METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OF CONING IN HYDROCARBON RECOVERY

摘要

A plurality of micro boreholes are drilled away from a production borehole in proximity to a hydrocarbon reservoir from which oil or gas is being produced. Detectors are permanently implanted in these micro boreholes. By using transmitters in the production borehole or in one or more of the later al boreholes, signals are sent into the formation that are responsive to the position of a fluid-fluid interface within the producing reservoir. Processing of the detected signals makes it possible to monitor the location of the fluid interface and to operate flow control devices in the production borehole to avoid coni ng or the breakthrough of an undesirable fluid into the borehole. An embodiment of the invention uses permanently installed seismic, electromagnetic, gravity o r pressure sensors in the proximity of the producing zone to detect changes in the fluid level.