EP1412615A1 - Vaporisation i in situ /i - Google Patents
Vaporisation i in situ /iInfo
- Publication number
- EP1412615A1 EP1412615A1 EP02754444A EP02754444A EP1412615A1 EP 1412615 A1 EP1412615 A1 EP 1412615A1 EP 02754444 A EP02754444 A EP 02754444A EP 02754444 A EP02754444 A EP 02754444A EP 1412615 A1 EP1412615 A1 EP 1412615A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- pressure
- space
- borehole
- casing
- rock
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
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- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 title claims description 61
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 title claims description 24
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 106
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 98
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 88
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 81
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 36
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- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 claims 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 claims 1
- KLRSJSXOHSMMCB-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane;hydrate Chemical class C.C.O KLRSJSXOHSMMCB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 27
- 230000035699 permeability Effects 0.000 description 26
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- VUZPPFZMUPKLLV-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane;hydrate Chemical class C.O VUZPPFZMUPKLLV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- E21B43/18—Repressuring or vacuum methods
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
- E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
- E21B43/261—Separate steps of (1) cementing, plugging or consolidating and (2) fracturing or attacking the formation
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
- E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
- E21B43/2605—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures using gas or liquefied gas
Definitions
- the present invention relates to methods and devices for utilizing desired geoproductive potentials from boreholes with a casing and a pressure barrier separating the outside space around the casing from the lower borehole area, comprising the step of establishing a pressure gradient from the rock area surrounding the lower borehole area to the lower borehole area harnessing geoproductive potential.
- Rivas US Pat. No. 5,085,276 An example from the prior art for a method mentioned at the outset is disclosed in Rivas US Pat. No. 5,085,276. Rivas describes the oil production from low permeable rock layers through sequential crack formation by steam. It is reported that the heating of formation water and its conversion from a liquid to a gaseous phase by reducing the pressure in the borehole produces a significantly increased oil production from the rock formation towards the borehole. The pressure in the borehole is reduced by pumping.
- Another disadvantage is that a separate pump capacity is always necessary to maintain the pressure gradient. If this fails, the pressure drop decreases and the delivery rate drops. The borehole space then fills with geofluids such as water and oil. If the pressure drop is to be increased again, the borehole space must be used are essentially emptied again. This is time-consuming and costly work.
- the object of the present invention is to further improve the method mentioned at the outset in order to be able to further increase the already known positive effects, and in order to utilize other geoproductive potentials such as the extraction of superheated steam or other geofluids.
- other geoproductive potentials such as the extraction of superheated steam or other geofluids.
- the object of claim 1 solves this problem.
- the objects of further procedural ancillary claims are directed to economically utilizable actions which directly follow the procedure according to claim 1 and which presuppose its implementation.
- the geofluids can be, in particular, fluids, such as thermal water, thermal oils in the rock space, which evaporate under high pressure and high temperature due to the effect of the pressure difference introduced, and flow upward through the borehole as superheated steam or a multi-phase mixture and are further processed there technically.
- fluids such as thermal water, thermal oils in the rock space, which evaporate under high pressure and high temperature due to the effect of the pressure difference introduced, and flow upward through the borehole as superheated steam or a multi-phase mixture and are further processed there technically.
- fluids such as thermal water, thermal oils in the rock space
- This is to be understood as the free-walled space of the borehole that lies below the lower end of the casing and essentially as an inlet surface for the fluids, such as steam or petroleum, natural gas, etc., into the borehole for the discharge thereof and for use there it is a possibility.
- this can also be understood to mean an area of the casing and its surroundings which, as is known in the prior art, has been perforated in order to have sufficient entry area for the fluids.
- the principle of the invention can also be used for such situations.
- the invention discloses a method for harnessing desired geoproductive ones
- the method according to the present invention is now characterized in that it contains the following steps: a) placing a pressure seal for a pressure separation between the lower borehole space and a flow space located above the closure within the casing, b) introducing an effective pressure into at least parts of the flow space, and c) introducing the effective pressure into the lower borehole space, the effective pressure being at least is so much lower than the pressure previously present there that the pressure difference that is established is suitable for bringing about physical and / or chemical processes in the lower borehole space and / or in the rock layers surrounding it, which make the desired geoproductive potentials usable.
- the application of the differential pressure is achieved by opening or destroying the pressure seal previously placed inside the casing after the flow space above the seal has been at least largely emptied.
- a pressure closure in the sense of the invention can be achieved in that the bore up to the desired one
- End depth is piped through a cemented casing, and the lowest borehole area is then provided with a sufficiently sized closure that separates the upper flow chamber from the lower borehole chamber. Then the water in the borehole is removed as much as possible. If the borehole is still filled with drilling fluid, this should have been replaced by water beforehand.
- the pressure lock can be cemented on the lower end of the casing, for example, and the effective pressure can also be applied after the casing has been emptied by perforating the casing.
- the general principle of operation of the present invention is explained as follows:
- the present invention is based on the possibility of connecting very different pressure ranges via conventionally drilled bores, and in particular deep bores, by means of a sufficiently pressure- and temperature-resistant pipeline, by opening the aforementioned pressure seal in a controlled manner.
