Recovery From A Hydrocarbon Reservoir
OwnerGeorge R. Scott, Russell M. Baconinventors
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Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for improving production of hydrocarbon resources. A method for improving recovery from a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir includes drilling a well comprising a horizontal segment through a reservoir interval and installing a pipe string in the horizontal well segment, wherein the pipe string comprises a plurality of screen assemblies. Each of the plurality of screen assemblies is located and a hole is drilled in the pipe string at a portion of the plurality of screen assemblies. Each hole is drilled at a desired orientation to a radial axis of the drill string.
Claims23
A method for improving recovery from a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir, comprising:
- drilling a well comprising a horizontal segment through a reservoir interval;
- installing a pipe string in the horizontal well segment, wherein the pipe string comprises a plurality of screen assemblies;
- locating each of the plurality of screen assemblies;
- and
- drilling a hole in the pipe string at a portion of the plurality of screen assemblies, wherein each hole is drilled at a desired orientation to a radial axis of the drill string.
A system for improving the recovery of resources from a reservoir, comprising:
- a reservoir;
- a horizontal well drilled through the reservoir, wherein the horizontal well comprises a plurality of pipe joints that have a screen assembly mounted thereon;
- a detection apparatus configured to locate a screen assembly on a pipe joint;
- and
- a drilling device configured to drill a hole in a pipe joint at a selected orientation to the vertical.
A method for harvesting hydrocarbons from an oil sands reservoir, comprising:
- drilling a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) well pair through the oil sands reservoir;
- placing a pipe string in each of the wells of the SAGD well pair, wherein the pipe string comprises a plurality of screen assemblies, and wherein the pipe string has no holes prior to placement;
- selecting a portion of the screen assemblies at which to drill holes in a base pipe underneath the screen assembly;
- drilling the holes at a selected orientation to the radial axis of the base pipe;
- injecting steam into an injection well in the SAGD well pair;
- and
- producing fluids from a production well in the SAGD well pair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.