Producing Hydrocarbons from a Formation

Abstract

A system for and methods of producing hydrocarbons from a formation. A method may include drilling a wellbore in a formation, forming a first fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore, forming a second fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore and is approximately parallel to the first fracture, and simultaneously (a) injecting a fluid from an injection tubing string in communication with the second fracture and (b) producing hydrocarbons that travel from the first fracture into a production tubing string that is substantially parallel to the injection tubing string. The wellbore may be substantially horizontal. The fluid may increase pressure in an area of the formation adjacent to the first fracture.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional No. 61 / 780,010, and U.S. Provisional No. 61 / 779,998, both filed Mar. 13, 2013. These applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Fields of Embodiments[0003]The disclosure relates generally to the field of producing hydrocarbons from a formation.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.[0006]Substantial volumes of hydrocarbons exist in low-permeability and high-permeability formations around the world. Low-permeability formations may be formations that are near horizontal wells with multiple fracture stimulations distributed along the well and required to produce flu...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The natural reservoir energy exploited in primary production such as oil and water expansion, evolution and expansion of gas initially dissolved in the oil, and rock compaction have limited ability to compensate for the volume of produced hydrocarbons and thereby to mitigate the pressure decline.

As the reservoir pressure declines because of production, so does the differential pressure between the reservoir and wellbore, resulting in declining production rates.

Primary production ends when the pressure is so low that the hydrocarbon production rate is no longer economical.

The lower the permeability of the formation the more difficult it is for pressure and fluid to be transmitted towards the well.

This results in lower initial rates, more rapid pressure decline, and lower recovery of hydrocarbons.

First, due to rapid pressure decline in the wellbore region, the production rate of recovered hydrocarbons typically declines quickly to less than 25% of the initial rate of recovery within a year.

Second, the total percentage of recovered hydrocarbons relative to the hydrocarbons contained in the formation is low.

The low formation permeability and resulting low rate of pressure diffusion through the reservoir, results in rapid pressure decline at the well and rapidly declining production rates of hydrocarbons.

Furthermore, since primary production processes rely on fluid expansion as their drive mechanisms they tend to have very low recovery levels in all oil reservoirs.

Disadvantages also result when operators use water-flooding or gas-flooding after using fracturing during primary production in a low-permeability formation.

However, they require the drilling and fracturing of additional injection wells or the conversion of existing production wells in

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