- the pressure lock is located at a predetermined point in the borehole space. If the pressure drop is to be large, the pressure lock is located as far down in the borehole as possible, specifically within the casing, the outside of which is in turn adequately sealed, for example by cementing.
- the period of time should be sufficiently long that a corresponding amount of superheated steam can be continuously conveyed.
- the oil entering the lower borehole space can be pumped out in order to maintain the pressure drop for as long as possible.
- the geoproductive potentials mentioned in claim 1 are thus made better usable according to the present invention.
- the utilization of this geoproductive potential includes the following four areas of application: 1.
- Aqueous fluids, such as those found in nature, mixed with other substances, in particular salts, are converted from their liquid phase into a gas phase by the very rapid and strong pressure reduction and up through the lower borehole space and the flow space above promoted.
- the first three of the aforementioned fields of application are all particularly preferred and can be used with great effect in deep borehole areas.
- the essence of the invention is therefore that the pressure reduction which is brought about can actually be so great that all four of the aforementioned areas of application come into play and can benefit from the invention.
- the method can particularly preferably be used in high-temperature rock areas with low fluid production, which are therefore economically uninteresting for the geothermal energy production methods known in the prior art. These can then only be used economically on the basis of the application of the invention. This is the first time that the present invention enables underground production and production of water vapor even from areas in which no natural steam deposits occur.
- Rock layers with a relatively high temperature are preferably suitable, for example volcanic active areas, but also non-volcanic areas which can be exploited via correspondingly deep bores.
- the sudden introduction of the differential pressure can cause crack formation in the rock layers of the target horizon, which increases the permeability and thus generally also the rate of demand.
- the principle of the invention can be used in two ways: on the one hand due to the formation of cracks, on the other hand due to the pressure drop in the direction of the borehole, which supports the natural requirements for the geofluid (such as petroleum). This is a decisive advantage over the prior art, in which the pressure drop used in fracturing is used in exactly the opposite and thus "wrong" direction.
- the basic form of the method according to the invention can be adapted to the improved demand for crude oil or natural gas in that the fluid additionally entering the lower borehole space due to the triggered crack formation is revealed by a separately installed pump line, as a result of which the rising height of the oil column in the Borehole is kept low so that the effect of the low, atmospheric pressure can be maintained over a long period of time.
- a sufficiently high pressure relief can convert the liquid water that may be present in the petroleum into steam and improve the flow behavior of the petroleum as well as the degree of decolorization in the extracted rock.
- methane can also be obtained from the so-called methane hydrates if the atmospheric pressure in deeper layers of the earth is derived if they are present in such layers of earth.
- the methane hydrates occur as crystalline, ice-like accumulations in marine deposits and in the permafrost zone of the arctic regions. They are only stable under certain pressure and temperature conditions, e.g. at 10 bar pressure only if the temperature is less than -12 degrees Celsius (261 Kelvin) or at 1000 bar pressure up to approximately 30 degrees Celsius (303 Kelvin).
- the present invention can make a valuable contribution because it greatly reduces costs when the
- Phase transition of methane hydrate into methane and water ice takes place through the pressure relief according to the invention. From an ecological point of view, too, this process offers considerable advantages over the extraction of methane hydrate from the sea floor.
- the idea of the present invention which is common to all four of the aforementioned fields of application, therefore takes advantage of the physical fact that certain physical states and substance modifications are stable only under certain pressure-temperature ranges. According to the present invention, this stability is broken up and the associated geoproductive potential is released, as described above.
- the rapid reduction in pressure in the deep and hot rock space by means of the introduction and activation of atmospheric pressure as a low pressure source causes the hot thermal water or thermal brine, which is under high pressure, to evaporate without the need to supply energy.
- the evaporation process can therefore be called “endothermic” or autonomous in a way, since it often takes place without the supply of external energy and gets its energy from the conditions prevailing in the deep and hot rock space.
- This evaporation process lasts as long as the water vapor can flow out through the existing pipeline.
- the reduction in pressure to pump methane from methane hydrates releases methane and water, the latter depending on the temperature in liquid or solid form of ice.
- This process can also be described as endothermic, because once it has been triggered, it continues to run on its own without needing any further external energy supply.
- it is advisable to support a funding process if possible by maintaining the pressure drop during the entire funding process. This can be done, for example, by switching on additional pumps to extract the geofluid to be pumped.
- the method according to the invention can also be used advantageously for the production of oil from low-permeability oil carrier rocks.
- cracks can be created in the low-permeability rock, which can then be used for hydrogeothermal use of the thermal water or thermal brine. possible, especially in those areas that were previously used by means of an in-situ evaporation according to the invention.
- the pressure lock can be opened suddenly, with the result that a particularly abrupt change in pressure occurs, which can cause a particularly pronounced crack formation with a particularly large increase in permeability.
- the attachment of the pressure lock is preferably combined with the insertion of the production tube into the completely piped bore: the inventive method then contains the following steps:
- the outer pressure lock is a ring packer made of a high-pressure-resistant and high-temperature-resistant material.
