l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l I l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

US005211230A
United States Patent [ 19 ] [ 11] Patent N u m b er : 5, 211, 230
O stap o v ic h et a1. [ 4 5] D ate o f Patent: May 18 , 19 9 3
[ 54 ] METHO D FO REN HAN CED O I L 4 , 4 10, 216 10/ 19 8 3 Al l en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 50 X
RECO VERY THRO UGHA HO RI ZO N TAL 4 , 4 22, 505 12/ 19 8 3 Co l l ins 16 6 / 24 5 X
PRO D UCTI O N WELL I N A SUBSURFACE 4 , 4 54 , 9 16 6 / 19 8 4 Sh u . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . 16 6 / 220
RN 4 , 4 74 , 237 10/ 19 8 4 Sh u . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 2
F0 TI O N BY I N 'SI TU CO MBUSTI O N 4 , 56 6 , 536 l / 19 8 6 Ho l m es . . . . . . . 16 6 / 251
[ 75] I nv g nto r s; Eu g ene o g ?p o yic h ; Fm kh N _ 4 , 59 3, 770 7/ 19 8 6 Sh u et a1. . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 24 5
p eb dani b o th o f Cal g ar y, Canada 4 , 6 25, 8 00 12/ 19 8 6 Venkatesan 16 6 / 256
4 , 6 51, 8 26 3/ 19 8 7 Ho l m es . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 251
[ 73] Assig nee: Mo b il O il Co r p o r atio n, Fair f ax , Va. 4 , 6 8 2, 6 52 7/ 19 8 7 Hu ang et a1. . 16 6 / 50 X
4 , 9 9 3, 4 9 0 2/ 19 9 1 Step h ens et a1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , 16 6 / 26 1
[ 21] Ap p l . N o . : 8 39 , 4 12
Pr im ar y Ex am iner -Geo r g e A. Su c h ?el d
[ 22] Fil ed: Feb 21 19 9 2 Atto r ney, Ag ent, o r Finn-A1ex ander J . Mc K il l o p ;
[ 51] I nt. C1. 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E21B4 7/ 00; E21B4 7/ 06 ; Geo r g e W- Hag en J r
E21B4 3/ 24 3 [ 57] ABSTRACI
[ 52] US. Cl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 24 5; 16 6 / 251; _ _ I
j ' 16 6 / 26 3; 36 / 50 A h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l 15 l o c ated in th e l o w er
[ 58 ] Fiel d 6 : Sear c h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 50, 24 5, 251, 256 , 120m m ! o f a h eav y Yl sc o u s o l l -b ear m g I CSCWQ F A v er
16 6 / 26 1, 26 3 t1c al inj ec tio n w el l 18 l o c ated in th e u p p er p o r tl o n o f th e
[ 56 ] R f G d r eser v o ir . O x yg en-enr ic h ed g as is inj ec ted do w n th e
e er enc es 'te
inj ec to r w el l and ig nited in th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e
U5. PATEN TD O CUMEN TS r eser v o ir to c r eate a c o m b u stio n z o ne th at r edu c es v is
c o sity o f o il in th e r eser v o ir as th e c o m b u stio n z o ne
2 78 8 071 4 / 19 57 Fel l er 16 6 / 251 X adv anc es do w nw ar dl y to w ar d th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c
3, 036 , 6 32 5/ 19 6 2 K o c h et a1. 16 6 / 256 . . . . . . .
t1o n w el l , th e r edu c ed-v 1sc o s1ty O 11 dr aining into th e
3, 39 4 , 759 7/ 19 6 8 Car ey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 256 . . .
3, 6 08 , 6 37 9 / 19 71 Lu m p kin et 3L __ 16 6 / 256 h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tl o n w el l u nder f o r c e O f g I '?Vl ty.
3, 79 4 , 113 2/ 19 74 Str ang e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. . 16 6 / 24 5
3, 8 6 5, 18 6 2/ 19 75 Vo n Hip p el et a1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6 / 256 2 Cl aim s, 2 D r aw ing Sh eets
CO MBUSTI O N ZO N E
HEAT 001100011011 11
101111111111)
US. Patent May 18 , 19 9 3 Sh eet 1 o f 2 5, 211, 230
CO MBUSTI O N ZO N E
. I - - - I . o | - - n Q - l 0
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" HEAT CO N D UCTI O N 1-1
, O J HHHH/
FI G. 1
US. Patent May 18 , 19 9 3 Sh eet 2 o f 2 5, 211, 230
J J ,
20
[ HO RI ZO N TAL PRO D UCTI O N WELL
22
a l l 21 22
VEN T WELL VERTI CAL b v EN T WELL
I N J ECTO R WELL
r 20 HO RI ZO N TAL PRo o u c TTo N WELL
22 1 1 21 22
v EN T WELL ( 5 m m ' 6 VEN T WELL
20 I N J ECTO R WELL
I .
