials.
  • the heat, hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more radials, whether in the same well or a different well.
  • the source of heat, hot water or steam for any of the aforementioned embodiments involving a downhole heating source being defined by one of the following:
  • the fuel source may be liquid or gaseous.
  • it may be diesel, propane or methane.
  • the oxidizing material may be air, oxygen enriched air or pure oxygen.
  • the heating source may define a pre-heater or ignition source to initiate and assure complete combustion of the fuel.
  • the invention defines a heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within a radial in an oil reservoir.
  • the heat, hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir from other wells in the reservoir.
  • the invention defines a heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within a radial in an oil reservoir.
  • the heat, hot water or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through the same radial.
  • the invention defines a heating source that generates heat, hot water or steam within a radial in an oil reservoir.
  • the heat or steam reduces the viscosity of oil in the reservoir and oil is then produced from the reservoir through one or more different radials in another wellbore or in the same wellbore.
  • the invention defines a wellbore emplaced with one or more radials into an oil reservoir; said radial(s) being used for the continuous or cyclical injection of hot water or steam that has been generated in the wellbore near the surface.
  • the invention defines a wellbore emplaced with one or more radials into an oil reservoir; said radial(s) being used for the continuous or cyclical injection of hot water or steam that has been generated downhole in the wellbore.
  • the invention defines a wellbore emplaced with one or more radials into an oil reservoir; said radial(s) being used for the continuous or cyclical emplacement of heat, hot water or steam that has been generated in one or more of said radials.
  • various embodiments of this disclosure involve isolation packers, landing nipples, special guide devices, water supply lines, conductor and multi-conductor cables, fuel supply lines and oxidant supply lines, pumping equipment, valves and controllers to regulate flow, controllers to regulate electrical power and one-way check valves.
  • the pumping equipment for bringing oil to the surface may comprise ESPs or rod pumps.
  • the radial and thermal stimulations disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with gravity drainage. That is the heat, hot water or steam may be emplaced at an upper portion of an oil reservoir and oil then recovered from a lower portion of the same reservoir.
  • This gravity-assisted drainage feature maybe practiced from one and the same wellbore; it may involve multiple vertical wellbores; or, it may involve combinations of vertical, slant and/or horizontal wellbores.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un système permettant d'augmenter la production de pétrole à partir de formations souterraines comprenant l'introduction de chaleur ou de vapeur dans le réservoir par le biais de tunnels de drainage radiaux. La chaleur ou la vapeur peut être créée dans le puits de forage à proximité du sommet du puits, dans le fond du puits de forage, ou in situ dans les éléments radiaux positionnés dans le réservoir.
PCT/US2016/065435 2015-12-07 2016-12-07 Production accrue d'hydrocarbures par stimulation thermique et radiale WO2017100354A1 (fr)

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US16/068,524 US20190017358A1 (en) 2015-12-07 2016-12-07 Increased Hydrocarbon Production by Thermal and Radial Stimulation
CA3044960A CA3044960A1 (fr) 2015-12-07 2016-12-07 Production accrue d'hydrocarbures par stimulation thermique et radiale

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US62/386,573 2015-12-07

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CN110118078A (zh) * 2019-05-23 2019-08-13 西南石油大学 利用井下蒸汽发生的单水平井重力泄油开采装置及方法
CN111997577B (zh) * 2020-03-25 2022-05-20 中国海洋石油集团有限公司 隔热型罐装潜油电泵注采一体化的管柱结构及工艺方法
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