Producing hydrocarbons through successively perforated intervals of a horizontal well between two vertical wells

Claim 1

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: injecting a thermal fluid into the formation through a first substantially vertical well; producing fluids from a substantially horizontal well located within the underground formation, said horizontal well extending from an area near the first vertical well to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said horizontal well produced fluids only being produced from a first perforated interval in the horizontal well in the vicinity of the first vertical well; ceasing production from the first perforated interval of the horizontal well and producing fluids from a second perforated interval of the horizontal well which is farther from the first vertical well than the first perforated interval; continuing to move the production of fluids through the horizontal well to perforated intervals successively farther away from the first vertical well than the preceding production perforated intervals; after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.

Claim 2

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: injecting a thermal fluid into the formation through a first substantially vertical well; producing fluids from a substantially horizontal well located within the underground formation, said horizontal well extending from an area near the first vertical well to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said horizontal well produced fluids only being produced from a first perforated interval in the horizontal well in the vicinity of the first vertical well; ceasing production from the first perforated interval of the horizontal well and producing fluids from a second perforated interval of the horizontal well which is farther from the first vertical well than the first perforated interval; continuing to move the production of fluids through the horizontal well to perforated intervals successively farther away from the first vertical well than the preceding production perforated intervals; after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.

Claim 8

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: (a) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through a first perforated interval in a substantially horizontal well, said horizontal well extending from an area near a first substantially vertical well penetrating the formation to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said first perforated interval of the horizontal well located in the vicinity of the first vertical well; (b) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation for about 1 day to about 20 days; (c) producing fluids from the first perforated interval in the horizontal well; (d) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through the first vertical well; (e) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation from about 1 day to about 20 days; (f) producing fluids through the first perforated interval in the horizontal well and through the first vertical well; (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until the hydrocarbon formation in the vicinity of the first vertical well is depleted; (h) closing off the first perforated interval; (i) repeating steps (a) through (h) for successive perforated intervals of the horizontal well, each succeeding perforated interval located farther from the first vertical well than the preceding perforated interval; (j) after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.

Claim 9

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: (a) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through a first perforated interval in a substantially horizontal well, said horizontal well extending from an area near a first substantially vertical well penetrating the formation to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said first perforated interval of the horizontal well located in the vicinity of the first vertical well; (b) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation for about 1 day to about 20 days; (c) producing fluids from the first perforated interval in the horizontal well; (d) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through the first vertical well; (e) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation from about 1 day to about 20 days; (f) producing fluids through the first perforated interval in the horizontal well and through the first vertical well; (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until the hydrocarbon formation in the vicinity of the first vertical well is depleted; (h) closing off the first perforated interval; (i) repeating steps (a) through (h) for successive perforated intervals of the horizontal well, each succeeding perforated interval located farther from the first vertical well than the preceding perforated interval; (j) after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.

Claim 14

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: (a) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through a first perforated interval in a substantially horizontal well, said horizontal well extending from an area near a first substantially vertical well penetrating the formation to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said first perforated interval of the horizontal well located in the vicinity of the first vertical well; (b) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation for about 1 day to about 20 days; (c) producing fluids from the first vertical wells; (d) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through the first vertical well; (e) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation from about 1 day to about 20 days; (f) producing fluids through the first perforated interval in the horizontal well; (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until the hydrocarbon formation in the vicinity of the first vertical well is depleted; (h) closing off the first perforated interval; (i) repeating steps (a) through (h) for successive perforated intervals of the horizontal well, each succeeding perforated interval located farther from the first vertical well than the preceding perforated interval; (j) after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.

Claim 15

A method for producing hydrocarbons from a portion of an underground formation bounded by at least two substantially vertical wells and at least one substantially horizontal well, comprising: (a) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through a first perforated interval in a substantially horizontal well, said horizontal well extending from an area near a first substantially vertical well penetrating the formation to the vicinity of a second substantially vertical well penetrating the formation, said first perforated interval of the horizontal well located in the vicinity of the first vertical well; (b) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation for about 1 day to about 20 days; (c) producing fluids from the first vertical wells; (d) injecting a slug of a thermal fluid into the formation through the first vertical well; (e) allowing the thermal fluid to soak in the formation from about 1 day to about 20 days; (f) producing fluids through the first perforated interval in the horizontal well; (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until the hydrocarbon formation in the vicinity of the first vertical well is depleted; (h) closing off the first perforated interval; (i) repeating steps (a) through (h) for successive perforated intervals of the horizontal well, each succeeding perforated interval located farther from the first vertical well than the preceding perforated interval; (j) after fluids have been produced through a perforated interval in the vicinity of the second vertical well, producing fluids through the second vertical well.