HO RI ZO N TAL PRO D UCTI O N WELL
. 11
FI G. 2
5, 211, 230
1
METHO D FO REN HAN CED O I L RECO VERY
THRO UGHA HO RI ZO N TAL PRO D UCTI O N
WELLI N A SUBSURFACEFO RMATI O N BY
I N -SI TU CO MBUSTI O N
BACK GRO UN D O FTHEI N VEN TI O N
Th is inv entio n r el ated to a th er m al r ec o v er y p r o c ess
f o r r ec o v er ing v isc o u s o il s f r o m su b ter r anean f o r m a
tio ns and, m o r e p ar tic u l ar l y, to an in-situ c o m b u stio n
m eth o d f o r r ec o v er ing su c h o il s th r o u g h p r o du c ing
w el l s w h ic h ex tend do w nw ar dl y f r o m th e su r f ac e o f th e
ear th into th e b o tto m o f th e o il -c o ntaining f o r m atio n
and th en ex tend h o r iz o ntal l y th r o u g h th e f o r m atio n.
I n-situ c o m b u stio n is a c o m m o nl y kno w n m eth o d f o r
r ec o v er ing h eav y v isc o u s o il s f r o m su b ter r anean f o r m a
tio ns. I n th is m eth o d, an o x yg en-c o ntaining g as is in
j ec ted into a r eser v o ir th r o u g h an inj ec tio n w el l w ith
ig nitio n o f o il w ith in th e adj ac ent r eser v o ir initiated b y
m eans f o r estab l ish ing a c o m b u stio n f r o nt. Th e r eser
v o ir is u su al l y p r o v ided w ith o ne o r m o r e v er tic al p r o
du c tio n w el l s f o r th e p r o du c tio n o f o il . As th e ?o w o f
o x yg en-c o ntaining g as to th e r eser v o ir is c o ntinu ed, th e
c o m b u stio n f r o nt is m o v ed f r o m a v er tic al inj ec tio n
w el l to w ar d th e p r o du c tio n w el l s. Th e h eat g ener ated
b y b u r ning r edu c es th e v isc o sity o f th e o il w h ic h is
disp l ac ed ah ead o f th e c o m b u stio n f r o nt to w ar d th e
p r o du c tio n w el l s f r o m w h ic h th e o il is r ec o v er ed. Th e
c o m b u stio n f r o nt, in disp l ac ing th e m o b il e o il , u ses th e
r esidu al c ar b o nac eo u s dep o sit as f u el . Ex am p l es o f su c h
in-situ c o m b u stio n m eth o ds ar e f o u nd in US. Pat. N o s.
4 , 6 25, 8 00 to Venkatesan; 4 , 56 6 , 536 to Ho l m es; and
4 , 4 74 , 237 and 4 , 4 54 , 9 16 to Sh u , th e teac h ing s o f w h ic h
ar e inc o r p o r ated h er ein b y r ef er enc e.
Th er e ar e m any su b ter r anean f o r m atio ns c o ntaining
h eav y, i. e. , v isc o u s, o il s. Su c h f o r m atio ns ar e kno w n to
ex ist in th e m aj o r tar sand dep o sits o f Al b er ta, Canada,
and Venez u el a, w ith l esser dep o sits el sew h er e, f o r ex
am p l e, in Cal if o r nia, Utah and Tex as. Th e API g r av ity
o f th e o il s in th ese dep o sits typ ic al l y r ang es f r o m 10 to
6 in th e Ath ab asc a sands in Canada to ev en l o w er
v al u es in th e San Mig u el sands in Tex as, indic ating th at
th e o il is h ig h l y v isc o u s in natu r e.
