Gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process for improved oil recovery
Abstract
A rapid and inexpensive process for increasing the amount of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil) produced and the rate of production from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs by displacing oil downwards within the oil reservoir and into an oil recovery apparatus is disclosed. The process is referred to as "gas-assisted gravity drainage" and comprises the steps of placing one or more horizontal producer wells near the bottom of a payzone (i.e., rock in which oil and gas are found in exploitable quantities) of a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir and injecting a fluid displacer (e.g., CO.sub.2) through one or more vertical wells or horizontal wells. Pre-existing vertical wells may be used to inject the fluid displacer into the reservoir. As the fluid displacer is injected into the top portion of the reservoir, it forms a gas zone, which displaces oil and water downward towards the horizontal producer well(s).
- Inventors:
-
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1069107
- Patent Number(s):
- 8215392
- Application Number:
- 11/399,831
- Assignee:
- Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University And Agricultural and Mechanical College (Baton Rouge, LA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-02NT15323
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 02 PETROLEUM
Citation Formats
Rao, Dandina N. Gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process for improved oil recovery. United States: N. p., 2012.
Web.
Rao, Dandina N. Gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process for improved oil recovery. United States.
Rao, Dandina N. Tue .
"Gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process for improved oil recovery". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1069107.
@article{osti_1069107,
title = {Gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process for improved oil recovery},
author = {Rao, Dandina N},
abstractNote = {A rapid and inexpensive process for increasing the amount of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil) produced and the rate of production from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs by displacing oil downwards within the oil reservoir and into an oil recovery apparatus is disclosed. The process is referred to as "gas-assisted gravity drainage" and comprises the steps of placing one or more horizontal producer wells near the bottom of a payzone (i.e., rock in which oil and gas are found in exploitable quantities) of a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir and injecting a fluid displacer (e.g., CO.sub.2) through one or more vertical wells or horizontal wells. Pre-existing vertical wells may be used to inject the fluid displacer into the reservoir. As the fluid displacer is injected into the top portion of the reservoir, it forms a gas zone, which displaces oil and water downward towards the horizontal producer well(s).},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Tue Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.
Works referenced in this record:
Review of WAG Field Experience
conference, April 2013
- Christensen, J. R.; Stenby, E. H.; Skauge, A.
- International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition of Mexico
Experimental Investigation of Miscible Secondary Gas Injection
conference, April 2013
- Kulkarni, Madhav Mukund; Rao, Dandina Nagaraja
- SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
Characterization of Operative Mechanisms in Gravity Drainage Field Projects Through Dimensional Analysis
conference, April 2013
- Kulkarni, Madhav M.; Rao, Dandina Nagaraja
- SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
Development of Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) Process for Improved Light Oil Recovery
conference, April 2013
- Rao, D. N.; Ayirala, S. C.; Kulkarni, M. M.
- SPE/DOE Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery
On the Investigation of Gravity-Assisted Inert Gas Injection Using Micromodels, Long Berea Sandstone Cores, and Computer-Assisted Tomography
conference, April 2013
- Chatzis, I.; Kantzas, A.; Dullien, F. A. L.
- SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
Experimental Investigation of Various Methods of Tertiary Gas Injection
conference, April 2013
- Kulkarni, M. M.; Rao, D. N.
- SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
Development and Optimization of Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) Process for Improved Light Oil Recovery
report, September 2006
- Rao, Dandina N.; Ayirala, Subhash C.; Kulkarni, Madhav M.