DEVELOPMENT METHOD OF HIGH-VISCOSITY OIL DEPOSIT USING IN-SITU COMBUSTION Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC E21B43/243 

FIELD: oil and gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: in development method of a high-viscosity oil deposit using in-situ combustion, involving construction of horizontal and vertical wells, pumping of an oxidiser through vertical well and extraction of product from horizontal well, working face of vertical well is located at the distance of 28-32 m above horizontal well and at the distance of 10-15, from its working face towards the head. Prior to pumping of the oxidiser, in horizontal and vertical wells there installed are electric heaters with power sufficient for warm-up of borehole environment to the temperature of 100-200°C. After that, pumping of the oxidiser is started to both wells for initiation of in-situ combustion in the deposit in the bottom-hole area of location both wells. Then, when formation pressure near horizontal well exceeds the value of level of initial formation pressure more than by 1.5 times, the electric heater is removed from horizontal well and pump equipment is lowered to it, by means of which pumping-out of the deposit product is performed. When liquid level in the well decreases to 100% to 90% of the level of initial formation pressure, the product extraction is stopped, pump equipment is removed, electric heater is lowered, and the oxidiser pumping is performed to initiate in-situ combustion. Cycle of product extraction and initiation of in-situ combustion is repeated and stopped at establishment of hydrodynamic communication between horizontal and vertical wells. Then, horizontal well is operated in a product extraction mode. Electric heater installed in the vertical well is disconnected and removed from that well after the mode of stable high-temperature combustion is set; after that, oxidiser pumping is continued.

EFFECT: providing quicker growth of average temperature in the deposit, higher oil extraction values already at initial stage of the deposit development with simultaneous reduction of material costs and increase in safety of work on wells.

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