RF Heated Water Injection for Heavy Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrocarbon resource recovery methods, such as Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD), face inefficiencies due to high energy consumption, significant heat loss, and increased costs, particularly in extracting heavy oils from tar sands, where long production times and excessive steam usage are prevalent.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming laterally extending injector and producer wells in a subterranean formation, using RF heating to establish hydraulic communication, and injecting heated liquid water at elevated pressures and temperatures to reduce hydrocarbon viscosity and facilitate efficient recovery, potentially reducing energy consumption and accelerating oil production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional SAGD methods are used to extract heavy oils from tar sands, then hydrocarbon recovery is achieved, but energy consumption is high and production times are long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the heating medium from gaseous steam to heated liquid water, and modifies injection parameters (temperature, pressure, rate) to optimize heat transfer efficiency. This parameter change reduces energy consumption while maintaining hydrocarbon recovery effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field system (steam heating) with a combined thermal-fluid system (heated liquid water injection). This substitution allows for more efficient heat transfer and reduced energy loss, directly addressing the high energy consumption problem of conventional SAGD.
2Productivity
If conventional SAGD methods are used to extract heavy oils from tar sands, then hydrocarbon recovery is achieved, but production times are long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary RF heating to the subterranean formation before injecting heated liquid water. This pre-heating action reduces the viscosity of heavy oils in advance, creating better conditions for subsequent water injection and hydrocarbon mobilization, thereby reducing overall production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic injection cycles of heated liquid water alternating with RF heating periods. This periodic action maintains optimal temperature and pressure conditions throughout the extraction process, accelerating hydrocarbon recovery while managing energy input efficiently.
3Temperature
If steam is injected in conventional SAGD to reduce hydrocarbon viscosity, then oil flow is mobilized, but heat loss to adjacent soil is significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces heated liquid water as an intermediary heating medium between the surface and the hydrocarbon bearing formation. This intermediary provides more efficient heat transfer with reduced thermal loss to surrounding soil compared to direct steam injection, as liquid water maintains thermal energy more effectively during injection and distribution.
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 approach enhances hydrocarbon recovery efficiency by reducing energy usage and shortening production times, achieving faster and increased oil recovery with improved sweep efficiency compared to conventional SAGD methods.
Implementation Method 1
The heavy oil is immobile at reservoir temperatures and therefore the oil is typically heated to reduce its viscosity and mobilize the oil flow
Implementation Method 2
The upper injector well is used to typically inject steam, and the lower producer well collects the heated crude oil or bitumen that flows out of the formation
Implementation Method 3
The heat from the steam reduces the viscosity of the heavy crude oil or bitumen which allows it to flow down into the lower producer well
Implementation Method 4
The steam and gases rise due to their lower density so that steam is not produced at the lower producer well
Implementation Method 5
Oil and water flow is by gravity driven drainage, into the lower producer well
Data Source
AI summary
A method for hydrocarbon resource recovery in a subterranean formation includes forming a laterally extending injector well in the subterranean formation and forming a laterally extending producer well spaced below the injector well. The method may also include radio frequency (RF) heating the subterranean formation to establish hydraulic communication between the injector well and the producer well. The method may further include injecting heated liquid water into the injector well to recover hydrocarbon resources from the producer well based upon the hydraulic communication therebetween.