- a ring packer made of a high-pressure-resistant and high-temperature-resistant material.
- teflon-coated ring packers or metal packers can be used, which are designed to be sufficiently soft and flexible to ensure adequate pressure tightness form when - as is customary in the prior art - they are filled with a filling material, such as liquid cement, for activation under pressure.
- the production tube with one or more ring packer (s) provided at its lower end can advantageously be inserted into the casing in order to combine the aforementioned steps a) and b).
- the aforementioned inner closure should have sufficient pressure and temperature resistance to be able to withstand the physical conditions at target depth. It can preferably contain ceramic components. A ceramic closure also has the advantage that it can be destroyed relatively safely by impact from above, as it is known that ceramic jumps easily.
- the closure can advantageously be designed in such a way that it has a downwardly convex shape, closes the entire inner cross section of the production tube and is optionally additionally provided with a protective body which unintentionally destroys the inner closure due to mechanical damage when the production tube is let into the casing can prevent.
- the end section of the production tube can also preferably be provided with a threaded piece that fits a corresponding threaded piece that fits in the end section of the The casing is connected to this in a pressure-tight manner, such as welded. Then the production pipe can be screwed to the casing pipe at the target depth, which reliably closes the annulus.
- the sliding surfaces of the thread turns have a suitable sliding coating, for example made of Teflon, which reduces the torque required for turning and, if appropriate, also offers additional sealing properties.
- the shape of the two end sections sections of the casing and the production pipe can be designed by preselected shaping so that there is a positive fit that also has the required tightness due to the appropriate pressure.
- an additional coating, in particular of the production tube can be provided with a soft, temperature-resistant material, for example molybdenum sulfide, in order to ensure additional sealing properties.
- the aforementioned pressure lock is destroyed by dropping a falling body with a predetermined weight and shape from the surface end of the bore.
- the lower borehole space the wall area of which serves as the entry surface for the geofluids to be extracted, is at least partially filled with a gravel pack which has very high permeability and otherwise displaces any water present there.
- a gravel pack which has very high permeability and otherwise displaces any water present there.
- the method according to the invention can also be used for the brief evaporation of water from relatively low-temperature rocks if the thermal insulation of the production pipe and / or its length is dimensioned such that steam of sufficient temperature arrives at the upper end of the borehole. It can also be carried out using methods known in the prior art, such as, for example, the hot dry rock method or in the evaporation of fresh water previously artificially pressed into hot rock, or in the improved extraction of petroleum in connection with the injection of hot water or superheated steam or in Natural gas, such as stick substance or carbon dioxide or of polymers and surfactants.
- the method according to the invention is also suitable for increasing porosity and permeability for the purpose of in-situ leaching of metal ore deposits.
- reversibly actuatable inner closures are also provided according to the invention. These have the advantage in particular when extracting superheated steam that a bore can easily be tested for the efficiency of producing superheated steam, whereby the steam flow can be stopped again after the end of a test, with hardly any water collecting in the borehole if the closure is very far below located in the borehole.
- Such reversible closures can also be used to control the flow rate of the steam flow.
- a relatively simple and reliable reclosable closure that can be opened is also used, for example, when the conveyor pipe has to be subjected to certain service work, for example to remove deposits (so-called reaming). In such a case, the production tube 7 does not have to be laboriously removed and reinstalled after the cleaning work has been carried out. This saves time and money.
- Figure 1 is a schematic sketch in simplified form to illustrate the basic concept of the present invention.
- 2A is a schematic drawing which shows a pressure closure which closes the inner casing
- FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing which shows a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, various states being shown from left to right during the method according to the invention, a production tube lying inside the casing being used as the flow space; 4 shows a schematic drawing with a gravel pack in the lower borehole space, suitable for the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, a drop weight being shown shortly before the inner pressure lock is destroyed;
- FIG. 5 shows a schematic drawing following FIG. 4, which illustrates the effect of the sudden opening of the closure immediately in the region of the bore;
- FIG. 6 illustrates the effect in the continuation of FIG. 5 in the further surrounding area of the lower borehole space
- Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional representation through a sandstone
- FIG. 8 is a partial enlargement of FIG. 7 to show the effects to be expected after the on-site evaporation has started in accordance with the present invention
- FIG. 9 shows a schematic drawing for a further exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, in which the casing is used directly for steam production;
- FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing to illustrate an alternative inner closure to the inner closure as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, and
- FIG. 11-13 Schematic drawings to illustrate a particularly preferred, reversibly actuable inner closure by means of a “valve tube” as the lower tube end piece of the production tube string, in three different positions.
- identical reference symbols designate identical or functionally identical components.
- Eig. 1 shows in its left area a borehole which is provided with a casing, the upper end being open and the lower end being closed. Details of this are shown in FIG. 2.
- the borehole is shown at the lower end of the borehole after the closure has been opened.
- FIG. 1 shows how the pressure field changes after the pressure lock has been opened.
- the hot rocks have a preferably low permeability.
