US20100101791A1 - Enhanced crude oil recovery method and system - Google Patents
Enhanced crude oil recovery method and system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20100101791A1 US20100101791A1 US12/565,630 US56563009A US2010101791A1 US 20100101791 A1 US20100101791 A1 US 20100101791A1 US 56563009 A US56563009 A US 56563009A US 2010101791 A1 US2010101791 A1 US 2010101791A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- steam injection
- steam
- section
- conduit
- well
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 14
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 13
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 6
- 238000010793 Steam injection (oil industry) Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 89
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000007795 chemical reaction product Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000004907 flux Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000003628 erosive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005260 corrosion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007797 corrosion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- E21B43/24—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons using heat, e.g. steam injection
Definitions
- the invention relates to an enhanced crude oil recovery method and system, wherein steam is injected into a crude oil containing underground formation for enhancing crude oil production therefrom.
- a disadvantage of the known system is that the radial steam injection holes and surrounding blank section of the well liner are prone to erosion and corrosion by the flux of hot steam, in particular if the steam injection conduit is not co-axial to the well liner, and that it is difficult to maintain a substantially equal steam flux through each of the holes at varying conditions.
- an enhanced crude oil recovery method comprising:
- the steam injection conduit may be substantially coaxial to a surrounding at least partially permeable well liner such that an substantially annular space is present between the conduit and liner, in which space an annular seal may be arranged at a location between the wellhead and the gradually widening steam injection channels.
- a steam injection system comprising gradually widening steam injection channels traversing the wall of a steam injection conduit, which is configured to be retrievably arranged within a steam injection well and to inject steam into a formation surrounding the well.
- Each gradually widening steam injection channel preferably comprises:
- FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a steam injection well, which is equipped with steam injection system according to the invention.
- FIG. 1 shows a steam injection well 1 , which comprises a substantially horizontal lower section that traverses a viscous crude oil containing underground formation 2 .
- the depicted lower section of the well 1 comprises a at least partially permeable well liner 3 , which comprises a series of perforations 4 and contains a retrievable steam injection conduit 5 .
- the conduit 5 comprises a series of gradually expanding steam injection channels 6 for conveying steam from the interior of the steam injection conduit 5 into the annular space 7 between the steam injection conduit 5 and well liner 3 .
- the steam injection channels 6 are arranged in thick walled sections 5 A of the steam injection conduit 5 , which each have a smaller internal width than adjacent large diameter sections 5 B and 5 C of the steam injection conduit.
- Each steam injection channel 6 comprises a longitudinal tubular inflow section 6 A, which is drilled from an end face 9 of the thick walled section 5 A through the wall of the thick walled section 5 A in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 8 of the steam injection conduit 5 .
- a steam injection nozzle 6 B is inserted within each longitudinal tubular inflow section 6 A.
- Each steam injection channel 6 furthermore comprises and an inclined expansion section 6 C, which provides a steam expansion chamber and which is machined from the outer surface of the thick walled section 5 B such that a central axis 10 of the expansion section 6 C intersects a central axis 11 of the longitudinal tubular inflow section 6 A at an acute angle ⁇ .
- Each expansion section 6 C has a central axis 10 which is intersects or crosses the longitudinal axis 8 of the steam injection conduit 5 at an acute angle ⁇ between 6 and 60 degrees.
- the steam injection conduit 5 is substantially coaxial to the well liner 3 so that the longitudinal axis 8 of the steam injection conduit 5 substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the well liner 3 .
- the steam injection nozzle is oriented substantially co-axial to the longitudinal axis 8 of the steam injection conduit 5 and the angle ⁇ is shown as the angle between the central axis 11 of the steam injection nozzle and the central axis 10 of the expansion section 6 C of each steam injection channel 6 .
- a seal 12 is arranged in the substantially annular space 7 between the steam injection conduit 5 and the well liner 3 at a location between the wellhead (not shown) and the series of gradually widening injection channels 6 .
- additional seals are arranged in the annular space 7 between adjacent steam injection channels 6 .
- the expansion section 6 C may be arranged within a blank section of the well liner 3 , such that steam is injected at an acute angle ⁇ into the annular space between expansion section 6 C and the well liner 3 and is then deflected to perforations 4 in the well liner 3 , that are surrounded by sandscreens (not shown), through which the steam is injected from the annular space into the surrounding formation 2 .