Var io u s p r o b l em s ar e asso c iated w ith th e in-situ c o m
b u stio n dr iv e m eth o d. Th er e is f o r m ed in f r o nt o f th e
c o m b u stio n f r o nt and r el ativ el y near th e v er tic al inj ec
tio n w el l , a h o t b anko f h ydr o c ar b o ns. Th e v isc o sity o f
th is h o t b ank o f h ydr o c ar b o ns is m u c h l ess th an th e
v isc o sity o f th e h ydr o c ar b o ns ex isting in th e r em ainder
o f th e r eser v o ir and near th e v er tic al p r o du c tio n w el l .
Th u s, th e c ap ac ity o f th e r eser v o ir to f l o w h ydr o c ar
b o ns is m u c h l ess near th e p r o du c tio n w el l th an near th e
inj ec tio n w el l . Th is r esu l ts in a c o nditio n w h ic h is so m e
tim es r ef er r ed to as ?u id b l o c king . Wh en th is c o ndi
tio n o c c u r s, ?o w o f th e l o w er v isc o sity h o t b ank o f
h ydr o c ar b o ns near th e inj ec tio n w el l is r etar ded b y th e
sl o w er r ate o f ?o w o f th e h ig h er v isc o sity h ydr o c ar
b o ns near th e p r o du c tio n w el l . Under sev er e c o nditio ns
w h er e h ig h l y v isc o u s f l u ids ar e p r esent in th e r eser v o ir ,
th e h ydr o c ar b o ns near th e p r o du c tio n w el l m ay b e
r el ativ el y im m o b il e and th u s m ay, to a l ar g e ex tent,
p r ev ent th e h o t b ank o f h ydr o c ar b o ns f r o m ?o w ing
to w ar d and into th e p r o du c tio n w el l . Th is r esu l ts in a
l o ss o f ef f ic ienc y and an ex c essiv e am o u nt o f th e h ydr o
c ar b o ns m ay b e b u r ned in th e r eser v o ir .
I t is th er ef o r e an o b j ec t o f th e p r esent inv entio n to
p r o v ide an im p r o v ed m eth o d o f h eav y v isc o u s o il r e
c o v er y th at w il l o v er c o m e su c h a ?u id b l o c king as
35
4 5
55
6 5
2
w el l as o th er p r o b l em s b y p r o v iding a h o r iz o ntal p r o
du c tio n w el l in th e l o w er p ar t o f th e r eser v o ir and es
tab l ish ing an in-situ c o m b u stio n f r o nt in th e u p p er p ar t
o f th e r eser v o ir to al l o w g r av ity to assist th e ?o w o f th e
h o t b ank o f h ydr o c ar b o ns f r o m th e v er tic al inj ec tio n
w el l in th e u p p er p ar t o f th e r eser v o ir to th e h o r iz o ntal
p r o du c tio n w el l in th e l o w er p ar t o f th e r eser v o ir . Util i
z atio n o f a h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l w il l al l o w ex
tended c o ntac t w ith th e o v er l ying r eser v o ir , th er eb y
f ac il itating g r av ity dr ainag e and p r o du c tio n o f th e
h eav y v isc o u s o il s f r o m th e o v er l ying in-situ c o m b u s
tio n z o ne.
SUMMARYO FTHEI N VEN TI O N
I n ac c o r danc e w ith th e p r esent inv entio n, th er e is
p r o v ided a m eth o d f o r th e enh anc ed r ec o v er y o f h eav y
v isc o u s o il f r o m a su b ter r anean, o il -b ear ing r eser v o ir .
At l east o ne h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l is l o c ated in a
l o w er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir and at l east o ne v er tic al
inj ec tio n w el l is l o c ated in an u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser
v o ir . O x yg en-enr ic h ed g as is inj ec ted do w n th e inj ec to r
w el l into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir . Su c h g as is
ig nited in th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir to c r eate a
c o m b u stio n z o ne th at r edu c es th e v isc o sity o f o il in th e
r eser v o ir as th e c o m b u stio n z o ne adv anc es do w n
w ar dl y to w ar d th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l , th e r e
du c ed v isc o sity o il dr aining into th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c
tio n w el l u nder f o r c e o f g r av ity.
I n a m o r e sp ec i?c asp ec t, at l east o ne v ent w el l is
l o c ated in th e r eser v o ir . Th e o x yg en c o nc entr atio n and
?u e g as is m o nito r ed in th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l .
