Hydrocarbon resource recovery system with transverse solvent injectors and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151187-B1
Application number	US-201815893941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Feb 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A hydrocarbon resource recovery system may include an RF source, and an RF antenna assembly coupled to the RF source and extending laterally within a wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery. The RF antenna assembly may include first and second tubular conductors, and a dielectric isolator coupled between the first and second tubular conductors to define a dipole antenna. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system may include solvent injectors within respective laterally extending wellbores extending transverse and above the RF antenna assembly and configured to selectively inject solvent into the subterranean formation adjacent the RF antenna assembly.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A hydrocarbon resource recovery system comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) source;
an RF antenna assembly coupled to said RF source and extending laterally within a first wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery, said RF antenna assembly comprising
first and second tubular conductors, and
a dielectric isolator coupled between said first and second tubular conductors to define a dipole antenna; and

a plurality of solvent injectors within respective laterally extending second wellbores extending transverse and above said RF antenna assembly and configured to selectively inject solvent into the subterranean formation adjacent said RF antenna assembly.

2. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 comprising at least one other RF antenna assembly; and wherein each solvent injector comprises a plurality of flow regulators aligned with respective ones of said RF antenna assembly and said at least one other RF antenna assembly.

3. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 2 wherein said plurality of flow regulators each has a selective flow rate.

4. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 2 wherein each solvent injector comprises a plurality of isolation packers with a respective flow regulator therebetween.

5. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of solvent injectors comprises a first solvent injector aligned with a proximal end of said RF antenna assembly, a second solvent injector aligned with a medial portion of said RF antenna assembly, and a third solvent injector aligned with a distal end of said RF antenna assembly.

6. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 wherein said RF antenna assembly comprises a dielectric choke coupled to said first tubular conductor.

7. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 wherein said RF antenna assembly comprises an RF transmission line coupled between said RF source and said first and second tubular conductors.

8. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 wherein said RF antenna assembly defines first and second fluid passageways configured to circulate a dielectric fluid from a surface of the subterranean formation.

9. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 wherein the first wellbore comprises a cased first wellbore defining a fluid passageway between said RF antenna assembly and said cased first wellbore.

10. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 1 further comprising at least one producer well within the subterranean formation below said RF antenna assembly.

11. A hydrocarbon resource recovery system comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) source;
a plurality of RF antenna assemblies coupled to said RF source and extending laterally within respective laterally spaced first wellbores in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery, each RF antenna assembly comprising
first and second tubular conductors,
a dielectric isolator coupled between said first and second tubular conductors to define a dipole antenna, and
a dielectric choke coupled to said first tubular conductor; and

a plurality of solvent injectors within respective laterally extending second wellbores extending transverse and above said plurality of RF antenna assemblies and configured to selectively inject solvent into the subterranean formation adjacent said plurality of RF antenna assemblies, each solvent injector comprising a plurality of flow regulators aligned with respective ones of said plurality of RF antenna assemblies.

12. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of flow regulators each has a selective flow rate.

13. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein each solvent injector comprises a plurality of isolation packers with a respective flow regulator therebetween.

14. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of solvent injectors comprises a first solvent injector aligned with a proximal end of a respective RF antenna assembly, a second solvent injector aligned with a medial portion of the respective RF antenna assembly, and a third solvent injector aligned with a distal end of the respective RF antenna assembly.

15. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein each RF antenna assembly comprises an RF transmission line coupled between said RF source and said first and second tubular conductors.

16. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein each RF antenna assembly defines first and second fluid passageways configured to circulate a dielectric fluid from a surface of the subterranean formation.

17. The hydrocarbon resource recovery system of claim 11 wherein each first wellbore comprises a cased first wellbore defining a fluid passageway between a respective RF antenna assembly and said cased first wellbore.

18. A method of hydrocarbon resource recovery with a hydrocarbon resource recovery system comprising a radio frequency (RF) source, and an RF antenna assembly coupled to the RF source and extending laterally within a first wellbore in a subterranean formation for hydrocarbon resource recovery, the RF antenna assembly comprising first and second tubular conductors, and a dielectric isolator coupled between the first and second tubular conductors to define a dipole antenna, the method comprising:
operating a plurality of solvent injectors within respective laterally extending second wellbores extending transverse and above the RF antenna assembly, the plurality of solvent injectors selectively injecting solvent into the subterranean formation adjacent the RF antenna assembly.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the hydrocarbon resource recovery system comprises at least one other RF antenna assembly; and wherein each solvent injector comprises a plurality of flow regulators aligned with respective ones of the RF antenna assembly and the at least one other RF antenna assembly.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the plurality of flow regulators each has a selective flow rate.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein each solvent injector comprises a plurality of isolation packers with a respective flow regulator therebetween.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the plurality of solvent injectors comprises a first solvent injector aligned with a proximal end of the RF antenna assembly, a second solvent injector aligned with a medial portion of the RF antenna assembly, and a third solvent injector aligned with a distal end of the RF antenna assembly.

Assignees

• Eagle Tech Llc

Inventors

• Wright Brian N
• Macphail Warren
• Watt Alan

Classifications

• H01Q1/04

  Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use · CPC title

• E21B43/2408 Primary

  SAGD in combination with other methods · CPC title

• E21B43/2401

  by means of electricity · CPC title

• H01Q9/22 Primary

  Rigid rod or equivalent tubular element or elements · CPC title

• E21B36/04

  using electrical heaters · CPC title