- Your pore space is filled with hot, pressurized water or brine. If the hot fluids are now exposed to low pressure, which is so low that it is below the condensation pressure for the steam, by bringing about atmospheric pressure into the lower borehole space, the fluids evaporate in situ, that is to say in the pore space.
- the method according to the invention is therefore referred to in this form as "in-situ evaporation (ISV)".
- ISV in-situ evaporation
- the low pressure caused by the derived atmospheric pressure is provided, passes into the rock layers surrounding the borehole.
- the overall cooling leads to a low contraction of the rock and thus creates additional permeability on the steam side.
- the precipitation of previously dissolved solid substances has an exothermic effect on the overall energy balance.
- the energy gain depends on the salinity of the solutions. Details to be found here below with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 explained.
- FIG. 2 shows how some of the other representations each symbolically and smallly represent a drilling rig in the upper area, and in comparison to this considerably enlarged certain details, to which reference is made, in the lower area.
- a pressure seal 2 is now first installed inside the casing for pressure separation between the lower borehole space 3 and the cavity leading upward, the flow space 1 inside the casing 4.
- the pressure lock 2 is only outlined schematically. It separates the space inside the casing, which forms the flow space upwards, from the lower borehole space 3.
- a gravel pack 12 is introduced into the lower borehole space, as is explicitly shown in FIG. 4.
- the gravel pack 12 should preferably have a very high permeability, so that the superheated steam to be conveyed can then easily penetrate this pack.
- the gravel pack 12 is not shown in FIG. 2 for reasons of a better overview.
- the pressure closure 2 which can be designed, for example, as a cementing layer of a certain, predetermined thickness. This cementing layer should only be so thick that it can be destroyed at a later point in time using simple means, preferably without drilling, in order to start the evaporation.
- this cementing layer is applied in the hot fluid present there, for example thermal water.
- the thickness of the cementation layer must be adapted to the prevailing pressure and temperature conditions.
- the pressure lock 2 is resilient to pressure differences occurring between its upper side and lower side, it can be started to empty the piped upper borehole area 1 above it. This can be done, for example, as described below in connection with FIG. 9.
- the closure 2 can be destroyed and targeted as an initial ignition for the conveyance of the steam to be opened with it.
- the destruction can take place, for example, by blasting with a precisely specified explosive force. If the pressure cap 2 is destroyed, atmospheric pressure according to the invention enters the casing into the lower borehole chamber 3, which is under high pressure, and there the pressure suddenly drops and the effects described above occur, as a result of which superheated steam enters the walls of the lower borehole chamber 3 and is passed up through the flow chamber 1.
- the evaporation of the aqueous phase in the surrounding, high-temperature rock systems 5 is caused by the very sudden ken pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the earth and the volume-limited, under the high pressure and sealed to the annulus depth range 3 of the borehole reached.
- FIG. 3 uses a corresponding production pipe 7 for the production of superheated steam.
- the main part of the figure represents a schematic longitudinal section through areas of interest in the borehole, whereas the lower part for the corresponding upper three individual pictures shows schematic cross-sectional views along the dashed line drawn horizontally in the main part.
- a ring cementation 10 again represents a pressure barrier between the outer space around the casing 4 from the lower borehole space 3.
- a production tube 7 is now used, which is provided with a not yet expanded ring packer 6 at its lower end region, see the middle figures.
- the production tube 7 contains an inner closure 8 and a protective body 9 provided for this.
- a 7-inch casing tube for example, a 4 ⁇ ⁇ -inch production tube 7 can be used as usual.
- the inner closure 8 has a downwardly convex shape and contains ceramic parts, which means that it is resistant to high temperatures and high pressure. there is a large pressure difference between its convex (high pressure applied) and its concave surface.
- the ring packer 6 is also designed to be highly pressure-resistant and high-temperature-resistant and can, for example, contain Teflon layers or be made from a suitable metal construction in order to have the required temperature stability and strength.
- the packers are designed in such a way that they remain adequately sealed even after a certain mechanical and thermal load. If necessary, several packers are placed in a row.
- the protective body 9 can be screwed onto the production tube and is tubular, for example, is closed at its lower end and has perforations of sufficient size across its cylinder walls to form a sufficiently large entry surface for the superheated steam to be produced after the closure disk 8 has been destroyed.
- the protective body 9 has the task of protecting the inner closure 8 against accidental destruction during the insertion of the production tube into the casing 4.
- FIG. 3 shows the packers 6 in the expanded state, as a result of which the lower borehole space 3 is separated in a pressure-tight manner from the annular space 14 located further up.
- a gravel pack 12 can optionally be provided in order to have as little water as possible in the lower borehole space 3.
- the gravel packing 12 displaces the water present in the lower, uncased borehole space and, as a result, causes less water to be carried upward when evaporation sets in, as a result of which less heat is dissipated from the ascending phase mixture to the outside through the pipe wall. This helps to keep the steam hotter and the energy yield higher.
- the large surface of the Gravel pack an additional heat exchange surface for the treatment of the liquid phase in the lower borehole area.
- the inner closure 8 is preferably designed as a ceramic disk with the aforementioned, downwardly convex shape in order to form a good static derivative of the pressure forces on the tube wall of the production tube 7 and to be relatively easy to destroy from the inside of the production tube at the same time.