Gas inj ec tio n into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir is.
ter m inated and o x yg en and ?u e g as is v ented f r o m th e
r eser v o ir w h en a p r edeter m ined am o u nt o f o x yg en is
m o nito r ed w ith in th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l . O x y
g en c o nc entr atio n is m o nito r ed in th e v ent w el l . Th e
v ent w el l is sh u t in w h en a p r edeter m ined am o u nt o f
o x yg en is m o nito r ed, th er eb y al l o w ing th e r eser v o ir to
c o nsu m e r em aining o x yg en in th e r eser v o ir . Th e r eser
v o ir p r essu r e is m o nito r ed. O x yg en-enr ic h ed g as is r ein
j ec ted do w n th e inj ec tio n w el l w h en th e m o nito r ed
r eser v o ir p r essu r e f al l s b el o w a p r edeter m ined l ev el .
Th e f o r eg o ing step s m ay b e c yc l ic al l y r ep eated.
I n a f u r th er asp ec t, a p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c
tio n w el l s ar e l o c ated in sp ac ed-ap ar t p ar al l el p o sitio ns
w ith in th e l o w er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir . A p l u r al ity o f
v er tic al inj ec tio n w el l s ar e l o c ated in th e u p p er p o r tio n
o f th e r eser v o ir , o ne su c h inj ec to r w el l b eing p o sitio ned
inter m ediar y o f eac h p air o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n
w el l s. O x yg en-enr ic h ed g as is inj ec ted do w n eac h o f th e
inj ec tio n w el l s into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir .
Th e g as inj ec ted do w n eac h v er tic al inj ec to r w el l and
into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir is ig nited to
c r eate a c o m b u stio n z o ne th at r edu c es th e v isc o sity o f
o il in th e r eser v o ir as th e c o m b u stio n z o ne adv anc es
do w nw ar dl y to w ar d th e p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c
tio n w el l s, su c h r edu c ed v isc o sity o il dr aining into th e
p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s u nder f o r c e o f
g r av ity.
I n a stil l f u r th er asp ec t, a p l u r al ity o f v ent w el l s ar e
l o c ated in th e r eser v o ir s, a p air o f su c h v ent w el l s b eing
p o sitio ned inter m ediar y o f eac h p air o f h o r iz o ntal p r o
du c tio n w el l s and o n o p p o site sides o f o ne o f th e inter
m ediar y inj ec to r w el l s.
5, 211, 230
3
BRI EFD ESCRI PTI O N O FTHED RAWI N GS
FI G. 1 il l u str ates th e in-situ c o m b u stio n m eth o d o f
th e p r esent inv entio n w ith a v er tic al inj ec to r w el l , a
h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l and a p air o f v ent w el l s.
FI G. 2 il l u str ates th e in-situ c o m b u stio n m eth o d o f
th e p r esent inv entio n as b eing c ar r ied o u t w ith a p l u r al
ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s w ith inter m ediar y
v er tic al inj ec to r w el l s and v ent w el l s.
D ESCRI PTI O N O FTHEPREFERRED
EMBO D I MEN T
FI G. 1 sh o w s th e p r ef er r ed w el l p atter n f o r c ar r ying
o u t th e in-situ c o m b u stio n m eth o d o f th e p r esent inv en
tio n f o r r ec o v er y o f h eav y v isc o u s o il s. A h o r iz o ntal
p r o du c tio n w el l is l o c ated al o ng th e l o w er p o r tio n o f a
h eav y v isc o u s o il -c o ntaining r eser v o ir 11. A v er tic al
inj ec to r w el l 12 ex tends to th e u p p er p o r tio n o f th e
r eser v o ir 11. A p air o f v ent w el l s 13 and 14 al so ex tend
into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f r eser v o ir 11.
Air o r o x yg en is inj ec ted do w n th e v er tic al inj ec tio n
w el l 12 and th e u p p er p ar t o f th e r eser v o ir at th e l o w er
end o f th e inj ec to r w el l 12 is ig nited in c o nv entio nal
m anner , su c h as u sing standar d do w nh o l e b u r ner s. An
in-situ c o m b u stio n z o ne 15 sp r eads o v er th e to p o f th e
r eser v o ir ab o v e th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l 10. Th e
h eat g ener ated b y su c h c o m b u stio n p r o c ess, w h er e
tem p er atu r es c o u l d r eac h 2000 F. , is c o ndu c ted do w n
w ar d, th er eb y r edu c ing th e v isc o sity o f th e in-situ
h eav y v isc o u s o il in th e r eser v o ir 11. Th is in~situ c o m
b u stio n p r o c ess takes adv antag e o f th e g r av ity dr ainag e
m ec h anism to dr ain th e h eated h eav y v isc o u s o il into
th e h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l 10 in th e l o w er p o r tio n
o f th e r eser v o ir 11.
