Wellbore System With Lateral Wells
A well system that intersects a subterranean formation, and which includes a motherbore disposed in a non-producing formation that is between producing zones. Connate fluids in the formation can be produced with the well system; alternatively, fluids can be injected into the formation through the well system. Lateral wellbores extend from the motherbore to depths that are both deeper and shallower than the motherbore. Flow to/from each lateral wellbore can be controlled by an inflow control valve. Wellhead assemblies mounted over an opening of the well system can be at a location that is spaced away from a populated area and far away from the hydrocarbon formation.
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The present disclosure relates to producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to producing hydrocarbons from separate zones that are at different depths.
2. Description of Prior ArtHydrocarbon producing wellbores extend below the Earth's surface where they intersect subterranean formations in which hydrocarbons are trapped. The wellbores generally are created with drilling systems that include drill bits mounted on an end of a drill string, and a drive system above the opening to the wellbore that rotates the drill string and bit. Cutting elements on the drill bit scrape or otherwise impact the bottom of the wellbore as the bit is rotated and excavate material from the formation thereby deepening the wellbore. Drilling fluid is typically pumped down the drill string and discharged from the drill bit into the wellbore. The drilling fluid flows back up the wellbore in an annulus between the drill string and walls of the wellbore. Cuttings produced while excavating are carried up the wellbore with the circulating drilling fluid.
When forming a wellbore system, the drilling systems penetrate through formation layers located at various depths below the Earth's surface. Wellbore systems typically include a main bore that projects into a target layer within one of the formation layers. Generally, there is no crossflow between the individual formation layers. Thus, the main bores of wellbore systems usually extend into the target layer where the connate fluid to be produced resides. Wellbore systems sometimes include lateral wells that branch from the primary or main bore into different portions of subterranean formation, and often branch at different depths from the main bore. Due to natural or applied stresses in the rock matrix, fractures are usually present in formation layers. The fractures may provide a fluid flow path of downhole or connate fluid that can include hydrocarbons and/or water. Lateral wellbores formed by current drilling methods and systems often intersect these fractures.
Vertical wells, horizontal wells, multilateral wells, or maximum reservoir contact (“MRC”) wells experience deficiencies in tight-fractured reservoir under populated areas. For example, while non-deviated wells can avoid fractures and early water breakthrough, their productivity is very limited in tight reservoirs. A shortcoming with horizontal wells is that although they can enhance well productivity, horizontal wells are more prone to intersect fractures, which may cause early water breakthrough. Multilateral wells and MRC wells have the same drawbacks as the horizontal wells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDisclosed herein is an example of a wellbore system, and which includes a motherbore formed in a non-producing zone of a subterranean formation, a lateral wellbore extending from the motherbore into a shallower producing zone that is at a depth that is more shallow than the non-producing zone, and another lateral wellbore extending from the motherbore into a deeper producing zone that is at a depth that is deeper than the non-producing zone. Inflow control valves are optionally provided at intersections between the lateral wellbore and the motherbore, and the another lateral wellbore and the motherbore. In an example, the inflow control valves regulate flow from the lateral wellbores into the motherbore. The lateral wellbore can include a leg having a substantially vertical portion that penetrates the shallower producing zone. In an alternative, the leg has a substantially horizontal portion with an end attached to the vertical portion and an opposing end attached to the motherbore. In yet another embodiment, the leg further includes a tip portion that has an end attached to an end of the vertical portion distal from the horizontal portion, and that extends substantially horizontally in the shallower producing zone. In one alternative, the another lateral wellbore includes a leg having a substantially vertical portion that penetrates the deeper producing zone. Optionally, the leg has a substantially horizontal portion with an end attached to the vertical portion and an opposing end attached to the motherbore. A tip portion can be included on the leg that has an end attached to an end of the vertical portion distal from the horizontal portion, and that extends substantially horizontally in the deeper producing zone. The wellbore system can further include a primary wellbore that extends from surface and into communication with an end of the motherbore, wherein the motherbore extends along a generally horizontal path. The wellbore system can also optionally include a wellhead assembly on surface that is in communication with an end of the primary wellbore distal from the motherbore, wherein the motherbore, primary wellbore, shallower lateral wellbore, and deeper lateral wellbore define a well circuit. In an alternate embodiment, well circuit is a first well circuit and the primary wellbore is a first primary wellbore, in this example the wellbore system further including a second well circuit having a second primary wellbore that intersects with the first primary wellbore, so that the second well circuit is in communication with the wellhead assembly.