- the ceramic should be such that it breaks into many small individual parts, for example if, as indicated in FIG. 4, a falling body is intended to destroy the pane in a targeted manner.
- the situation shown in FIG. 4 is a continuation of that in FIG. 3.
- the interior of the production tube 7 is free of liquid and is preferably only filled with air.
- the production pipe has an open end with a connection to the technical facilities for the use of superheated steam available above ground.
- several throttle valves can be provided in order to have an influence on the amount of steam delivered per unit of time.
- the annular space between the production tube 7 and the casing 4 is initially filled with water, but is preferably emptied after activating the ring packer 6 and, if appropriate, after applying an additional annular cementing 13 in order to reduce the heat conduction between the production pipe and the casing. This keeps the steam hotter.
- the lower borehole space 3 partly contains the aforementioned gravel pack 12 and is partly filled with water.
- a pressure of 300 bar and a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, 573 Kelvin in the borehole area is a pressure of 300 bar and a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, 573 Kelvin in the borehole area.
- the closing 8 can be opened specifically. This can be done, for example, for a ceramic closure, as described above, by dropping a falling weight with a predetermined shape, hardness and weight which, owing to the relatively large falling height, has a sufficiently high kinetic energy so that the impact impulse on the ceramic disk 8 is large enough to to destroy them. So that the destruction can take place in a controlled, complete and optimized manner from a production point of view, the pane should leave the pipe cross-section as completely as possible without leaving any disruptive residues. Corresponding predetermined breaking lines can be present in the ceramic disk for this.
- the falling body 16 can have stabilizing wings that support rapid and straight-line falling.
- it can have a suitable weight. If the weight is to be particularly large, it can be designed with a correspondingly long cross-section so that the subsequent production process is not hindered by the fact that it presents an obstacle that narrows too much in cross-section.
- he can also have an explosive charge built into him, which then destroys him in small parts after the ceramic disk has been destroyed.
- an alloy or a pure material of a preferably heavy metal can be used as the material.
- a sandwich construction consisting of a particularly heavy body and a particularly hard impact surface can also be used with preference.
- the cementing 2 mentioned above with reference to FIG. 2A since it is only a few m thick, could also be drilled dry or destroyed with an air hammer tool.
- the water in area 19 in the lower borehole space evaporated more or less quickly or was carried upwards by the steam flow.
- the lower borehole space 3 is now completely filled with steam, that is to say that the mixed phase region 18 and liquid phase region 19 no longer exist.
- the low pressure thus continues into the rock via the pathways existing in the surrounding rock space 5.
- in-situ evaporation also begins there as a function of the temperature and the pressure which is present.
- the evaporation front 22 is drawn in a circle in FIG. 6 and in reality represents a three-dimensional surface , the exact shape of which depends on many rock-physical parameters, such as permeability, porosity, thermal conductivity, density, etc., as is known to the person skilled in the art.
- the steam can enter the production tube via the perforation holes in the protective body 9 without any appreciable loss of pressure. After a sufficiently long production time, a quasi-steady state occurs, which is dependent on the above-mentioned rock parameters and on the water content present in the rock room 5.
- liquid water evaporates in situ at the temperature mentioned: water of 200 degrees Celsius at less than 15.2 bar, corresponding to 39.5 bar at 250 Degrees Celsius, 85 bar at 300 degrees Celsius and 165 bar at 350 degrees Celsius. At a pressure lower than 15 bar and a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius, the water remains in the liquid phase.
- the present invention brings about an evaporation of formation water, which is energetically much cheaper than the delivery of an equal mass of hot water (thermal water or thermal insole) to the surface of the day, because the superheated steam practically flows by itself and carries equal masses far higher, inner energy than hot water.
- a further, independently added advantage is that particularly low permeability rocks can be used because the flowability of water vapor through such rocks is orders of magnitude better than that of water in the liquid phase. Pores and cracks, which can no longer be passed due to the strong adhesive effect of liquid water, are generally still permeable to steam.
- FIG. 7 shows an exemplary schematic cross section through a sandstone with a total porosity of 10% and an effective porosity of 1%, on a scale of about 50: 1.
- Sandstone consists of more or less rounded quartz grains 24, often sorted relatively well because they are deposited under fluvial conditions. The primary porosity was about 30%. Later diagenetic processes reduced the porosity to 10% and the permeability to about 50 millidarcy (mD).
- the values given here are typical values for the Buntsandstein in the Upper Rhine Trench, which is sunk to a great depth. They have only exemplary character.
- the permeabilities should preferably be lower.
- effective porosity is the proportion of the pore volume in the total rock which is connected to one another. Liquids and gases can flow through the effective porosity.
- An example of an effective pore space is denoted by closely hatched reference numeral 30.
- the “non-effective” porosity is the portion 28 that does not have interconnected pores in the total volume, the content of which, according to the invention, can evaporate due to secondary effects when the low pressure is introduced.
- the pore cement 26 is fine-grained material with a permeability of almost 0 and therefore represents an obstacle to permeability.
