Method and system of recovering helium from underground resources

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method of recovering oil and gas from a helium-containing reservoir generally having some degree of water saturation within the reservoir pore network by injecting a gas into the reservoir. The method is applicable to reservoirs having high water saturation of about 50 percent or greater. High water saturation in a reservoir can cause excessive amounts of water to be produced to produce the helium. Coproduction and management of this water is costly and burdensome to operations leaving many reservoirs of helium stranded, rendering the production uneconomic. The method described herein addresses these needs and other needs.

1 . A method, comprising:
 injecting a provided gas into a well bore in fluid communication with a helium-containing reservoir;   ceasing the injection of the provided gas into the selected well bore;   gathering together from the helium-containing reservoir by the selected well bore some of the provided gas and some of the helium to form a gathered-gas mixture comprising the provided gas and some of the helium from the helium-containing reservoir; and   producing through the selected well bore the gathered-gas mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir has a moveable water saturation value of between about 15% and about 90%. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the provided gas is injected into the well bore at a rate of between about 10 mcfd and about 8,000 mcfd. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gathered-gas mixture comprises between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 vol % of the provided gas and between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 vol % of helium. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the provided gas injected into the helium-containing reservoir is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, butane, air, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises at least one of a plurality of discrete helium phases and a plurality of discrete nitrogen phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises a plurality of discrete helium phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas, wherein the provided gas and one or more of the plurality of discrete helium phases coalesce to form one or more continuous phases of the provided gas and helium during the injecting of the provided gas. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 providing a gas;   injecting the provided gas into a selected well bore in fluid communication with a helium-containing reservoir having a first water-to-gas production ratio, wherein the provided gas is injected at rate of from about 10 mcfd or more to about no more than about 8,000 mcfd;   ceasing the injection of the provided gas into the selected well bore;   gathering together from the helium-containing reservoir by the selected well bore some of the provided gas and some of the gaseous helium to form a gathered-gas mixture comprising the provided gas and some of the gaseous helium from the helium-containing reservoir; and   producing through the selected well bore the gathered-gas mixture, wherein the helium-containing reservoir producing the gathered-gas mixture has a second water-to-gas production ratio and wherein the second water-to-gas ratio is no more than the first water-to-gas ratio.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir has a moveable water saturation value of between about 15% and about 90%. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the provided gas injected into the helium-containing reservoir is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, butane, air, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gathered-gas mixture comprises between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 vol % of the provided gas and between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 volume % of helium. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises at least one of a plurality of discrete helium phases and a plurality of discrete nitrogen phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises a plurality of discrete helium phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas, wherein the provided gas and one or more of the plurality of discrete helium phases coalesce to form one or more continuous phases of the provided gas and helium during the injecting of the provided gas. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises a plurality of discrete helium phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas, wherein a majority of the helium in the plurality of discrete helium phases is in a gas phase. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 providing a target well having a first water to gas production ratio from about 1 bbl water/1000 MCF to about 2000 bbl water/1000 MCF;   providing a gas;   injecting the provided gas into a well bore, wherein the well bore traverses and is in fluid communication with a helium-containing reservoir, wherein the provided gas is injected at a rate of from about 10 mcfd or more to about no more than about 8,000 mcfd; and   producing, after the ceasing of the injection of the provided gas, from the target well at a second water to gaseous helium ratio, wherein the second water to gaseous helium ratio is from about 98% to about 2% of first water to gas production ratio.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir has a moveable water saturation value of between about 15% and about 90%. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gathered-gas mixture comprises between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 vol % of the provided gas and between about 0.5 vol % and about 99.5 vol % of helium. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the provided gas injected into the helium-containing reservoir is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, butane, air, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the injecting of the provided gas into the well bore is at a pressure below the fracture pressure of the helium-containing reservoir and wherein, immediately before and after provided gas injection, at least about 75 mole % of the production from the well bore is helium. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the helium-containing reservoir comprises at least one of a plurality of discrete helium phases and a plurality of discrete nitrogen phases prior to the injecting of the provided gas.