Multi-Directional Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) Method

Abstract

Methods for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) are disclosed that involve removal of oil from a reservoir that has an injection well, a producing well, and a plurality of lenses that contain oil and that each span between the injection well and the producing well. One method, among others, involves recovering primary oil from a primary set of lenses via the producing well by alternating injection one or more times of water and carbon dioxide into the injection well so that the water and carbon dioxide enter the primary set in a first direction and move the primary oil in the first direction. The method further involves recovering secondary oil from a secondary set of lenses that is different than the primary set via the injection well by alternating injection one or more times of water and carbon dioxide into the producing well so that the water and carbon dioxide enter the secondary set in a second direction that is different than the first direction (e.g., opposite) and therefore move the secondary oil in the second direction.

Claims

1. A method for enhanced oil recovery involving removal of oil from a reservoir that has an injection well, a producing well, and a plurality of lenses that contain oil and that each span between the injection well, and the producing well, comprising: (a) recovering primary oil from the producing well by injecting water into the injection well and then into a primary set of the lenses; (b) recovering secondary oil from the producing well by injecting carbon dioxide into the injection well and then into a secondary set of the lenses, the secondary set being different than the primary set; (c) recovering more secondary oil from the producing well by introducing more water into the injection well; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c); (e) recovering tertiary oil from the injection well by injecting carbon dioxide into the producing well and then into a tertiary set of the lenses, the tertiary set being different than the primary and secondary sets of lenses; (f) recovering more tertiary oil from the injection well by injecting water into the producing well; and (g) repeating steps (e) and (f).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wells are generally vertical.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wells are generally horizontal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating the injection well, the producing well, or both.

5. A method for enhanced oil recovery involving removal of oil from a reservoir that has an injection well, a producing well, and a plurality of lenses that contain oil and that each span between the injection well, and the producing well, comprising: (a) recovering primary oil from the producing well by injecting water into the injection well and then into a primary set of the lenses; (b) recovering secondary oil from the producing well by injecting carbon dioxide into the injection well and then into a secondary set of the lenses, the secondary set being different than the primary set; (c) recovering more of the secondary oil from the producing well by injecting water into the injection well and then into the secondary set of the lenses; (d) recovering tertiary oil from the injection well by injecting carbon dioxide into the producing well and then into a tertiary set of the lenses, the tertiary set being different than the primary and secondary sets of lenses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wells are generally vertical.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the wells are generally horizontal.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising creating the injection well, the producing well, or both.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising (e) recovering more of the tertiary oil from the injection well by injecting water into the producing well and then into the tertiary set of lenses.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising repeating steps (d) and (e).

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising repeating steps (b) and (c).

12. A method for enhanced oil recovery involving removal of oil from a reservoir that has an injection well, a producing well, and a plurality of lenses that contain oil and that each span between the injection well, and the producing well, comprising: recovering primary oil from a primary set of lenses via the producing well by alternating injection one or more times of water and carbon dioxide into the injection well so that water and carbon dioxide enter the primary set in a first direction and move the primary oil in the first direction; and recovering secondary oil from a secondary set of lenses that is different than the primary set via the injection well by alternating injection one or more times of water and carbon dioxide into the producing well so that water and carbon dioxide enter the secondary set in a second direction that is different than the first direction and move the secondary oil in the second direction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wells are generally vertical.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the wells are generally horizontal.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising creating the injection well, the producing well, or both.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second directions are generally opposite.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] The various embodiments and features of the invention will be clearly depicted in the following drawings. The elements in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 1 is perspective concept view of the reservoir prior to any oil recovery using the MEOR method of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective concept view of the reservoir after primary oil recovery (POR) and water flooding, in accordance with the MEOR method of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective concept view of the reservoir after POR, water flooding, and EOR, in accordance with the MEOR method of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective concept view of the reservoir after primary oil recovery, water flooding, EOR, and injection of CO2 in a reverse direction, in accordance with the MEOR method of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the MEOR method of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0016] The present disclosure provides a method for multi-directional enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). MEOR is a novel refinement over the traditional methods of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The MEOR method can be used with existing facilities, such as an existing injection well(s) and an existing producing well(s), or with newly designed wells. Furthermore, the wells can extend in a vertical direction, horizontal direction, other direction, or combinations thereof.