- the processes that change the porosity and permeability after the in-situ evaporation has started are triggered by measures according to the present invention Invention outlined: with reference numeral 31 pores are shown that are part of the effective porosity, as defined above.
- the fluid content of the pores has evaporated after a sufficiently long time after opening the closure 8.
- the previously dissolved solids content has crystallized out in the pore volume.
- Reference pores 32 identify those pores which have been opened by secondary effects of in-situ evaporation and now form part of the effective porosity.
- a sufficient pressure drop then leads to the evaporation of the liquid contained in these pores. This vapor escapes through the previously existing pathways and possibly also through those fine cracks which have formed according to the invention as a result of the sudden decrease in pressure. In such pores, too, there are unusual substances that were previously in solution.
- Reference numbers 33 denote those pores which, even after some time after the closure has been opened, are still liquid-filled and sealed off from the rest of the pore space. These pores can later become part of the effective porosity if there is a sufficiently long and sufficiently large drop in pressure and / or temperature.
- the solid arrows are intended to represent existing flow paths for water and water vapor, whereas the dashed arrows represent new flow paths mainly for water vapor, which will be available at a later point in time after fine cracks have formed due to the invention.
- the direction of the arrows results from the pressure drop shown above. This also results in the direction to the right radially to the borehole and to the left radially from the borehole to the rock space.
- FIG. 9 A further, alternative procedure of the inventive method is described below with reference to FIG. 9 and at the same time to FIG. 2, in which the casing is used solely for steam production.
- an exemplary borehole configuration was selected in which the target horizon 40 to be exploited lies a certain distance above the lower end of the casing.
- the casing 4 is provided with a corresponding casing cement 10 in the region of the target horizon.
- the pressure can expediently be applied by compressed air.
- the annular space 48 is closed on the surface of the earth with a high-strength cover so that it can withstand the pressure that is pressed into the annular space. This can be 500 bar at a depth of 5,000 m. Depending on the depth of the borehole, a corresponding compression pressure of possibly several 100 bar must be applied in order to push the entire water column of the annulus through the pump tube 46 upwards.
- the compressed air has pressed the water level of the annular space up to the tube shoe of the pump tube 46, it enters the pump tube 46, which is still filled with water, and lifts the liquid content of this tube upwards until it itself escapes on the surface of the earth. Mixing of the liquid and gaseous phases in the pump tube does not take place to a considerable extent, in particular, if the inside diameter of the pump tube is sufficiently small, since compressed air with several 100 bar already takes on liquid-like properties.
- the liquid is carried away to the surface of the earth using the principle of the airlift process.
- a remaining amount of water in the area above the cementation 44 will evaporate particularly quickly when the rock space 5 is at a high temperature.
- the borehole is finally empty and the pump tube 46 can be removed again.
- the casing 4 is shot through with the aid of conventional so-called "perforation guns" so that the atmospheric pressure in the casing 4 can come into contact with the surrounding rock space 5, become effective there and the in-situ Evaporation can initiate.
- Perforation guns are preferably used, the
- Wire ropes are attached, because after the steam can be removed from the borehole relatively quickly.
- the perforation lengths should be decided on a case-by-case basis and adapted to the geological conditions on site. However, a larger length should be perforated in one fell swoop rather than a too short one, since the right steam rate can be set by throttling the steam flow, but the reverse is not possible.
- All electrical components of the perforation guns can be manufactured to match the temperature. Cable insulation in particular can be produced for this purpose from high-temperature-resistant, electrically insulating material. Switches can be operated redundantly, electrically as well as mechanically and electromechanically (relay switches).
- exploration guns could also be cooled to maintain the required temperature stability.
- the production tube 7 here also has a sufficiently perforated protective body 9 which protects the inner closure 8 which is also present.
- the thread surfaces can be coated with a Teflon or a graphite laminate.
- the image shown on the right in FIG. 10 results and the pressure lock is produced in a sufficient manner. From here, the description from FIGS. 3 and 4 ff. Can be used.
- a reversible opening and closing pressure closure for a production pipe 7 of superheated steam in the form of a preferred exemplary embodiment, which is used in combination with the screw closure 20A, 20B in FIG. 10, are described below with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13 becomes.
- it can be selected whether the interior of the production tube 7, the annular space 48, or both are used for the passage of the geofluid. All dimensions are only to be understood as examples.
- the casing 64 provided with a bottom 64 is not cemented in its lower end section 60 to a length of about 12 m, but is already introduced with perforations 66 of a suitable size in the side wall 62 and in the bottom 64.
- the space between casing and rock 5 is not cemented to the rock space over the entire length of the perforated casing section, but is filled with hot and high-pressure liquid (water or brine).
- a piece of sealing tube 70 here a titanium tube of about 2 m in length, is screwed on the inside of the casing 4 approximately 16-20 m above the bottom of the casing.
- an external threaded piece 74 fastened to the outside of the titanium tube is used, which can fit into a threaded attachment that is welded to the casing.
- the screwing the parts are expediently carried out before the casing is installed.
