IP Library Granted Patent US 11,773,704
Granted Patent B2
US 11,773,704 · App. 17/157,209 · Granted Oct 3, 2023

Methods for tight oil production through secondary recovery using spaced producer and injector wellbores

Inventor: Xuebing Fu (Casper, WY)
E21B43/162E21B43/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,773,704
App. No.
17/157,209
Granted
Oct 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some methods of production hydrocarbons from a formation comprise drilling two or more horizontal wellbores in the formation, at least a portion of each extending in a direction that is within 20 degrees of parallel to a direction of maximum horizontal stress of the formation. The horizontal wellbores can include one or more producer wellbores and one or more injector wellbores, each of the producer wellbore(s) separated from at least one of the injector wellbore(s) by a formation-permeability-dependent well spacing. Some comprise comprising creating one or more longitudinal fractures that are in communication with the formation in each of the horizontal wellbores, injecting a recovery fluid comprising gas into at least one of the injector wellbore(s) such that the recovery fluid flows into the formation, and receiving hydrocarbons from the formation into at least one of the producer wellbore(s).

Claims (52)

1. A method of producing hydrocarbons from a formation, the method comprising:

drilling two or more horizontal wellbores in the formation, wherein:

at least a portion of each of the horizontal wellbores extends in a direction that is within 20 degrees of parallel to a direction of maximum horizontal stress of the formation; and

the horizontal wellbores include one or more producer wellbores and one or more injector wellbores, each of the producer wellbore(s) separated from at least one of the injector wellbore(s) by a well spacing that is within 10% of

1

.

5

2

9

k

Δ

p

T

(

1

-

S

w

)

μ

 in feet, wherein k is an average permeability of the formation in millidarcies (mD), Δp is a differential between a target production pressure and a target injection pressure in pounds per square inch, T is between 0.5 and 20 years, ∅ is an effective porosity of the formation, S w is a water saturation of the formation, and μ equals a viscosity of the hydrocarbons in the formation in centipoise (cP) plus a viscosity of a recovery fluid in cP divided by two;

creating one or more longitudinal fractures that are in communication with the formation in each of the horizontal wellbores;

injecting the recovery fluid into at least one of the injector wellbore(s) so the recovery fluid flows into the formation and a pressure within the injector wellbore is within 20% of the target injection pressure, wherein the recovery fluid comprises gas; and

receiving hydrocarbons from the formation into at least one of the producer wellbore(s), wherein a pressure within the producer wellbore is within 20% of the target production pressure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more producer wellbores comprise two or more producer wellbores, wherein for each of the producer wellbores a distance between the producer wellbore and at least one of the injector wellbore(s) is less than a distance between the producer wellbore and each other of the producer wellbores; and/or

the one or more injector wellbores comprise two or more injector wellbores, wherein for each of the injector wellbores a distance between the injector wellbore and at least one of the producer wellbore(s) is less than a distance between the injector wellbore and each other of the injector wellbores.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the producer wellbore(s) is spaced apart from each of the injector wellbore(s) by a distance that is greater than or equal to the well spacing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the well spacing is less than or equal to 900 feet.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the average permeability of the formation is less than or substantially equal to 0.10 mD.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a depth of each of the horizontal wellbores is within 5% of a depth of each other of the horizontal wellbores.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein drilling is performed so at least two of the horizontal wellbores extend from a common vertical wellbore.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the producer wellbore(s) or at least one of the injector wellbore(s) has a length that is at least 10% shorter than a length of another one of the horizontal wellbores.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises methane, ethane, propane, butane, carbon dioxide, and/or nitrogen.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more producer wellbores comprise two or more producer wellbores;

drilling is performed so:

a first one of the producer wellbores is spaced apart from a second one of the producer wellbores by a distance that is at least 150% of the well spacing;

a first one of the injector wellbore(s) is spaced apart from each of the first and second producer wellbores by the well spacing; and

the first injector wellbore is:

drilled in the formation at least one year after the first and second producer wellbores are each drilled in the formation; and

positioned closer to the first producer wellbore and to the second producer wellbore than is the first producer wellbore to the second producer wellbore; and

receiving hydrocarbons from the formation includes receiving hydrocarbons into the first and second producer wellbores before the first injector wellbore is drilled in the formation.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY TYPE: APPLICATION NO. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 065255 FRAME: 0383. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 2, 2023
From: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065447/0250 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY TYPE: APPLICATION NO. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 065268 FRAME: 0033. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 2, 2023
From: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065447/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2023
From: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065268/0033 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2023
From: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065255/0383 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63002569 · Mar 31, 2020
Provisional Application 62965169 · Jan 24, 2020
Related Publication 20210230989A1 · Jul 29, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,203,346