Polymer enhanced foams for reducing gas coning
AssigneeMarathon Oil Company
InventorRobert D. Sydansk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is provided for reducing the inhibiting effect of gas coning on liquid hydrocarbon production into a production wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation having a gas cap overlying a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone in fluid communication with the gas cap. A polymer enhanced foam containing a polymer, an aqueous solvent, a surfactant, and a gas is placed in gas-permeable anomalies or matrix between the production wellbore and gas cap, thereby effectively blocking the downward flow of gas from the gas cap to the production wellbore and enabling desirable liquid hydrocarbons to more readily enter the wellbore for production to the surface.
Claims20
A process for reducing gas coning into a liquid hydrocarbon production wellbore of a subterranean formation, wherein said wellbore penetrates a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone of said formation in fluid communication with an overlying gas cap, the process comprising:
- placing a polymer enhanced foam in a gas flowpath between said gas cap and said wellbore, wherein said foam comprises a substantially uncrosslinked polymer, a surfactant, an aqueous solvent, and a foaming gas, and wherein said foam substantially blocks the flow of gas cap gas through said flowpath into said wellbore.
A process for reducing gas coning into a liquid hydrocarbon production wellbore of a subterranean formation, wherein said wellbore penetrates a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone of said formation in fluid communication with an overlying gas cap, the process comprising:
- formulating a polymer enhanced foam comprising a substantially uncrosslinked polymer, a surfactant, an aqueous solvent, and a foaming gas by premixing said polymer, surfactant, and solvent to form a liquid phase and combining said liquid phase with said foaming gas to formulate said foam;
- injecting said foam into said formation via said production wellbore;
- and
- placing said foam in a gas flowpath between said gas cap and said wellbore, wherein said foam substantially blocks the flow of gas cap gas through said flowpath into said wellbore.
A process for reducing gas coning into a liquid hydrocarbon production wellbore of a subterranean formation, wherein said wellbore penetrates a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone of said formation in fluid communication with an overlying gas cap, the process comprising:
- premixing a substantially uncrosslinked polymer, a surfactant, and an aqueous solvent to form a liquid phase;
- injecting said liquid phase into said formation;
- combining said liquid phase in said formation with a gas cap gas flowing through said formation from said gas cap to form a polymer enhanced foam;
- and
- placing said foam in a gas flowpath between said gas cap and said wellbore, wherein said foam substantially blocks the flow of gas cap gas through said flowpath into said wellbore.
A process for reducing gas coning into a liquid hydrocarbon production wellbore of a subterranean formation, wherein said wellbore penetrates a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone of said formation in fluid communication with an overlying gas cap, the process comprising:
- placing a polymer enhanced foam in a gas flowpath between said gas cap and said wellbore, wherein said foam consists essentially of a substantially uncrosslinked polymer, a surfactant, an aqueous solvent, and a foaming gas and wherein said foam substantially blocks the flow of gas cap gas through said flowpath into said wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.