- the threaded piece 74 thus contains a radially inwardly directed sealing surface of sufficient size, which thereby becomes a seal that a further, appropriately dimensioned pipe section can be brought into sealing but sliding contact, the pipe section having valve functions, as will be described further below.
- a pressure closure 2 is formed as a tube piece, which separates the lower borehole space 3 from the flow space 1.
- the valve pipe 68 is screwed at its upper end to the production pipe string 7 and has three full pipe sections 76, 78, 80 arranged without any perforations and two perforated pipe sections 82, 84 arranged individually between them.
- the length of the perforated and the closed pipe sections is each about 3 m, the (full pipe) section 76 is about 5 m long. The section lengths can be varied depending on requirements.
- the lower end 86 of the valve tube 68 is closed and tapers.
- An above-ground suspension device for the production pipe 7 also serves at the same time for a precisely controllable vertical movement of the delivery pipe, so that in each case certain predetermined sections of the valve pipe 68 lie in the area of the sealing surface of the pressure closure 7.
- the steam flow can thus be controlled as follows:
- Valve pipe section 80 position "closed”
- valve pipe section 78 position "steam flow in the annular space and in the delivery pipe”
- Valve tube section 76 position "steam flow only in the delivery tube”.
- the proportions of the flows through the delivery pipe or annular space can also be controlled and the total flow throttled.
- the lower end of the inevitably liquid-filled valve tube with its lowermost full tube section 80 is introduced into the region of the pressure lock.
- the upper end of the threaded pressure lock is funnel-shaped and is used for easier positioning of the valve tube.
- this flow space consists of the annular space and the interior of the delivery pipe 7, which can either be used individually or both together. This is controlled by the valve tube 68, as described below.
- the titanium tube 70 and the valve tube 68 are not only made to fit precisely, but are additionally sealed by a thin layer of a material which is resistant to high temperatures and is not chemically attackable. This layer also serves as a lubricant. It is applied either on the inside of the screwed titanium tube or on the outside of the conveyor tube, possibly on both. Applying the layer on the valve tube should be more advantageous because the valve tube can be removed and then provided with a new sealing and sliding layer above ground.
- Materials which are known in the prior art and which are resistant to high temperatures and high pressures are suitable. Examples include: graphite or graphite compounds, molybdenum sulfide, carbon monofluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene.
- piston ring systems known in the prior art can be used instead of or in combination with the sliding / sealing layer. With these worries a continuous slot for a certain flexibility and increased sealing, even in the event of thermal expansion or shrinkage of the material.
- a plurality of rings can preferably be arranged one behind the other on the tubular part 70 with slots arranged offset to one another.
- the liquid -water or brine- is removed from the annular space and the delivery pipe (above the pressure lock), which is carried out by introducing compressed air into the annular space, which presses the liquid through the delivery pipe to the surface of the day.
- the valve tube 68 is in the fully sealing position 1. A remaining liquid level can be accepted, but it should also evaporate very quickly by itself at the high temperatures in this part of the borehole.
- valve tube 68 is lowered by the control system so far above ground that the central full tube valve tube section 78 is positioned at the height of the pressure lock.
- the perforated valve tube section 84 is thus already in the lower borehole space, and the perforated valve tube section 82 is in the region of the flow space.
- an opening to the annular space 14 is formed.
- the atmospheric pressure is immediately effective in the lower borehole area.
- the steam-hot water mixture formed at the beginning of the evaporation can now flow upwards, whereby not only the annulus, but also the delivery pipe itself is available as a flow path if the latter is not closed at the upper end.
- An initially closed production tube could be advantageous at the beginning of the evaporation, because the mineral precipitates that may arise from the hot water then predominantly settle in the annular space, and the cross section of the production tube remains largely free of such deposits.
- the use of the entire cross-sectional area of the annular space and the cross-sectional area of the delivery pipe advantageously enables the production of a larger steam mass per unit of time and reduces the pressure loss on the delivery path, in each case in relation to the delivery only through the production pipe 7 alone.
- the production pipe 7 can be lowered until the full pipe valve pipe section 76 reaches the height of the pressure lock 70 reached. Then steam only flows through the conveyor pipe to the surface of the earth.
- the delivery pipe is basically unnecessary. It can therefore be pulled and used again later if necessary, e.g. to preferably close the steam flow in the deepest borehole. It is then also possible to apply new sealing linings and remove deposits in the pipe.
- the sealing tube piece 70 screwed into the casing 4 can advantageously be completely removed in order to enlarge the cross-sectional area at this narrow point and thus to increase the steam production again. This also applies in the event that after the end of steam generation, the well as a whole is to be used only for the production of thermal water.
- the present invention is based on the introduction of very low pressure into the lower borehole space and thereby into the adjacent rock layers 5.
- the evaporation of geofluids or / and education in the rock area is then used economically.
- Certain physical parameters are required in the field of evaporation and use of superheated steam.
- the water and rock temperatures should be sufficiently high, the low atmospheric pressure should be brought about very quickly, and the permeability of the rock to water or aqueous solutions should be so low in the absence of further technical measures that the evaporation rate is higher than the inflow said fluids in the liquid phase in the borehole.
