Patent · US Active

Side-well injection and gravity thermal recovery processes

US9845668B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
12References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 6, 2013
Grant dateDec 19, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 6, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/305
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

Methods and systems relate to recovering hydrocarbons with an injection well placed at a bottom of a reservoir some horizontal distance from a producer, such that the injection well and producer may both be in a common horizontal plane. For some embodiments, the process includes co-injection of steam with a non-condensable gas, such as methane, ethane, propane, carbon dioxide, combustion products and combinations thereof. The non-condensable gas provides additional solution gas drive while the location of the injection well beside, instead of above, the producer increases production time before a steam chamber reaches a top of the reservoir, increasing thermal and recovery efficiency of the process.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.