Thermal hydrocarbon recovery method
AssigneeHusky Oil Operations Limited
InventorGokhan Coskuner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for thermal recovery of hydrocarbon housed in a reservoir comprising injecting a mixture comprising either hydrocarbon and water (for downhole heating) or hydrocarbon and steam (heated at surface) into a wellbore and circulating the heated mixture of hydrocarbon and steam inside the wellbore allowing the heated mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thereby reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbon within the reservoir. The injection of steam facilitates the delivery of more heat to the reservoir due to the latent heat of steam, compared with circulating heated hydrocarbon alone.
Claims34
A thermal hydrocarbon recovery method for producing reservoir hydrocarbon from a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mixture comprising hydrocarbon and water;
- heating the mixture, at surface, to form a heated injection mixture comprising heated hydrocarbon and steam;
- injecting, from the surface, the injection mixture into at least one wellbore positioned inside the reservoir;
- circulating the injection mixture inside the at least one wellbore allowing the injection mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thus reduce the viscosity of the reservoir hydrocarbon, converting at least some of the steam to condensed water;
- allowing the reservoir hydrocarbon and reservoir water to flow into the at least one wellbore and mix with the injection mixture;
- and
- producing to the surface the injection mixture, the condensed steam, the reservoir hydrocarbon and the reservoir water.
A thermal hydrocarbon recovery method for producing reservoir hydrocarbon from a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mixture comprising hydrocarbon and water;
- heating the mixture, at surface, to form a heated injection mixture comprising heated hydrocarbon and steam;
- injecting, from the surface, the injection mixture into at least one horizontal wellbore positioned inside the reservoir;
- circulating the injection mixture inside the at least one horizontal wellbore allowing the injection mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thus reduce the viscosity of the reservoir hydrocarbon, converting at least some of the steam to condensed water;
- allowing the reservoir hydrocarbon and reservoir water to flow into the at least one horizontal wellbore and mix with the injection mixture;
- and
- producing to the surface the injection mixture, the condensed steam, the reservoir hydrocarbon and the reservoir water.
A thermal hydrocarbon recovery method for producing reservoir hydrocarbon from a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mixture comprising hydrocarbon and water;
- heating the mixture, at surface, to form a heated injection mixture comprising heated hydrocarbon and steam;
- injecting, from the surface, the injection mixture into at least one horizontal wellbore positioned inside the reservoir, wherein an injection tube, provided inside the at least one horizontal wellbore and terminating at a toe region of the at least one horizontal wellbore, is used for injecting the injection mixture into the toe region of the at least one horizontal wellbore;
- circulating the injection mixture, through an annulus of the at least one horizontal wellbore, towards a heel region of the at least one horizontal wellbore, inside the at least one horizontal wellbore allowing the injection mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thus reduce the viscosity of the reservoir hydrocarbon, converting at least some of the steam to condensed water;
- allowing the reservoir hydrocarbon and reservoir water to flow into the at least one horizontal wellbore and mix with the injection mixture;
- and
- producing to the surface the injection mixture, the condensed steam, the reservoir hydrocarbon and the reservoir water, wherein a production tube, provided inside the at least one horizontal wellbore and terminating at the heel portion of the at least one horizontal wellbore, is used for producing the injection mixture, the condensed steam, the reservoir hydrocarbon and the reservoir water.
A thermal hydrocarbon recovery method for producing reservoir hydrocarbon from a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mixture comprising hydrocarbon and water;
- injecting, from the surface, the mixture into at least one wellbore positioned inside the reservoir;
- heating the mixture, in the at least one wellbore, to form a heated mixture comprising heated hydrocarbon and steam;
- circulating the heated mixture inside the at least one wellbore allowing the heated mixture to increase the temperature of the reservoir and thus reduce the viscosity of the reservoir hydrocarbon, converting at least some of the steam to condensed water;
- allowing the reservoir hydrocarbon and reservoir water to flow into the at least one wellbore and mix with the heated mixture;
- and
- producing to the surface the heated mixture, the condensed steam, the reservoir hydrocarbon and the reservoir water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.