[0017] An embodiment, among others, of the MEOR method of the present disclosure will now be described. FIG. 1 is perspective concept view of the reservoir prior to any oil recovery. This example shows a reservoir with two substantially vertical injection wells and one substantially vertical producing well. FIG. 1 also shows 12 substantially horizontal lenses that span between one of the injection wells and the producing well. These lenses may or may not have oil in them. In this example, all 12 of the lenses are shown with oil in them.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the first step of the MEOR method is to flood, or inject, with water the lenses that will accept water by injecting the water into the injection wells to thereby force a mixture of oil and water to the surface through the producing well. After extraction of the oil/water mixture, the oil is separated from the water using well known techniques and equipment. This process is sometimes referred to in the industry as primary oil recovery (POR). Further, the apparatus for channeling and introducing water into the injection wells is also well known in the art. Note that water does not enter all of the lenses during this process. As illustrated in FIG. 2, in this example, the water entered lenses 1, 2, 7, and 8, but failed to enter lenses 3-6 and 9-12, which still have oil in them.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates the next step of the MEOR method of the present disclosure. In this step, carbon dioxide (CO2) is injected into the reservoir via the injection wells. The apparatus for channeling and introducing CO2 into the injections wells is well known in the art. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the CO2 enters some of the lenses, particularly, lenses 3, 4, 9, and 10, that were not penetrated by the water in the previous step, thereby forcing a mixture of CO2 and oil from these lenses to the surface through the producing well. After extraction of this oil/CO2 mixture, the oil is separated from the CO2 using well known techniques and equipment. Water is then injected behind the C02 to push the CO2 as well as more oil out of the lenses, leaving the lenses 3, 4, 9, and 10 where oil was removed filled with water. This procedure of flooding the lenses with water and then injecting CO2 is repeated to maximize the recovery of oil from the reservoir until such time as the results become no longer economical. So, after this process, there are still some lenses, particularly, lenses 5, 6, 11, and 12, that contain oil and could not be penetrated by the water and CO2 injections.

[0020] When results are no longer economically favorable, the direction of the injected C02 and injected water is changed in accordance with the MEOR method of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a perspective concept view of the reservoir showing the CO2 part of the MEOR method. More specifically, CO2 is injected into the producing well (as opposed to the injection wells) so that CO2 attempts to enter the lenses from the opposite direction than before. During this step, CO2 will penetrate some of the lenses that could not be penetrated from the other direction. As shown in FIG. 4, in this example, CO2 is able to penetrate lenses 5, 6, 11, and 12, which could not be penetrated before. Oil is recovered from the injection wells from lenses 5, 6, 11, and 12. Water is then injected into the producing well to enter the lenses in the opposite direction in order to retrieve more oil and displace the CO2 in these lenses, and the foregoing process is repeated until the recovery of oil is no longer economical.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a flowchart summarizing an embodiment 10, among others, of the MEOR method of the present disclosure. As shown at reference numeral 11, primary oil is recovered from the producing well by injecting water into the injection well and then into a primary set of the lenses. Then, as indicated at reference numeral 12, secondary oil is recovered from the producing well by injecting carbon dioxide into the injection well and then into a secondary set of the lenses, the secondary set being different than the primary set. Next, more secondary oil is recovered from the producing well by introducing more water into the injection well. The steps denoted by reference numerals 12 and 13 are repeated one or more times, as indicated at reference numeral 14, until the oil yield becomes low. Then, as shown at reference numeral 15, tertiary oil is recovered from the injection well by injecting carbon dioxide into the producing well and then into a tertiary set of the lenses. The tertiary set is different than the primary and secondary sets of lenses. Further, as illustrated at reference numeral 16, more tertiary oil is recovered from the injection well by injecting water into the producing well. Finally, at reference numeral 17, steps 15 and 16 are repeated one or more times, until the oil yield becomes low.

[0022] By utilizing this very efficient method of oil recovery, it is estimated that oil yields can be boosted to levels up to ten (10%) percent as compared to existing traditional methods.

[0023] Another advantage of the MEOR method is the improved utilization of existing infrastructure as well as profitably by adding inexpensive additional steps.

[0024] It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible non-limiting examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure.