MULTI-LATERAL WELL WITH DOWNHOLE GRAVITY SEPARATION

摘要

THE INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD FOR RECOVERING HYDROCARBONS FROM A SUBTERRANEAN PRODUCTION INTERVAL WHILE REDUCING THE PERCENTAGE OF WATER PRODUCED. A LATERAL WELL IS DRILLED FROM AN EXISTING PRIMARY WELL. A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP IS DEPLOYED TO A POSITION IN THE PRIMARY WELL BELOW THE INTERSECTION WITH THE LATERAL WELL. THE PUMP INJECTS THE SEPARATED WATER INTO THE PRODUCTION INTERVAL THROUGH THE PRIMARY WELL, AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FAVORABLE GRAVITY SEPARATION OF THE HYDROCARBONS AND WATER IN THE AREA ABOVE THE SUBMERSIBLE PUMP. SUITABLE SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS INCLUDE AN ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP, A CAVITY PUMP AND A ROD PUMP. ONE OR MORE LATERAL WELLS MAY BE USED. THE LATERAL WELLS CAN INTERSECT THE SAME PRODUCTION INTERVAL AS THE PRIMARY WELL OR CAN INTERSECT AN UNCONNECTED PRODUCTION INTERVAL.