- Measures can be influenced, for example, by means of a flow restrictor in the production pipe on the current delivery rate and thus also on the pressure conditions in the production pipe.
- the initial, conceptual determination of the pipe diameter is another important parameter.
- the range of the evaporation front into the rock 5 depends to a large extent on the above-mentioned secondary effects which are to be expected, but which are difficult to calculate in detail. These secondary effects can cause an increase in rock permeability, as a result of which the pressure gradient between the borehole and the evaporation front flattens out and the critical condensation pressure (evaporation pressure) can shift further into the rock space 5.
- Evaporation causes increased rock permeability to flow in ever greater quantities, the liquid phase can gain the upper hand over the vapor phase and lead to a significant reduction in the vapor phase in the production pipe.
- the increased permeability to rock thus created can also result in the economically attractive production of thermal water or even after the end of steam production Thermaisole lead, which could then be used by means of the hydrogeothermal methods known in the prior art.
- Such a scenario can be particularly the case at deposit temperatures below 200 degrees Celsius (473 Kelvin).
- the method according to the invention should be combined with partial measures known and proven in the prior art for solving certain individual problems: for example if, in the initial phase of steam production, solids are also entrained by the steam flow, such as powdered rock and small ones Rock fragments, so the so-called deflectors known and proven from natural gas production can be used to prevent such solids from getting into the steam turbine.
- the method according to the invention in one form or another can also be modified in order to test the economic viability of a planned use of a well before costly investments are made in the above-ground facilities, such as the installation of turbogenerators, power lines or district heating. pipelines. Therefore, changes of the method are also included in the invention, which carry out a renewed introduction of atmospheric pressure into a bore which has already been stimulated according to the invention.
- the method according to the invention can also be used in order not to convey the superheated steam directly, but after passing it through only certain parts of the flow space 1, to introduce the steam underground into other, nearby enough areas to better achieve another geoproductive potential harness if so is there.
- Melting sulfur or heating heavy oil may be mentioned as an example to facilitate their extraction.
- a melt closure that opens when exposed to heat or an acid-soluble closure.
- the fusible seal could consist of an alloy which is precisely adapted to the temperature in the lower borehole space and which can then be melted with the addition of only a relatively small amount of additional heat, for example using a "termite charge" known from the prior art. "Tailor-made” alloys are known in the art. The following can be used, among others: tin, lead, antimony or zinc, etc.
- the drop body mentioned above could also be composed in such a way that it melts after the closure has been destroyed, for example if, due to its size or shape, it does not flow upwards with the steam is torn.
- valve tube 68 and the sealing tube piece 70 another, reversible closure could also be inserted into the casing 4, in which the production tube has perforation openings in its entire lower section below the pressure closure 70. points that fit openings that are provided in a downwardly projecting, otherwise closed tubular extension of the pressure closure 70.
- the pipe extension is, for example, 12 m long, extends into the lower borehole space and is non-rotatably connected to the threaded attachment of the pressure lock.
- the openings can then be brought into line by rotating the production tube about its own axis, whereby a position "open” is defined. Accordingly, it can be turned to the "closed” position, or a partial overlap of the openings can be controlled in order to restrict the flow.
- the torsional elasticity of the production pipe string must be taken into account appropriately. Feedback information as to whether the closure is really completely closed can be obtained by measuring the pressure in the production pipe string.
- the features of the subclaims can be combined with one another essentially freely and not through the sequence present in the claims, provided that they are independent of one another.
- the inner lock can also be provided in addition to another lock, and various technical devices can be redundantly provided or implemented several times.
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Abstract
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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DE10137622 | 2001-08-03 | ||
DE10137622 | 2001-08-03 | ||
DE10159311A DE10159311B4 (de) | 2001-08-03 | 2001-12-04 | In-situ Verdampfung |
DE10159311 | 2001-12-04 | ||
PCT/DE2002/002744 WO2003014522A1 (fr) | 2001-08-03 | 2002-07-26 | Vaporisation in situ |
Publications (2)
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EP1412615A1 true EP1412615A1 (fr) | 2004-04-28 |
EP1412615B1 EP1412615B1 (fr) | 2005-01-12 |
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EP02754444A Expired - Lifetime EP1412615B1 (fr) | 2001-08-03 | 2002-07-26 | Vaporisation in situ |
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EP (1) | EP1412615B1 (fr) |
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US5566758A (en) * | 1995-06-07 | 1996-10-22 | Forester; Buford G. | Method and apparatus for drilling wells in to geothermal formations |
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2002
- 2002-07-26 EP EP02754444A patent/EP1412615B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-07-26 US US10/485,844 patent/US7117946B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-07-26 WO PCT/DE2002/002744 patent/WO2003014522A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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See references of WO03014522A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2003014522A1 (fr) | 2003-02-20 |
EP1412615B1 (fr) | 2005-01-12 |
US7117946B2 (en) | 2006-10-10 |
US20040244990A1 (en) | 2004-12-09 |
WO2003014522A9 (fr) | 2003-03-27 |
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