Horizontal Well Patents (Class 166/272.7)
  • Publication number: 20020029881
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation from heat sources to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a desired temperature. Some of the heat sources may be conductors placed within conduits. The conductors may be resistively heated so that the conductors radiantly heat the conduits. The conduits may transfer heat to the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Harold J. Vinegar, John Michael Karanikas, James Louis Menotti, John Matthew Coles, Bruce Gerard Hunsucker, Lawrence James Bielamowicz, Fredrick Gordon Carl
  • Patent number: 6257334
    Abstract: A pair of vertically spaced, parallel, co-extensive, horizontal injection and production wells and a laterally spaced, horizontal offset well are provided in a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil. Fluid communication is established across the span of formation extending between the pair of wells. Steam-assisted gravity drainage (“SAGD”) is then practised by injecting steam through the injection well and producing heated oil and steam condensate through the production well, which is operated under steam trap control. Cyclic steam stimulation is practised at the offset well. The steam chamber developed at the offset well tends to grow toward the steam chamber of the SAGD pair, thereby accelerating development of communication between the SAGD pair and the offset well. This process is continued until fluid communication is established between the injection well and the offset well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority
    Inventors: Ted Cyr, Roy Coates, Marcel Polikar
  • Patent number: 6186232
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for enhancing oil recovery in oil-containing reservoirs formed of water-wet sand. The process involves placing oil-wet sand in the near-bore region of a production well. The process can be used to provide an improvement to both a conventional pressure driven fluid drive process and a conventional steam-assisted gravity drainage process. In the fluid drive process, the drive fluid is injected intermittently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority
    Inventors: Eddy Isaacs, Tawfik Nasr, Alex Babchin