Abstract
An enhanced crude oil recovery method comprises:
-
- injecting steam into a steam injection conduit (5) which is retrievably arranged in a steam injection well (1);
- inducing the steam to flow from the interior of steam injection conduit (5) through gradually widening steam injection channels (6) traversing the wall of the conduit (5) into the surrounding formation (2); and
- producing crude oil heated by the injected steam from the formation (2).
Description
- This application claims priority to European Patent Application 08164817.2 filed Sep. 22, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
- The invention relates to an enhanced crude oil recovery method and system, wherein steam is injected into a crude oil containing underground formation for enhancing crude oil production therefrom.
- Such a method and system are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,510. In the system known from this prior art reference a steam injection conduit with radial steam injection holes is arranged within a blank section of a well liner, such that steam is injected radially into the annular space between the steam injection conduit and the well liner and is then deflected to perforated sections of the well liner, that are surrounded by sandscreens, through which the steam is injected from the annular space into the surrounding formation.
- A disadvantage of the known system is that the radial steam injection holes and surrounding blank section of the well liner are prone to erosion and corrosion by the flux of hot steam, in particular if the steam injection conduit is not co-axial to the well liner, and that it is difficult to maintain a substantially equal steam flux through each of the holes at varying conditions.
- It is an object of the present invention to alleviate these disadvantages and to provide a retrievable and reconfigurable steam injection system and method in which steam injection channels can be configured such that erosion of the channels is reduced and such that an accurately determined and constant flux of steam can be injected through the channels into the surrounding formation.
- In accordance with the invention there is provided an enhanced crude oil recovery method, comprising:
-
- injecting steam into a steam injection conduit which is retrievably arranged in a steam injection well;
- inducing the steam to flow from the interior of steam injection conduit through gradually widening steam injection channels traversing the wall of the conduit into the surrounding formation; and
- producing crude oil heated by the injected steam from the formation.
- The steam injection conduit may be substantially coaxial to a surrounding at least partially permeable well liner such that an substantially annular space is present between the conduit and liner, in which space an annular seal may be arranged at a location between the wellhead and the gradually widening steam injection channels.
- In accordance with the invention there is furthermore provided a steam injection system comprising gradually widening steam injection channels traversing the wall of a steam injection conduit, which is configured to be retrievably arranged within a steam injection well and to inject steam into a formation surrounding the well.
- Each gradually widening steam injection channel preferably comprises:
-
- a tubular inflow section in which a tubular steam injection nozzle is arranged; and
- an expansion section, which intersects the tubular inflow section and provides a steam expansion chamber for conveying steam from the nozzle into a space between the outer surface of the steam injection conduit and the inner surface of a at least partially permeable well liner which is arranged within the steam injection well.
- It is furthermore preferred that:
-
- each gradually widening steam injection channel is arranged in a side pocket in a thick walled section of the steam injection conduit, which has a smaller internal width than adjacent sections of the steam injection conduit;
- the tubular inflow section of each steam injection channel is drilled from an end face of the thick walled section through the wall of the thick walled section in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit;
- the expansion section of each steam injection channel is machined from the outer surface of the thick walled section such that it intersects the tubular inflow section; and
- the expansion section has a central axis which intersects or crosses the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit at an acute angle between 6 and 60 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.
- These and other features, embodiments and advantages of the method and/or system according to the invention are described in the accompanying claims, abstract and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which reference numerals are used which refer to corresponding reference numerals that are shown in the drawing.
