Drainhole drilling

Patent · Tue Feb 09 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5433153

Emery, L W

In a method for drilling from a primary wellbore at least one lateral drainhole wellbore, the drainhole extending out into a liquid producing geologic formation which is overlaid with a gas cap, the improvement is described comprising hydraulically fracturing the formation to form fractures which extend above and below the drainhole, the fracturing being carried out using a fracturing liquid which has a viscosity which is not substantially greater than that of diesel oil. The fracturing liquid carries a solid subdivided propping agent to be deposited in the fractures to prevent same from closing, whereby due to the low viscosity of the fracturing liquid the propping agent preferentially settles into fractures which extend downwardly from the drainhole thereby allowing fractures which extend upwardly from the drainhole to close up and prevent premature flow of gas into the drainhole by way of the upwardly extending fractures while leaving the downwardly extending fractures permanently propped open for enhanced production of liquid from the formation into the drainhole.

• Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Co., Los Angeles, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4723604
• OSTI ID: 5433153
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030900 -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRAINAGE
DRILLING
FLUIDS
FRACTURING
FRACTURING FLUIDS
GAS SATURATION
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
PROPPING AGENTS
ROCK BURSTS
ROCK DRILLING
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
SATURATION
STIMULATION
WELL COMPLETION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS