1. A method to recover heavy hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a well located near the top of the reservoir in the oil formation where the oil phase viscosity at the top is relatively low and producing reservoir hydrocarbons from this well under cold production conditions (non-thermal);
b) at a later time, drilling a lower inclined well that has its toe relatively close to the toe of the top well and heel deeper in the oil formation below the heel of the top well,
c) injecting injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids from the lower production well; and
d) continuing to inject injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids while growing a vapour and mobilized hydrocarbon chamber in the upwell (toe to heel) direction along the wellpair.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of circulating steam through the injection and production wells to establish thermal communication between the two wells.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring and changing injection pressure to adjust the operating temperature of the process in steps a) through d).
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using combinations of injectants in steps a) through d).
5. The method of claim 1 whereby a blowdown period where injection ceases and the pressure is reduced at the end of the economic life of the process to recover heavy oil or bitumen from the reservoir.
6. The method of claim 1 whereby the phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled by monitoring well pressures and temperatures.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the injectant is steam and phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled to maintain steam trap control such that liquid water covers the production well while a steam chamber surrounds the injection well.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the injectant is air and the reaction behaviour of the injectant with a small fraction of the reservoir hydrocarbons is controlled to obtain mobilized hydrocarbons.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the reaction behaviour of the injectant with hydrocarbons in the reservoir comprises igniting a controlled hydrocarbon flame front within the reservoir.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein injectant is injected into the top well through coiled tubing that is pulled back through the top well.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the coiled tubing is pulled back to follow the produced oil front.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein in-well control valves are used to control steam delivery in the top well.
13. A method to recover heavy hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a well located near the top of the reservoir in the oil formation where the oil phase viscosity at the top is relatively low;
b) drilling a lower inclined well that has its toe relatively close to the toe of the top well and heel deeper in the oil formation below the heel of the top well,
c) injecting injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids from the lower production well; and
d) continuing to inject injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids while growing a vapour and mobilized hydrocarbon chamber in the upwell (toe to heel) direction along the well pair.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of circulating steam through the injection and production wells to establish thermal communication between the two wells.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of monitoring and changing injection pressure to adjust the operating temperature of the process in steps a) through d).
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of using combinations of injectants in steps a) through d).
17. The method of claim 13 whereby a blowdown period where injection ceases and the pressure is reduced at the end of the economic life of the process to recover heavy oil or bitumen from the reservoir.
18. The method of claim 13 whereby the phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled by monitoring well pressures and temperatures.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the injectant is steam and phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled to maintain steam trap control such that liquid water covers the production well while a steam chamber surrounds the injection well.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the injectant is air and the reaction behaviour of the injectant with a small fraction of the reservoir hydrocarbons is controlled to obtain mobilized hydrocarbons.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the reaction behaviour of the injectant with hydrocarbons in the reservoir comprises igniting a controlled hydrocarbon flame front within the reservoir.
22. The method of claim 13 wherein injectant is injected into the top well through coiled tubing that is pulled back through the top well.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the coiled tubing is pulled back to follow the produced oil front.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein in-well control valves are used to control steam delivery in the top well.
25. A method to recover heavy hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir, wherein the underground reservoir has a top well located near the top of the reservoir in the oil-bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a lower production well with an inclined portion having one end of the inclined portion relatively close to the top well and the other end of the inclined portion being deeper in the oil formation,
b) injecting injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids from the lower production well; and
c) continuing to inject injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids while growing a vapour and mobilized hydrocarbon chamber in the upwell direction along the well pair.
26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of circulating steam through the top and lower wells to establish thermal communication between the two wells.
27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of monitoring and changing injection pressure to adjust the operating temperature of the process in steps a) through c).
28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of using combinations of injectants in steps a) through c).
29. The method of claim 25 where a blowdown period where injection ceases and the pressure is reduced at the end of the economic life of the process in order to recover heavy oil or bitumen from the reservoir.
30. The method of claim 25 whereby the phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled by monitoring well pressures and temperatures.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein the injectant is steam and phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled to maintain steam trap control such that liquid water covers the production well while a steam chamber surrounds the injection well.
32. The method of claim 30 wherein the injectant is air and the reaction behaviour of the injectant with a small fraction of the reservoir hydrocarbons is controlled to obtained mobilized hydrocarbons.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein the reaction behaviour of the injectant with hydrocarbons in the reservoir comprises igniting a controlled hydrocarbon flame front within the reservoir.
34. The method of claim 25 wherein the injectant is injected into the top well through coiled tubing that is pulled back through the top well.
35. The method of claim 34 in which the coiled tubing is pulled back to follow the produced oil front.
36. The method of claim 34 in which in-well control valves are used to control steam delivery in the top well.
37. A method to recover heavy hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir, wherein the underground reservoir has a top well located near the top of the reservoir in the oil formation, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a lower inclined well with a toe relatively close to the toe of the top well and a heel deeper in the oil formation below the heel of the top well,
b) injecting injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids from the lower production well; and
c) continuing to inject injectant into the top well and producing reservoir fluids while growing a vapour and mobilized hydrocarbon chamber in the upwell direction along the well pair.
38. The method of claim 37 further comprising the step of circulating steam through the top and lower wells to establish thermal communication between the two wells.
39. The method of claim 37 further comprising the step of monitoring and changing injection pressure to adjust the operating temperature of the process in steps a) through c).
40. The method of claim 37 further comprising the step of using combinations of injectants in steps a) through c).
41. The method of claim 37 where a blowdown period where injection ceases and the pressure is reduced at the end of the economic life of the process in order to recover heavy oil or bitumen from the reservoir.
