Abstract: Methods for producing hydrocarbons from subterranean reservoirs utilizing a production well having a plurality of fluid-inlet components spaced apart to define a plurality of production-well fluid-inlet zones. An injection fluid comprising a solvent is injected into the reservoir, resulting in a drainage fluid with a liquid phase and a gas phase occupying one or more of the production-well fluid-inflow zones. The production fluid is produced at a production-flow rate via a pump, and the gas phase:liquid phase ratio of the production fluid is modulated by orchestrating variations in the pump speed and one or more of the plurality of fluid-inlet components to prioritize hydraulic communication with a subset of the plurality of production-well fluid-inlet zones.

Abstract: A method of completing an injection well includes determining a volume of recoverable oil in each of a plurality of intervals along the injection well in a reservoir, and determining a target steam flow for respective ones of the intervals to facilitate recovery of the recoverable oil from the intervals. A quantity of steam outlets in devices along the injection well is determined for delivery of the target volume of steam determined for the ones of the intervals. The injection well is completed including steam injection tubing having the determined number of steam outlets for delivery of the target volume of steam to the ones of the intervals.

Abstract: A method of completing an injection well includes determining a volume of recoverable oil in each of a plurality of intervals along the injection well in a reservoir, and determining a target steam flow for respective ones of the intervals to facilitate recovery of the recoverable oil from the intervals. A quantity of steam outlets in devices along the injection well is determined for delivery of the target volume of steam determined for the ones of the intervals. The injection well is completed including steam injection tubing having the determined number of steam outlets for delivery of the target volume of steam to the ones of the intervals.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir. The methods comprise penetrating the subterranean reservoir with a plurality of well pairs that are laterally displaced across a well pad in an array. The methods further comprise operating the plurality of well pairs under a first set of conditions that induce a solvent-concentration gradient, a temperature gradient, or a combination thereof within the subterranean reservoir by: (i) injecting varying concentrations of steam, solvent, or combinations thereof across the array, and (ii) producing hydrocarbons from the reservoir via the plurality of well pairs. The methods further comprise operating the plurality of well pairs under a second set of conditions that delocalize the solvent-concentration gradient, the temperature gradient, or the combination thereof across the array to enhance hydrocarbon production.

Abstract: A process for preparing a well for use in recovery of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is provided. The process includes injecting mobilizing fluid through the well and into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, producing fluids from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation to a surface and directing the fluids into a produced emulsion line coupled to a facility for separation, discontinuing mobilizing fluid injection into the well for preparing the well for well kill, discontinuing directing produced fluids to the produced emulsion line and directing further produced fluids to an additional line as pressure in the well decreases, and pumping the further produced fluids from the additional line into the produced emulsion line for separation at the facility.

Abstract: A process for preparing a well for use in recovery of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is provided. The process includes injecting mobilizing fluid through the well and into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, producing fluids from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation to a surface and directing the fluids into a produced emulsion line coupled to a facility for separation, discontinuing mobilizing fluid injection into the well for preparing the well for well kill, discontinuing directing produced fluids to the produced emulsion line and directing further produced fluids to an additional line as pressure in the well decreases, and pumping the further produced fluids from the additional line into the produced emulsion line for separation at the facility.

Abstract: A coiled tubing injector for running coiled tubing into and out of a well in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, includes a coiled tubing injector head including a base and a gripping mechanism configured to grip the coiled tubing running through the base and to advance and retract the coiled tubing, and a control system. The control system includes a coiled tubing indicator disposed between the gripping mechanism and a blowout preventer coupled to a head of the well, to indicate a change from presence of the coiled tubing to absence of the coiled tubing. The control system also includes a gripping mechanism control coupled to the coiled tubing indicator and operable to stop movement of gripping mechanism, thus discontinuing movement of the coiled tubing in response to the coiled tubing indicator indicating the change from the presence of the coiled tubing to the absence of the coiled tubing.

Abstract: Provided are methods of reducing water consumption in a fracturing operation. The methods can include imaging a geologic formation surrounding a borehole using a downhole tool within the borehole. The method can further include identifying, within the image, fractures conducive to hydrocarbon production; correlating the fractures conducive to hydrocarbon production to fracture zones; and selecting locations of the fracture zones to be hydraulically fractured, wherein the selected locations collectively represent less than the axial length of the borehole, thereby reducing water consumption compared to hydraulic fracturing along an entirety of the axial length.

Abstract: A system for use in hydrocarbon production includes a well that has a wellhead and extends downhole into a reservoir. The wellhead has a passageway that extends through a sidewall thereof. The system includes piping extending from the wellhead at the passageway. A downhole electrical device is disposed downhole in the well. A cable is coupled to the downhole electrical device and includes electrical wires extending from the downhole electrical device, out of the wellhead, through the passageway in the sidewall, and along the piping. A cooling section is disposed along the piping through which the electrical wires pass, and an electrical connector is coupled to the electrical wires for electrical connection thereto such that the wires extend along the cooling section between electrical connector and the wellhead.

