Dual or twin-well completion with wettability alteration for segregated oil and water production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291046-B2
Application number	US-201113191995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2011
Priority date	Jul 27, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A well completion and related method are provided for formations susceptible to simultaneous production of oil and water. In one embodiment, two closely spaced, preferably horizontal wellbores are drilled from a single well into the reservoir. The reservoir rock surrounding one leg (typically the upper leg) is chemically treated to make it hydrophobic, whereas the reservoir rock surrounding the other leg is chemically treated to make it hydrophilic. Separate production tubing and a dual completion is installed in order to enable independent flow from each leg. Drawdown pressures in both legs are controlled to be sufficiently close to each other such that only oil flows into one leg and only water into the other. The water produced is re-injected downhole or brought to the surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
completing a wellbore located in a formation by isolating a first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof from a second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof, said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof being located within twenty meters of the first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof, and said first portion of said wellbore or extension thereof being located at a hydrocarbon producing location of the formation;
chemically treating a first portion of the formation adjacent said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof to make said first portion of the formation hydrophobic, wherein the chemical treatment of the first portion extends a radial depth of between one and ten meters into the formation;
chemically treating a second portion of the formation adjacent said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof to make said second portion of the formation hydrophilic, wherein the chemical treatment of the second portion extends a radial depth of between one and ten meters into the formation;
simultaneously and separately producing hydrocarbons from said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof and water from said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof; and
separately bringing said hydrocarbons to a surface of the formation.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
disposing said water by directing and injecting said water into a different portion of said formation below a flow barrier in the formation.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
separately bringing said water to the surface of the formation.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said simultaneously and separately producing comprises controlling wellbore pressures at said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof or said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof so that wellbore pressure differences thereat are less than approximately twice an entry capillary pressure of said formation.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein:
said completing comprises providing first piping for said hydrocarbons and a first pressure control means coupled to said first piping, and providing separate second piping for said water and a second pressure control means coupled to said second piping.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein:
said first pressure control means comprises a first pump located downhole or on the surface of the formation, and said second pressure control means comprises a second pump located downhole or on the surface of the formation.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein:
said first pressure control means comprises a first throttle valve, and said second pressure control means comprises a second throttle valve.

8. A method according to claim 5 , wherein:
said completing further comprises providing a packer between said first piping and said second piping.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a first substantially horizontal wellbore leg extension of the wellbore, and said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a second substantially horizontal wellbore leg extension of the wellbore, said first and second horizontal wellbore leg extensions extending substantially parallel to each other.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein:
said first substantially horizontal wellbore leg extension is located above said second substantially horizontal wellbore leg extension.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a wellbore leg extension of the wellbore, and said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a second part of the wellbore.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a first part of the wellbore, and said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a wellbore leg extension of the wellbore.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a first part of the wellbore, and said second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof is a second part of the wellbore.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said completing further comprises providing one of (i) a casing and a first set of perforations in the casing and (ii) a sleeve with first slots, located within said first portion of the wellbore or extension thereof.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein:
said completing further comprises providing a casing and a second set of perforations in the casing within a second portion of the wellbore or extension thereof.

16. A wellbore completion system for a formation having a wellbore located in the formation and having a first wellbore portion or leg extension located in a producing region of the formation and a second wellbore portion or leg extension located within twenty meters of said first wellbore portion or leg extension, the completion system comprising:
hydrophobic material which has been injected into a first portion of said formation adjacent said first wellbore portion or leg extension to make said first portion of said formation hydrophobic, wherein the hydrophobic material extends a radial depth of between one and ten meters into the formation;
hydrophilic material which has been injected into a second portion of said formation adjacent said second wellbore portion or leg extension to make said second portion of said formation hydrophilic, wherein the hydrophilic material extends a radial depth of between one and ten meters into the formation;
first piping in fluid communication with said first wellbore portion or leg extension and extending to a surface of the formation, and a first pressure control means coupled to said first piping, said first piping adapted to direct hydrocarbons from said first wellbore portion or leg extension to a surface of the formation;
second piping in fluid communication with said second wellbore portion or leg extension, and a second pressure control means coupled to said second piping, said second piping adapted to separately direct water entering said second piping, wherein
said first pressure control means and said second pressure control means are adapted to simultaneously and separately produce hydrocarbons and water from the formation.

17. A wellbore completion system according to claim 16 , wherein
said first pressure control means and said second pressure control means are adapted to control wellbore pressures at said first wellbore portion or leg extension and said second wellbore portion or leg extension so that wellbore pressure differences thereat are less than approximately twice a minimum entry capillary pressure of said formation.

18. A wellbore completion system according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a packer separating said first piping and said second piping.

19. A wellbore completion system according to claim 16 , wherein:
said first wellbore portion or leg extension comprises a first leg extension and said second wellbore portion or leg extension comprises a second leg extension, and said first leg extension and said second leg extension are substantially horizontally oriented and parallel to each other.

20. A wellbore completion system according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a first casing located in said first leg extension and a first set of perforations in the first c

Assignees

• Ramakrishnan Terizhandur S
• Hammond Paul S
• Cook John M
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Ramakrishnan Terizhandur S
• Hammond Paul S
• Cook John M

Classifications

• E21B43/385 Primary

  by reinjecting the separated materials into an earth formation in the same well · CPC title

• E21B43/38 Primary

  in the well · CPC title