Also described herein is an example of a method of operating a wellbore system by directing a flow of fluid from a producing zone in a subterranean formation into a non-producing zone that is in the subterranean formation, directing another flow of fluid into the non-producing zone and from another producing zone in the subterranean formation that is on a side of non-producing zone opposite from the producing zone, and directing the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid to surface. The flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid can be directed into a motherbore in the non-producing zone. Alternatively, the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid flow through lateral bores into the motherbore, and wherein the lateral bores have substantially vertical portions that penetrate the producing zone and the another producing zone. In one example the method includes controlling a rate of the flow of fluid from the producing zone into the non-producing zone, and controlling a rate of the another flow of fluid from the another producing zone into the non-producing zone. The method can also further include forming a motherbore in the non-producing zone, forming a lateral bore from the motherbore into the producing zone, and forming another lateral bore into the another producing zone. The motherbore can optionally be substantially horizontal. Optionally included with the method is a step of forming a primary wellbore from surface and that is in communication with the motherbore. In one embodiment the method includes monitoring a composition of fluid making up one or more of the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid flowing into the non-producing zone, and blocking fluid from entering the non-producing zone having a designated amount of a selected constituent.
Some of the features and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTIONThe method and system of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments are shown. The method and system of the present disclosure may be in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In an embodiment, usage of the term “about” includes +/−5% of the cited magnitude. In an embodiment, usage of the term “substantially” includes +/−5% of the cited magnitude.
It is to be further understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed illustrative embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation.
In the example of
Another example embodiment of a wellbore system 10B is shown in a perspective view in
Further illustrated in
Still referring to the example of
Motherbore 124 is strategically configured so that it extends within a nonproducing zone 155 of formation 12B and which is between producing zones 156, 158, where the producing zones 156, 158 are sealed from one another and also from nonproducing zone 155. Moreover, the ends of the lateral bores 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 are strategically located within the producing zones 156, 158 so that connate fluid within these zones 156, 158 can directed onto the motherbore 124. Similar to the well system 10 of
Referring now to
In the example of
The present invention described herein, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A wellbore system comprising:
- a motherbore formed in a non-producing zone of a subterranean formation;
- a lateral wellbore extending from the motherbore into a shallower producing zone that is at a depth that is more shallow than the non-producing zone; and
- another lateral wellbore extending from the motherbore into a deeper producing zone that is at a depth that is deeper than the non-producing zone.
2. The wellbore system of claim 1, further comprising inflow control valves provided at intersections between the lateral wellbore and the motherbore, and the another lateral wellbore and the motherbore.
3. The wellbore system of claim 2, wherein the inflow control valves regulate flow from the lateral wellbores into the motherbore.
4. The wellbore system of claim 1, wherein the lateral wellbore comprises a leg having a substantially vertical portion that penetrates the shallower producing zone.
5. The wellbore system of claim 4, wherein the leg has a substantially horizontal portion with an end attached to the vertical portion and an opposing end attached to the motherbore.
6. The wellbore system of claim 5, wherein the leg further comprises a tip portion that has an end attached to an end of the vertical portion distal from the horizontal portion, and that extends substantially horizontally in the shallower producing zone.
7. The wellbore system of claim 1, wherein the another lateral wellbore comprises a leg having a substantially vertical portion that penetrates the deeper producing zone.
8. The wellbore system of claim 7, wherein the leg has a substantially horizontal portion with an end attached to the vertical portion and an opposing end attached to the motherbore.
9. The wellbore system of claim 8, wherein the leg further comprises a tip portion that has an end attached to an end of the vertical portion distal from the horizontal portion, and that extends substantially horizontally in the deeper producing zone.
10. The wellbore system of claim 1, further comprising a primary wellbore that extends from surface and into communication with an end of the motherbore, wherein the motherbore extends along a generally horizontal path.
11. The wellbore system of claim 10, further comprising a wellhead assembly on surface that is in communication with an end of the primary wellbore distal from the motherbore, wherein the motherbore, primary wellbore, shallower lateral wellbore, and deeper lateral wellbore define a well circuit.
12. The wellbore system of claim 11, wherein the well circuit comprises a first well circuit and the primary wellbore comprises a first primary wellbore, the wellbore system further comprising a second well circuit having a second primary wellbore that intersects with the first primary wellbore, so that the second well circuit is in communication with the wellhead assembly.
13. A method of operating a wellbore system comprising:
- directing a flow of fluid from a producing zone in a subterranean formation into a non-producing zone that is in the subterranean formation;
- directing another flow of fluid into the non-producing zone and from another producing zone in the subterranean formation that is on a side of non-producing zone opposite from the producing zone; and
- directing the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid to surface.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid are directed into a motherbore in the non-producing zone.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid flow through lateral bores into the motherbore, and wherein the lateral bores have substantially vertical portions that penetrate the producing zone and the another producing zone.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a rate of the flow of fluid from the producing zone into the non-producing zone, and controlling a rate of the another flow of fluid from the another producing zone into the non-producing zone.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a motherbore in the non-producing zone, forming a lateral bore from the motherbore into the producing zone, and forming another lateral bore into the another producing zone.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the motherbore is substantially horizontal.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming a primary wellbore from surface and that is in communication with the motherbore.
20. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring a composition of fluid making up one or more of the flow of fluid and the another flow of fluid flowing into the non-producing zone, and blocking fluid from entering the non-producing zone having a designated amount of a selected constituent.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 28, 2016
Publication Date: May 3, 2018
Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Dhahran)
Inventors: Ahmed Alhuthali (Dhahran), Essam AlAlyan (Dhahran)
Application Number: 15/338,064