Af ter th e c o m b u stio n z o ne 15 h as b een ig nited, th e
f o l l o w ing p r o c ess is o p er ated in a c yc l ic al m o de. Air o r
o x yg en is inj ec ted do w n inj ec tio n w el l 12 and th e r eser
v o ir 11 is p r essu r iz ed u p w h il e th e h eav y v isc o u s o il is
p r o du c ed th r o u g h h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l 10. O x y
g en c o nc entr atio n and am o u nt o f ?u e g as in th e h o r i
z o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l is m o nito r ed and, o nc e it ex
c eeds a p r edeter m ined o x yg en l ev el , su c h as S Mo l ar
p er c ent f o r ex am p l e, th e o x yg en inj ec tio n is ter m inated
and th e v ent w el l s 13 and 14 ar e o p ened b y su itab l e
v al v es ( no t sh o w n) to r el iev e th e r eser v o ir 11 f r o m
th ese g ases. Th is w il l el im inate th e v ap o r l o c king o f th e
h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l 10 and al so el im inate th e
c o r r o sio n in th e tu b u l ar s. O nc e o x yg en l ev el s in th e
v ent w el l s 13 and 14 inc r ease, as m easu r ed b y r o u tine
c h r o m ato g r ap h ic tec h niq u es, to a l ev el o f 5 Mo l ar p er
c ent f o r ex am p l e, th ey ar e sh u t in and th e r eser v o ir 11 is
al l o w ed to c o nsu m e th e r em aining o x yg en. Th en, w h en
th e r eser v o ir p r essu r e, as m easu r ed b y r o u tine m eth o ds,
f al l s b el o w a p r edeter m ined l ev el , su c h as 25% o f av er
ag e r eser v o ir p r essu r e f o r ex am p l e, o x yg en inj ec tio n
th r o u g h th e v er tic al inj ec to r w el l 12 is r esu m ed. Th is
c yc l ic al o p er atio n is c o ntinu ed u ntil a 6 0-8 0% r ec o v er y
o f th e h ydr o c ar b o ns in p l ac e is r eal iz ed.
FI G. 2 il l u str ates th e in-situ c o m b u stio n m eth o d o f
th e p r esent inv entio n as b eing c ar r ied o u t w ith a p l u r al
ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s 20 sp ac ed ap ar t in th e
l o w er p o r tio n o f th e r eser v o ir 11 and a' p l u r al ity o f
v er tic al inj ec to r w el l s 21 and v ent w el l s 22 sp ac ed at
inter m ediar y p o sitio ns b etw een eac h o f th e h o r iz o ntal
p r o du c tio n w el l s 20 so as to p r o v ide f o r a m o r e ef f ec tiv e
r ec o v er y o f h eav y v isc o u s o il in a r eser v o ir .
Wh il e th e f o r eg o ing h as desc r ib ed a p r ef er r ed em
b o dim ent o f th e p r esent inv entio n, it is to b e u nder sto o d
20
25
30
35
50
55
6 5
4
th at v ar io u s m o di?c atio ns o r c h ang es m ay b e m ade
w ith o u t dep ar ting f r o m th e sp ir it and sc o p e o f th e in
v entio n as set f o r th in th e ap p ended c l aim s.
We c l aim :
1. A m eth o d f o r th e enh anc ed r ec o v er y o f a h eav y
v isc o u s o il f r o m a su b ter r anean, o il -b ear ing r eser v o ir ,
c o m p r ising th e step s o f :
a) l o c ating at l east o ne h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l in
a l o w er p o r tio n o f said r eser v o ir ,
b ) l o c ating at l east o ne v er tic al inj ec to r w el l in an
u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser v o ir .
l o c ating at l east o ne v ent w el l in said r eser v o ir ,
d) inj ec ting an o x yg en-enr ic h ed g as do w n said inj ec
to r w el l into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser v o ir .
