Single horizontal well thermal recovery process

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method for the recovery of hydrocarbons using a single horizontal well having both injection and production means. The well has a means for increasing fluid flow resistance in the wellbore. The injection and production means are operated so as to increase the fluid flow into the reservoir and reduce the fluid flow in the well. The means to increase fluid flow includes a constriction in the wellbore between the injection and production means, flow conditioners placed along a portion of the well between the injection and production means, and sealing elements placed in the well between the injection and production means. The production and injection openings are also positioned relative to the flow conditioners and sealing elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, comprising:
 providing a single horizontal well within the subterranean formation wherein the horizontal well comprises an outer wall, at least one injector for injecting a mobilizing fluid into the reservoir, the at least one injector comprising a conduit within the well to inject the mobilizing fluid to the distal end of the conduit, an annulus extending along the longitudinal axis of the well, and at least one producing component, positioned apart from the at least one injector, for producing hydrocarbons from the reservoir;   providing, within the annulus, a flow conditioner for substantially increasing axial fluid flow resistance within the annulus along a length of the horizontal well between the at least one injector and the at least one producing component;   injecting the mobilizing fluid through the at least one injector;   operating the at least one injector and the at least one producing component to control the ratio of the flow resistance in the well to the flow resistance in the formation, thereby reducing the amount of the injected mobilizing fluid moving through the annulus from the at least one injector to the at least one producing component and increasing the amount of the injected mobilizing fluid entering and moving through the formation before being displaced into the well to the at least one producing component; and   producing viscous hydrocarbons through the at least one producing component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method uses:
 a gravity-dominated fluid flow or displacement mechanism to recover the viscous hydrocarbons; 
 a convectively dominated fluid flow or displacement mechanism to recover the viscous hydrocarbons; or 
 a combination of convective and gravity fluid flow and displacement mechanisms to recover the viscous hydrocarbons. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flow conditioner for increasing fluid flow resistance provides a constriction in the annulus to increase the fluid flow resistance of the injected mobilizing fluid as the fluid re-enters the annulus from the reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flow conditioner for increasing fluid flow resistance is selected from the group consisting of:
 one or more flow constrictors positioned in the annulus; 
 one or more partial sealing elements positioned in the annulus; and 
 two or more sealing elements positioned in the annulus of the well between the at least one injector and the at least one producing component. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the one or more flow constrictors extend along a portion of the length of the annulus between the injector and the producing component. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the two or more sealing elements are operated in series or simultaneously. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising operating the two or more sealing elements in a staged manner by activating sealing elements in a staged manner in a direction from the at least one injector to the at least one producing component. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein, following an initial activation of the two or more sealing elements, the sealing elements are deactivated, moved longitudinally through the annulus and reactivated in a new position relative to the at least one injector portion and the at least one producing component. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein prior to one of the sealing elements being activated, the viscous hydrocarbons in the formation immediately downstream of the one of the sealing elements are sufficiently mobile to undergo displacement by the injected mobilizing fluid once the one of the sealing elements has been activated. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  wherein, in the interval(s) between the two or more sealing elements, the outer wall of the well, contains openings, or groups of openings, to allow hydraulic communication between the well and the formation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the portion of the outer wall of the well between the two or more sealing elements does not have openings into the reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more partial sealing elements comprises a sealing element with one or more flow conduits extending through the sealing element for allowing a desired flow of the mobilizing fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the one or more partial sealing elements comprises more than one sealing element with one or more flow conduits extending through each of the more than one sealing element, wherein the flow conduits in each sealing element allow for a different mobilizing fluid flow rate than the fluid flow rate in at least one other of the sealing elements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  where the flow velocity in one or more of the flow conduits is sonic flow and critical flow. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of producing the viscous hydrocarbons comprises pumping the hydrocarbons to the surface without maintaining a substantial liquid level in the horizontal well. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the viscous hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of bitumen, heavy oil, and unmobilized hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the injected fluid comprises steam, hot water, light hydrocarbons, or mixtures thereof or one or more of non-condensing gases and surfactants. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the injector injects fluids at or near a toe of the horizontal well and the producing component produces viscous hydrocarbons at or near a heel of the horizontal well; or 
 the injector injects fluids at or near a heel of the well and the producing component produces the viscous hydrocarbons at or near a toe of the well. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one injector includes two injector, each injector injecting the mobilizing fluid at a different section in the well and each of the two injector having flow conditioners for substantially increasing axial fluid flow resistance within the annulus along the length of the horizontal well. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of single horizontal wells is employed.