42. The method of claim 37 whereby the phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled by monitoring well pressures and temperatures.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein the injectant is steam and phase behaviour of the injectant is controlled to maintain steam trap control such that liquid water covers the production well while a steam chamber surrounds the injection well.
44. The method of claim 42 wherein the injectant is air and the reaction behaviour of the injectant with a small fraction of the reservoir hydrocarbons is controlled to obtained mobilized hydrocarbons.
45. The method of claim 44 wherein the reaction behaviour of the injectant with hydrocarbons in the reservoir comprises igniting a controlled hydrocarbon flame front within the reservoir.
46. The method of claim 37 wherein the injectant is injected into the top well through coiled tubing that is pulled back through the top well.
47. The method of claim 46 in which the coiled tubing is pulled back to follow the produced oil front.
48. The method of claim 46 in which in-well control valves are used to control steam delivery in the top well.
49. Apparatus for production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir, the apparatus comprising:
an injector horizontal well lying in the reservoir;
a production horizontal well lying in the reservoir below the injector well;
the second horizontal well having an inclined portion, the inclined portion having a top end and a lower end;
the top end of the inclined portion being closer to the injector well than the lower end of the inclined portion; wherein the production well is useful in gravity drainage production processes.
50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the production well has a J-shape.
51. The apparatus of claim 49 in which the first horizontal well is connected to injection equipment and the second horizontal well is connected to production equipment.
52. Apparatus for production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir, the apparatus comprising:
a first horizontal well lying in the reservoir, and having a first heel and a first toe;
a second horizontal well lying in the reservoir below the first horizontal well, the second horizontal well having a second heel and a second toe; and
the second toe being higher in the reservoir than the second heel.
53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the first toe is closer to the second toe than the first heel is to the second heel.
54. The apparatus of claim 52 in which the first horizontal well is connected to injection equipment and the second horizontal well is connected to production equipment.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A barrier for use with a dock having a dock upper surface facing away from an underlying body of water to deter a marine animal from moving onto the dock, the barrier comprising:
a frame adapted to be securable to the dock with the frame extending in an upward direction above the dock upper surface; and
an anti-grip barrier element coupled to the frame and configured to inhibit a marine animal from transferring a load onto the frame via the anti-grip barrier element so as to inhibit the marine animal from climbing onto the dock.
2. The barrier recited in claim 1, wherein the anti-grip barrier is coupled to the frame in a manner which allows the anti-grip barrier to roll over a portion of the frame.
3. The barrier recited in claim 1, wherein the anti-grip barrier includes a plurality of anti-grip barriers coupled to the frame in spaced relation to each other.
4. The barrier recited in claim 1, further comprising an electronic barrier coupled to the frame and adapted to impart an electrical shock to the marine animal in response to the marine animal contacting the electronic barrier.
5. The barrier recited in claim 4, further comprising an acoustic barrier coupled to the dock and adapted to emit an acoustic signal.
6. The barrier recited in claim 1, further comprising an acoustic barrier coupled to the dock and adapted to emit an acoustic signal.
7. The barrier recited in claim 6, wherein the acoustic barrier is adapted to be submersible in the body of water.
8. The barrier recited in claim 1, wherein the frame includes a pair of spaced frame members extending above the dock upper surface, the barrier further comprising a face panel extending between the pair of spaced frame members.
9. A barrier for use with a dock having a dock upper surface facing away from an underlying body of water to deter a marine animal from moving onto the dock, the barrier comprising:
a frame adapted to be securable to the dock with the frame extending in an upward direction above the dock upper surface; and
an electronic barrier coupled to the frame and adapted to impart an electrical shock to the marine animal in response to the marine animal contacting the electronic barrier so as to inhibit the marine animal from climbing onto the dock.
10. The barrier recited in claim 9, further comprising an acoustic barrier coupled to the dock and adapted to emit an acoustic signal.
11. The barrier recited in claim 10, wherein the acoustic barrier is adapted to be submersible in the body of water.
12. The barrier recited in claim 9, wherein the frame includes a pair of spaced frame members extending above the dock upper surface, the barrier further comprising a face panel extending between the pair of spaced frame members.
13. A dock adapted to deter a marine animal from moving onto the dock, the dock comprising:
a dock frame;
a barrier frame coupled to the dock frame with the barrier frame extending in an upward direction above the dock upper surface; and
an anti-grip barrier element coupled to the frame and configured to inhibit a marine animal from transferring a load onto the frame via the anti-grip barrier element so as to inhibit the marine animal from climbing onto the dock.
14. The barrier recited in claim 13, wherein the anti-grip barrier is coupled to the barrier frame in a manner which allows the anti-grip barrier to roll over a portion of the frame.
15. The barrier recited in claim 13, wherein the anti-grip barrier includes a plurality of anti-grip barriers coupled to the frame in spaced relation to each other.
16. The barrier recited in claim 13, further comprising an electronic barrier coupled to the barrier frame and adapted to impart an electrical shock to the marine animal in response to the marine animal contacting the electronic barrier.
17. The barrier recited in claim 16, further comprising an acoustic barrier coupled to the dock frame and adapted to emit an acoustic signal.
18. The barrier recited in claim 13, further comprising an acoustic barrier coupled to the dock frame and adapted to emit an acoustic signal.
19. The barrier recited in claim 18, wherein the acoustic barrier is adapted to be submersible in the body of water.
20. The barrier recited in claim 13, wherein the frame includes a pair of spaced frame members extending above a dock upper surface, the barrier further comprising a face panel extending between the pair of spaced frame members.