Preparing a Wellbore for Improved Recovery

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system for and method of preparing a wellbore for improved recovery from a formation and a method of producing hydrocarbons from a formation. The system includes an approximately horizontal wellbore in a formation, a liner enclosing a portion of the approximately horizontal wellbore; and a packer inside the liner that comprises a swellable elastomeric material.

1 . A system for preparing a wellbore for improved recovery from a formation, the system comprising:
 an approximately horizontal wellbore in a formation;   a liner enclosing a portion of the approximately horizontal wellbore; and   a packer inside the liner that comprises a swellable elastomeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the formation has an average permeability of no more than 100 millidarcies. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liner comprises a casing string. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore; and   a second fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore and that is substantially parallel and directly adjacent to the first fracture,   wherein the packer isolates the first fracture from the second fracture.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the second fracture is constructed and arranged to receive a fluid that increase pressure in an area of the formation adjacent to the first fracture, and   wherein the first fracture is constructed and arranged to receive hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first fracture is between 25 m and 300 m from the second fracture. 
     
     
         7 . A method of preparing a wellbore for improved recovery from a formation, the method comprising:
 drilling a wellbore in a formation, wherein the wellbore is approximately horizontal;   enclosing a portion of the wellbore with a liner;   forming a first fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore;   forming a second fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore and is substantially parallel and directly adjacent to the first fracture; and   installing a packer inside the liner that comprises a swellable elastomeric material.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the formation has an average permeability of no more than 100 millidarcies. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising installing an injection tubing string and a production tubing string in the wellbore, wherein the injection tubing string is substantially parallel to the production tubing string. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the production tubing string communicates with the first fracture and the injection tubing string communicates with the second fracture. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 logging the formation while drilling the wellbore to obtain wellbore data; and   evaluating the wellbore data to assist in forming the first fracture and the second fracture.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising microseismically monitoring at least one of the first fracture and the second fracture after at least one of forming the first fracture and forming the second fracture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising microseismically monitoring at least one of forming of the first fracture and forming of the second fracture. 
     
     
         14 . A method of producing hydrocarbons from a formation, the method comprising:
 drilling a wellbore in a formation, wherein the wellbore is approximately horizontal;   enclosing a portion of the wellbore with a liner;   forming a first fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore;   forming a second fracture in the formation that emanates from the wellbore and is substantially parallel and directly adjacent to the first fracture;   installing a packer inside the liner that that comprises a swellable elastomeric material; and   producing hydrocarbons from the first fracture.