-
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a steam injection well, which is equipped with steam injection system according to the invention. -
FIG. 1 shows asteam injection well 1, which comprises a substantially horizontal lower section that traverses a viscous crude oil containingunderground formation 2. - The depicted lower section of the
well 1 comprises a at least partiallypermeable well liner 3, which comprises a series ofperforations 4 and contains a retrievablesteam injection conduit 5. - The
conduit 5 comprises a series of gradually expandingsteam injection channels 6 for conveying steam from the interior of thesteam injection conduit 5 into the annular space 7 between thesteam injection conduit 5 andwell liner 3. Thesteam injection channels 6 are arranged in thickwalled sections 5A of thesteam injection conduit 5, which each have a smaller internal width than adjacentlarge diameter sections steam injection channel 6 comprises a longitudinaltubular inflow section 6A, which is drilled from anend face 9 of the thick walledsection 5A through the wall of the thick walledsection 5A in a direction substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis 8 of thesteam injection conduit 5. - A
steam injection nozzle 6B is inserted within each longitudinaltubular inflow section 6A. - Each
steam injection channel 6 furthermore comprises and aninclined expansion section 6C, which provides a steam expansion chamber and which is machined from the outer surface of the thick walledsection 5B such that acentral axis 10 of theexpansion section 6C intersects acentral axis 11 of the longitudinaltubular inflow section 6A at an acute angle α. - Each
expansion section 6C has acentral axis 10 which is intersects or crosses thelongitudinal axis 8 of thesteam injection conduit 5 at an acute angle α between 6 and 60 degrees. In the embodiment shown thesteam injection conduit 5 is substantially coaxial to thewell liner 3 so that thelongitudinal axis 8 of thesteam injection conduit 5 substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of thewell liner 3. In the embodiment shown the steam injection nozzle is oriented substantially co-axial to thelongitudinal axis 8 of thesteam injection conduit 5 and the angle α is shown as the angle between thecentral axis 11 of the steam injection nozzle and thecentral axis 10 of theexpansion section 6C of eachsteam injection channel 6. Aseal 12 is arranged in the substantially annular space 7 between thesteam injection conduit 5 and thewell liner 3 at a location between the wellhead (not shown) and the series of gradually wideninginjection channels 6. Optionally additional seals are arranged in the annular space 7 between adjacentsteam injection channels 6. - Optionally the
expansion section 6C may be arranged within a blank section of thewell liner 3, such that steam is injected at an acute angle α into the annular space betweenexpansion section 6C and thewell liner 3 and is then deflected toperforations 4 in thewell liner 3, that are surrounded by sandscreens (not shown), through which the steam is injected from the annular space into the surroundingformation 2.
Claims (10)
1. An enhanced crude oil recovery method, comprising:
injecting steam into a steam injection conduit which is retrievably arranged in a steam injection well;
inducing the steam to flow from the interior of steam injection conduit through gradually widening steam injection channels traversing the wall of the conduit into the surrounding formation; and
producing crude oil heated by the injected steam from the formation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each gradually widening steam injection channel comprises:
a tubular inflow section in which a tubular steam injection nozzle is arranged; and
an expansion section, which provides a steam expansion chamber for conveying steam from the nozzle into a space between the outer surface of the steam injection conduit and the inner surface of a at least partially permeable well liner which is arranged within the steam injection well.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
each gradually widening steam injection channel is arranged in a side pocket in a thick walled section of the steam injection conduit, which has a smaller internal width than adjacent sections of the steam injection conduit;
the tubular inflow section of each steam injection channel is drilled from an end face of the thick walled section through the wall of the thick walled section in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit; and
the expansion section of each steam injection channel is machined from the outer surface of the thick walled section such that it intersects the tubular inflow section.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the expansion section has a central axis which intersects or crosses the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit at an acute angle between 6 and 60 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the steam injection conduit is substantially coaxial to a surrounding at least partially permeable well liner such that a substantially annular space is present between the conduit and liner, in which space an annular seal is arranged at a location between a wellhead of the steam injection well and the gradually widening steam injection channels.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises converting the produced crude oil into a transportation fuel and/or other chemical end products.
7. An enhanced crude oil recovery system comprising gradually widening steam injection channels traversing the wall of a steam injection conduit, which is configured to be retrievably arranged within a steam injection well and to inject steam into a formation surrounding the well.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each gradually widening steam injection channel comprises:
a tubular inflow section in which a tubular steam injection nozzle is arranged; and
a expansion section, which intersects the tubular inflow section and provides a steam expansion chamber for conveying steam from the nozzle into a space between the outer surface of the steam injection conduit and the inner surface of a at least partially permeable well liner which is arranged within the steam injection well.
9. The steam injection system of claim 8 , wherein
each gradually widening steam injection channel is arranged in a side pocket in a thick walled section of the steam injection conduit, which has a smaller internal width than adjacent sections of the steam injection conduit;
the tubular inflow section of each steam injection channel is drilled from an end face of the thick walled section through the wall of the thick walled section in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit; and
the expansion section of each steam injection channel is machined from the outer surface of the thick walled section such that it intersects the tubular inflow section.