Abstract: Downhole tools and method for a well. At least some of the example embodiments are methods of imaging a formation around a first borehole, including: focusing first outbound acoustic energy, launched from a tool with the first borehole, on a volume within the formation spaced away from the first borehole, the focusing creates a first virtual point source (VPS) that creates a first return acoustic energy; receiving the first return acoustic energy from the first VPS at a plurality of seismic sensors; and determining a parameter of the formation between the first VPS and a location of the seismic sensors using the first return acoustic energy.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing hydrocarbons and recovering solvent from a subterranean reservoir that is penetrated by an injection well and a production well, in which a production phase involves injecting solvent (and optionally steam) to mobilize viscous hydrocarbons and a solvent-recovery phase involves non-condensable gas injection. The production phase and the solvent-recovery phase are each defined by an injection profile. The solvent-recovery-phase injection profile is selected: (i) based on the production-phase injection profile, and (ii) to ensure the pressure/temperature conditions in proximity to the production well favor gas-phase solvent recovery.

Abstract: A process for preparing a well for use in subsequent recovery of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation wherein (i) mobilizing fluid is injected into the formation and emulsion fluids are produced to surface and directed to a high-pressure produced emulsion line, reducing pressure in the well, (ii) mobilizing fluid injection is terminated while emulsion production continues at reduced pressure, (iii) redirecting a portion of the reduced-pressure emulsion fluids to an additional low-pressure line instead of the produced emulsion line, and (iv) pumping the portion of the emulsion fluids at an elevated pressure from the additional line into the produced emulsion line.

Abstract: A method of completing an injection well includes determining a volume of recoverable oil in each of a plurality of intervals along the injection well in a reservoir, and determining a target steam flow for respective ones of the intervals to facilitate recovery of the recoverable oil from the intervals. A quantity of steam outlets in devices along the injection well is determined for delivery of the target volume of steam determined for the ones of the intervals. The injection well is completed including steam injection tubing having the determined number of steam outlets for delivery of the target volume of steam to the ones of the intervals.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon recovery process for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation includes preheating a pipe coupling a steam generation facility to a well for injection of steam into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation by controlling heat traces extending along the pipe, directing steam generated at the steam generation facility, through the pipe after preheating, and injecting the steam into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation via the well, and controlling heat input to the pipe by controlling the heat traces extending along the pipe as the steam travels through the pipe. Fluids are produced from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for analyzing geological features of a reservoir, such as a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir undergoing changes during different stages of its production, by utilizing an artificial neural network to learn from hydrocarbon reservoir production project. In an aspect, there is provide a system and method for utilizing data collected from 4D seismic studies in order to train an artificial neural network to recognize how physical properties of a hydrocarbon reservoir change over time, as the hydrocarbon reservoir is produced. In an embodiment, the system and method are adapted to generate and obtain a plurality of image slices or image planes derived from a 3D seismic baseline and at least one monitor acquired over the course production of the hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: Methods for producing hydrocarbons from subterranean reservoirs utilize a production well having a plurality of individually-actuatable fluid-inlet components that are spaced apart to define a plurality of production-well fluid-inlet zones. An injection fluid including a non-condensable gas (NCG) is injected into the reservoir, such that a drainage fluid including at least a portion of the NCG occupies the production-well fluid-inlet zones. The gas phase:liquid phase ratio of a production fluid is modulated by identifying at least one of the production-well fluid-inlet zones as having a gas content above a threshold and thus being a higher-gas zone, and actuating variations in pump speed and the flow states of the plurality of fluid-inlet components adjacent and corresponding to the higher-gas zone to prioritize hydraulic communication with a subset of the plurality of production-well fluid-inlet zones spaced apart from the higher-gas zone.

Abstract: A process for producing diluent for use in a hydrocarbon recovery process includes heating a dilbit feed stream comprising hydrocarbons produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir and an added diluent, to a temperature of 350° C. or less, fractionating the dilbit feed stream after heating to produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the light fraction comprising the diluent, additional light hydrocarbons, and sour water, separating the sour water from a remainder of the light fraction, and stabilizing the remainder of the light fraction to provide recovered diluent and cooling the recovered diluent. A volume of the recovered diluent is greater than a volume of the added diluent.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir that is penetrated by an injection well and a production well. The methods comprise operating the injection well under a set of injection parameters and operating the production well under a set of production parameters to produce a production fluid that has an API gravity that changes over time (?API) as the method is advanced towards an ultimate recovery factor (RFo,u) for the reservoir. The methods further comprises modulating the injection parameters, the production parameters, or a combination thereof to decrease or increase the API gravity of the production fluid depending on whether ?API and RFo,u satisfy a set of requirements as disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir using laterally displaced and substantially vertically coplanar injection and production wells, in which at least one annulus-flow restrictor is positioned within the injection well diagonally opposed to a production inlet on the production well, so that injecting mobilizing fluid into the subterranean reservoir and producing mobilized hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoir creates a transverse pressure gradient between the injection well and the production well.

Abstract: A method of completing an injection well includes determining a volume of recoverable oil in each of a plurality of intervals along the injection well in a reservoir, and determining a target steam flow for respective ones of the intervals to facilitate recovery of the recoverable oil from the intervals. A quantity of steam outlets in devices along the injection well is determined for delivery of the target volume of steam determined for the ones of the intervals. The injection well is completed including steam injection tubing having the determined number of steam outlets for delivery of the target volume of steam to the ones of the intervals.