Method for managing channeling in geothermal recovery of hydrocarbon reservoirs

摘要

High permeability channels or wormholes found in hydrocarbon reservoirs having hydrocarbon-bearing formations can be remediated by heating the formation with dry, hot flue gases, injecting produced water into the formation through an injection well, and forming steam within the formation and spaced away from the injection well. The steam can be created at a steam generation interface occurring between a dry, hot gaseous drive front and an injected water front. Managing a quality of the steam formed along the steam generation interface, by increasing the combustion gas flow rate or decreasing the rate of water injection, allows for the initiation of precipitation and controlled deposition of solids dissolved in the produced water.

主权项

1. A method for remediating high permeability channels in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation of a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising:
heating the formation containing one or more of the high permeability channels; injecting water containing dissolved solids into the formation; forming a steam front in the formation; and managing steam quality at the steam front for forming a steam generation interface intersecting one or more of the high permeability channels for forming particulates in the high permeability channels and controlling deposition of the formed particles within the high permeability channels and reducing the permeability therealong.