Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface
AssigneeCDX Gas, L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company
InventorJoseph A. Zupanick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with a drainage pattern that intersects a horizontal cavity well. The drainage patterns provide access to a large subterranean area from the surface while the vertical cavity well allows entrained water, hydrocarbons, and other deposits to be efficiently removed and/or produced.
Claims65
A method for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface, comprising:
- drilling a substantially vertical well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone;
- drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore horizontally offset from the substantially vertical well bore at the surface and intersecting the substantially vertical well bore at a junction proximate to the subterranean zone;
- and
- drilling through the articulated well bore a substantially horizontal drainage pattern from the junction into the subterranean zone.
A system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface, comprising:
- a substantially vertical well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone;
- an articulated well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore horizontally offset from the substantially vertical well bore at the surface and intercepting the substantially vertical well bore at a junction proximate to the subterranean zone;
- and
- a substantially horizontal drainage pattern extending from the junction into the subterranean zone.
A substantially horizontal subterranean drainage pattern for accessing an area of a subterranean zone from the surface, comprising:
- a substantially horizontal diagonal well bore extending from a surface well bore defining a first end of the area in the subterranean zone to a distant end of the area;
- a first set of substantially horizontal lateral well bores extending in space relation to each other from the diagonal well bore to the periphery of the area on a first side of the diagonal well bore;
- and
- a second set of substantially horizontal lateral well bores extending in space relation to each other from the diagonal well bore to the periphery of the area on a second, opposite side of the diagonal.
A structure for accessing a region of a subterranean zone, comprising:
- a first substantially vertical well bore substantially defining an end of the first area in the region;
- a second substantially vertical well bore substantially defining an end of a second area in the region adjacent to the first area;
- an articulated well bore including a first portion intersecting the first substantially vertical well bore at a first junction and a second portion intersecting the second substantially vertical well bore at a second junction;
- a first substantially horizontal diagonal well bore extending from the first junction in line with the first portion of the articulated well bore to a distant end of the first area;
- a second substantially horizontal diagonal well bore extending from the second junction in line with the second portion of the articulated well bore to a distant end of the second area;
- and
- each diagonal well bore comprising a plurality of substantially horizontal lateral well bores extending from the diagonal well bore to a periphery of the area containing the diagonal well bore.
A method for forming a subterranean drainage pattern for accessing an area of a subterranean zone from the surface, comprising:
- drilling through an articulated well bore a substantially horizontal diagonal well bore between opposite ends of the area in the subterranean zone;
- inclining the substantially horizontal diagonal well bore at each of the plurality of lateral points;
- and
- after drilling the diagonal well bore with an articulated drill string, backing the articulated drill string back to each successive lateral point and from the lateral point drilling a first lateral well bore to the periphery of the area on the first side of the diagonal well bore and a second lateral well bore to the periphery of the area on the second side of the diagonal well bore.
A method for preparing a subterranean zone for mining, comprising:
- drilling a substantially vertical well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone;
- drilling an articulated well bore from the surface to the subterranean zone, the articulated well bore horizontally offset from the substantially vertical well bore at the surface and intercepting the substantially vertical well bore at a junction proximate to the subterranean zone;
- drilling through the articulated well bore a substantially horizontal drainage pattern from the junction into the subterranean zone;
- drainage water from the subterranean zone through the drainage pattern into the junction;
- pumping the water from the junction to the surface through the substantially vertical well bore;
- and
- producing gas from the subterranean zone through at least one of the substantially vertical and articulated well bores.
A cavity well pump comprising:
- a well bore portion having an inlet operable to draw well fluid from a subterranean cavity;
- and
- a cavity positioning device coupled to the well bore portion, the cavity positioning device operable to extend from a first position to a second position within the subterranean cavity to position the inlet at a predefined location within the subterranean cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.