E - Fixed Constructions – 21 – B
Patent
E - Fixed Constructions
21
B
166/39
E21B 43/24 (2006.01) E21B 43/16 (2006.01) E21B 43/243 (2006.01) E21B 47/06 (2006.01)
Patent
CA 1118341
-16- ABSTRACT A well which is to produce from a heavy oil or tar sands reservoir is thermally stimulated from another well located on the order of 10 to 50 feet away. This adjacent stimulating well can be considered expendable. There are two independent fluid passages in the well, com- municating in the reservoir region with an upper and a lower zone of the reservoir, respectively, for example, through perforations. Fluid communication in the well is sealed off between the passages. A divertant such as water or a dilute aqueous soap solution is pumped out into the upper zone of the reservoir, while a thermal stimu- lating gas (e.g., steam or compressed air which causes combustion) is forced out into the lower zone. This indi- rect thermal stimulation process controls vertical move- ment of steam or combustion gas through the reservoir near the wellbore by flow of the divertant. The producing well has been prepared through underreaming in the reservoir and installation of a screened high-temperature-resistant liner surrounded by a gravel pack. Preferably this well is produced during the indirect thermal stimulation to remove as far as possible the heated heavy oil or tar in the zone stimulated by the expendable well. If it is desired to hydraulically fracture the lower zone in this adjacent well, the upper perforations may also be used, since flow of divertant at this time tends to promote horizontal fracturing relatively low in the formation. This thermal stimulation is continued for a number of days, until the hot zone produced extends beyond the location of the producing well. Thereafter, the adja- cent well preferably is closed off during the course of the frontal thermal drive or the like from remote injec- tion wells. However, such stimulation may be repeated later on if the oil or tar becomes too viscous in the pay zone near the producing well.
335681
Hollingsworth Frank H.
Jenkins George R.
Kirkpatrick John W.
Mower Lawrence N.
Gowling Lafleur Henderson Llp
Standard Oil Company
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