US2015198013A1PendingUtilityA1

Horizontal wellbore orientation system

44
Assignee: HUSKY OIL OPERATIONS LTDPriority: Jan 14, 2014Filed: Jan 14, 2014Published: Jul 16, 2015
Est. expiryJan 14, 2034(~7.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Loran Taabbodi
E21B 43/16E21B 43/24E21B 41/0092E21B 43/26E21B 43/305
44
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Claims

Abstract

A horizontal wellbore orientation system and a method of making and using the same is provided. A horizontal wellbore orientation system of a hydrocarbon reservoir comprises at least one horizontal well extending substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress of a surrounding formation. A method of constructing the system comprises determining the minimum and maximum horizontal stress of the formation based on fractal trends, and drilling at least one horizontal wellbore oriented substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress. A method of producing hydrocarbon using the system comprises drilling at least one horizontal well extending substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress of a surrounding formation, injecting a fluid into the at least one horizontal well, and producing at least a portion of the reservoir hydrocarbon.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horizontal wellbore orientation system for a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising at least one substantially horizontal well extending substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress of a surrounding formation. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the formation is fractured carbonate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the formation is naturally fractured. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the formation comprises artificially induced fractures. 
     
     
         5 . A method of constructing a horizontal wellbore orientation system in a formation comprising:
 determining the minimum and maximum horizontal stress of the formation; and   drilling at least one horizontal wellbore oriented substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of determining the minimum and maximum horizontal stresses of the formation comprises the use of at least one of formation microscanning and formation microimaging. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the formation is fractured carbonate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the formation is naturally fractured. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of artificially inducing fractures in the formation prior to determining the minimum and maximum horizontal stresses of the formation. 
     
     
         10 . A method of hydrocarbon production from a reservoir comprising:
 drilling at least one horizontal well extending substantially parallel to the minimum horizontal stress of a surrounding formation;   injecting a fluid into the at least one horizontal well; and   producing at least a portion of the reservoir hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of using at least one of the at least one horizontal well as a conduit for producing at least a portion of the at least a portion of the reservoir hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of using at least one vertical well as a conduit for producing at least a portion of the at least a portion of the reservoir hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the injected fluid is steam. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising a shut-in step wherein at least a portion of the injected fluid is allowed time to soak into the reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the steps of injecting a fluid into the at least one horizontal well, allowing at least a portion of the injected fluid time to soak into the reservoir, and producing at least a portion of the reservoir hydrocarbon are repeated in a cycle at least once. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the formation is fractured carbonate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the formation is naturally fractured. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the formation comprises artificially induced fractures.

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