10. The steam injection system of claim 9 , wherein the expansion section has a central axis which intersects or crosses the longitudinal axis of the steam injection conduit at an acute angle between 6 and 60 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP08164817 | 2008-09-22 | ||
EP08164817.2 | 2008-09-22 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20100101791A1 true US20100101791A1 (en) | 2010-04-29 |
Family
ID=40032855
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/565,630 Abandoned US20100101791A1 (en) | 2008-09-22 | 2009-09-23 | Enhanced crude oil recovery method and system |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20100101791A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2679148A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA3099721A1 (en) * | 2018-05-10 | 2019-11-14 | Rgl Reservoir Management Inc. | Nozzle for steam injection |
WO2020010449A1 (en) | 2018-07-07 | 2020-01-16 | Rgl Reservoir Management Inc. | Flow control nozzle and system |
US11746625B2 (en) | 2019-02-24 | 2023-09-05 | Variperm Energy Services Inc. | Nozzle for water choking |
US11525336B2 (en) | 2020-01-24 | 2022-12-13 | Variperm Energy Services Inc. | Production nozzle for solvent-assisted recovery |
Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3455382A (en) * | 1967-07-14 | 1969-07-15 | Baker Oil Tools Inc | Injection flow control apparatus for wells |
US4046199A (en) * | 1976-07-06 | 1977-09-06 | Union Oil Company Of California | Steam injection apparatus and method |
US4646828A (en) * | 1985-11-01 | 1987-03-03 | Otis Engineering Corporation | Apparatus for enhanced oil recovery |
US5826655A (en) * | 1996-04-25 | 1998-10-27 | Texaco Inc | Method for enhanced recovery of viscous oil deposits |
US6158510A (en) * | 1997-11-18 | 2000-12-12 | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Steam distribution and production of hydrocarbons in a horizontal well |
US6543539B1 (en) * | 2000-11-20 | 2003-04-08 | Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System | Perforated casing method and system |
US6708763B2 (en) * | 2002-03-13 | 2004-03-23 | Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. | Method and apparatus for injecting steam into a geological formation |
US6962197B2 (en) * | 2000-10-25 | 2005-11-08 | Zinoviy Dmitrievich Khomynets | Bore-hole-jet device for formation testing and a prestarting procedure for said device |
US20080011484A1 (en) * | 2006-07-11 | 2008-01-17 | Schuh Frank J | Horizontal drilling |
US20080169095A1 (en) * | 2007-01-16 | 2008-07-17 | Arnoud Struyk | Downhole steam injection splitter |
-
2009
- 2009-09-18 CA CA2679148A patent/CA2679148A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2009-09-23 US US12/565,630 patent/US20100101791A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3455382A (en) * | 1967-07-14 | 1969-07-15 | Baker Oil Tools Inc | Injection flow control apparatus for wells |
US4046199A (en) * | 1976-07-06 | 1977-09-06 | Union Oil Company Of California | Steam injection apparatus and method |
US4646828A (en) * | 1985-11-01 | 1987-03-03 | Otis Engineering Corporation | Apparatus for enhanced oil recovery |
US5826655A (en) * | 1996-04-25 | 1998-10-27 | Texaco Inc | Method for enhanced recovery of viscous oil deposits |
US6158510A (en) * | 1997-11-18 | 2000-12-12 | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Steam distribution and production of hydrocarbons in a horizontal well |
US6962197B2 (en) * | 2000-10-25 | 2005-11-08 | Zinoviy Dmitrievich Khomynets | Bore-hole-jet device for formation testing and a prestarting procedure for said device |
US6543539B1 (en) * | 2000-11-20 | 2003-04-08 | Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System | Perforated casing method and system |
US6708763B2 (en) * | 2002-03-13 | 2004-03-23 | Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. | Method and apparatus for injecting steam into a geological formation |
US20050150657A1 (en) * | 2002-03-13 | 2005-07-14 | Howard William F. | Method and apparatus for injecting steam into a geological formation |
US20080011484A1 (en) * | 2006-07-11 | 2008-01-17 | Schuh Frank J | Horizontal drilling |
US20080169095A1 (en) * | 2007-01-16 | 2008-07-17 | Arnoud Struyk | Downhole steam injection splitter |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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CA2679148A1 (en) | 2010-03-22 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SHELL OIL COMPANY,TEXAS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DE BOER, SIEKO BEREND;FLAMMA, JAN WILLEM;LAMMERS, GERARD LEENDERT;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20091023 TO 20091102;REEL/FRAME:023742/0226 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |