High Permeability Pathways for Bitumen Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for recovering heavy oil, such as bitumen from thin reservoirs, are inefficient and economically unviable due to high energy consumption and heat loss, as well as solvent costs and losses in thin reservoirs.
Innovation Solution
Creating subsurface high permeability pathways by drilling boreholes packed with high permeability particulate and introducing solvents to mix with bitumen, allowing continuous fluid circulation and solvent introduction while withdrawing the mixture, which reduces viscosity and facilitates extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If thermal recovery techniques (steam flooding, cyclic steam stimulation, SAGD) are used to lower viscosity of heavy oil, then the heavy oil becomes mobile and can be produced, but energy consumption increases significantly and heat is lost to over-burden and under-burden
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the reservoir into multiple discrete high permeability pathways (fractures or channels) rather than heating the entire reservoir. Solvent is injected through specific injection pathways and recovered through production pathways, creating targeted zones of action that avoid unnecessary heating of over-burden and under-burden layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies solvent injection locally to specific high permeability pathways within the reservoir rather than applying thermal energy throughout the entire reservoir volume. This localized approach concentrates the recovery action in zones where bitumen is present and accessible, minimizing energy loss to surrounding rock formations.
2Ease of operation
If solvent is introduced to mix with bitumen to reduce viscosity, then bitumen becomes mobile and can be withdrawn, but solvent can be stranded due to reservoir heterogeneities and bypassed in the recovery process
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments solvent injection into discrete pathways with controlled injection and production wells. This segmentation ensures that solvent follows defined flow paths through the reservoir rather than dispersing unpredictably, reducing the likelihood of solvent becoming stranded in heterogeneous zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention establishes continuous circulation of solvent through the reservoir via multiple injection and production pathways. This continuous action ensures that solvent constantly moves through the bitumen-bearing zones, maintaining mobility and preventing solvent from becoming trapped or bypassed in static conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional thermal recovery methods are applied to thin bitumen reservoirs (thickness less than 15 meters), then heavy oil can be recovered, but the methods are economically infeasible due to heat loss and well cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the thin reservoir into multiple high permeability pathways that can be accessed with fewer wells. By concentrating recovery action in these discrete pathways rather than attempting to heat the entire thin reservoir volume, the number of wells required is reduced, lowering capital costs while maintaining recovery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses high permeability pathways (fractures or channels) as intermediaries to transport solvent and bitumen mixture between injection and production wells. These pathways act as conduits that enhance solvent-bitumen contact and facilitate efficient recovery without requiring extensive well infrastructure.
4Quantity of substance
If surface mining is used to extract heavy oil, then viscous heavy oil can be recovered, but surface reconstitution is required and the method is infeasible when hydrocarbons are not near the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts bitumen from the reservoir in-situ through solvent injection and production pathways, eliminating the need to bring the entire reservoir material to the surface for processing. Only the bitumen-solvent mixture is withdrawn through production wells, leaving the reservoir structure intact and avoiding surface reconstitution requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enhances heavy oil recovery by accelerating hydrocarbon production, improving efficiency, and reducing costs, particularly in thin reservoirs where conventional methods are ineffective.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the solvent to flow into the thin reservoir and mix with the bitumen to form a mixture of the bitumen and the solvent
Implementation Method 2
packing a longitudinal portion of each borehole with a high permeability particulate such that the high permeability particulate substantially occupies the entire diameter of the borehole
Data Source
AI summary
Heavy oil recovery from oil sand reservoirs is enhanced through the creation of subsurface high permeability pathways distributed throughout the oil sand reservoirs. The high permeability pathways may be boreholes that extend through the oil sand reservoir. A portion of the high permeability pathway may be packed with high permeability particulate to provide structural support and allow for high permeability throughout the boreholes. After establishing the high permeability pathways throughout the oil sand reservoir, solvent may be introduced into the oil sand reservoir. The solvent has the beneficial effect of lowering the viscosity of the heavy oil, which aids in the extraction of the heavy oil. Thermal recovery processes and other enhancements may be combined with these methods to aid in reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil. Advantages of these methods include, accelerated hydrocarbon recovery, higher production efficiencies, lower costs, and lower extraction times.