e) ig niting said g as in th e u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser
v o ir to c r eate a c o m b u stio n z o ne th at r edu c es th e
v isc o sity o f o il in said r eser v o ir as said c o m b u stio n
z o ne adv anc es do w nw ar dl y to w ar d said h o r iz o ntal
p r o du c tio n w el l , said r edu c ed v isc o sity o il dr aining
into said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l u nder f o r c e o f
g r av ity,
f ) m o nito r ing o x yg en c o nc entr atio n and ?u e g as in
said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l ,
ter m inating g as inj ec tio n into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f
said r eser v o ir and v enting th e o x yg en and ?u e g as
f r o m th e r eser v o ir th r o u g h said v ent w el l w h en a
p r edeter m ined am o u nt o f o x yg en is m o nito r ed in
step
1) w ith in said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l ,
h ) m o nito r ing o x yg en c o nc entr atio n in said v ent w el l ,
i) sh u tting in said v ent w el l w h en a p r edeter m ined
am o u nt o f o x yg en is m o nito r ed in step h ) w ith in
said v ent w el l , th er eb y al l o w ing th e r eser v o ir to
c o nsu m e r em aining o x yg en in th e r eser v o ir ,
j ) m o nito r ing r eser v o ir p r essu r e,
k) r einj ec ting said o x yg en-enr ic h ed g as do w n said
inj ec tio n w el l w h en th e m o nito r ed r eser v o ir p r es
su r e f al l s b el o w a p r edeter m ined l ev el , and
l ) r ep eating step s t) k) .
2. A m eth o d f o r th e enh anc ed r ec o v er y o f a h eav y
v isc o u s o il f r o m a su b ter r anean, o il -b ear ing r eser v o ir ,
c o m p r ising th e step s o f :
a) l o c ating a p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s
in sp ac ed-ap ar t p ar al l el p o sitio ns w ith in a l o w er
p o r tio n o f said r eser v o ir ,
b ) l o c ating a p l u r al ity o f v er tic al inj ec tio n w el l s in an
u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser v o ir , o ne su c h inj ec to r
w el l b eing p o sitio ned inter m ediar y o f eac h p air o f
said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s,
c ) l o c ating a p l u r al ity o f v ent w el l s in said r eser v o ir ,
a p air o f su c h v ent w el l s b eing p o sitio ned inter m e
diar y o f eac h p air o f said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n
w el l s and o n o p p o site sides o f o ne o f said inter m e
diar y inj ec tio n w el l s,
d) inj ec ting o x yg en-enr ic h ed g as do w n eac h o f said
inj ec to r w el l s into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser
v o ir , and
e) ig niting said g as inj ec ted do w n eac h o f said v er tic al
inj ec to r w el l s and in th e u p p er p o r tio n o f said r es
er v o ir to c r eate a c o m b u stio n z o ne th at r edu c es th e
v isc o sity o f o il in said r eser v o ir as said c o m b u stio n
z o ne adv anc es do w nw ar dl y to w ar d said h o r iz o ntal
p r o du c tio n w el l s, su c h r edu c ed v isc o sity o il dr ain
ing into said p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n
w el l s u nder f o r c e o f g r av ity,
f ) m o nito r ing o x yg en c o nc entr atio n and ?u e g as in
said p l u r al ity o f h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s,
5, 211, 230
5
g ) ter m inating g as inj ec tio n do w n said p l u r al ity o f
inj ec tio n w el l s into th e u p p er p o r tio n o f said r eser
v o ir and v enting th e o x yg en and f l u e g as f r o m th e
r eser v o ir th r o u g h said p l u r al ity o f v ent w el l s w h en
a p r edeter m ined am o u nt o f o x yg en is m o nito r ed in
step t) w ith in said h o r iz o ntal p r o du c tio n w el l s,
h ) m o nito r ing o x yg en c o nc entr atio n in said p l u r al ity
o f v ent w el l s,
i) sh u tting in said p l u r al ity o f v ent w el l s w h en a p r e
deter m ined am o u nt o f o x yg en is m o nito r ed in step
15
25
30
35
4 5
50
55
6 5
6
h ) w ith said v ent w el l s, th er eb y al l o w ing th e r eser
v o ir to c o nsu m e r em aining o x yg en in th e r eser v o ir ,
j ) m o nito r ing r eser v o ir p r essu r e,
k) r einj ec ting said o x yg en-enr ic h ed g as do w n said
p l u r al ity o f inj ec tio n w el l s w h en th e m o nito r ed
r eser v o ir p r essu r e f al l s b el o w a p r edeter m ined
l ev el , and
l ) r ep eating step s Q -k) .
t t i