[Branched horizontal well drilling]
In the former USSR, invented the technology of drilling and brought the industrial level a new type of oil wells - Grigoryan Branched-Horizontal wells. Tens of experimental wells had been drilled and successfully operated for a long period of time. The technology itself is unique, it was developed in isolation from the West and has left far behind all known methods by its effectiveness and technical characteristics. A single hole horizontal drilling which is being now applied all around the world is a small part of this method. A branched well has several additional holes with their branches. Such well is incomparably more effective than single horizontal hole as the branches penetrate in all directions the whole mass of productive formation by their canals free for oil inflow from distant zones, often isolated. In modern application this method enables to get wells with up to 20 times higher production rates and simultaneously 5 times less oil production costs. In order to commercialize technology a Grigoryan Branched-Horizontal wells Co.'' is being established for the development of oil fields, on ownership, lease or contractor basis. The Branched-Horizontal wells are especially effective in high thickness oil reservoirs with highly irregular porosity and rock permeability where the percentage of oil recovery is low while the potential reserves are very large. If in such a field oil Production of conventional well is only 10--20 ton (60--180 barrels) per day, one Branched-Horizontal well will produce an additional 10 million dollars worth of oil even during the first year of operation. This is the oil extracted from the bowels of the earth above the capacity of ordinary wells and inaccessible for them. Taking into consideration the fact that on average, only 20% of natural resources are being extracted around the world, the main advantage of this method is in doubling the recoverable reserves thus moving far ahead the predicted exhaustion of fossil hydrocarbons.
- Research Organization:
- Grigoryan Branched-Horizontal Wells Co., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6535802
- Report Number(s):
- GBHW-93013128; ON: TI93013128
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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