Single horizontal well conduction assisted steam drive process for removing viscous hydrocarbonaceous fluids

Patent · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6512333

Lu, H S

A horizontal well steam flooding oil recovery process for viscous hydrocarbonaceous fluid containing reservoirs having limited native injectivity and a water-saturated bottom water zone is described comprising: (a) directing a cased horizontal well into the reservoir above the bottom water zone for a distance determined to be the most effective and efficient for the recovery of hydrocarbonaceous fluids from the reservoir; (b) perforating the well on its top side at two spaced apart intervals so as to make a first and second perforated interval for fluid communication with the well; (c) inserting within the well an uninsulated tubing which provides for a first conduit and also causes a second conduit to be formed in annular space between the tubing and casing thereby allowing for steam communication and removal of fluids from the reservoir; (d) injecting steam into the second conduit at a pressure higher than the reservoir pressure and flowing steam from the well via the first conduit for a time sufficient to mobilize the viscous fluids near the wellbore; (e) reducing steam injection pressure and producing hydrocarbonaceous fluids of reduced viscosity, steam, and water to the surface by the first conduit; (f) repeating steps (d) and (e) until thermal communication is established between perforations in the two spaced apart intervals; (g) removing the tubing from the well and fitting the tubing with a thermal packer so as to allow the tubing and packer to be placed into the horizontal well; (h) inserting the tubing and packer into the well so as to position the packer in a manner sufficient to form two isolated, spaced apart, perforated intervals thereby causing one spaced apart interval with perforations therein to serve as an injector conduit while the other perforated interval serves as a producer conduit; and (i) injecting steam into the reservoir via the injector conduit while removing hydrocarbonaceous fluids, steam, and water by the producer conduit.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., Fairfax, VA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5215149; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-808788
• OSTI ID: 6512333
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BOREHOLE LINKING
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
OIL WELLS
ORIENTATION
PERFORATION
PETROLEUM
PLUGGING
PLUGGING AGENTS
SATURATION
STEAM INJECTION
VISCOSITY
WATER SATURATION
WELL CASINGS
WELLS