Recovery of Oil from Underground Drillsites

Streeter, W.S.; Hutchinson, T.S.; Ameri, S.; Wasson, J.A.; Aminian, K.

doi:10.2118/19344-ms

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“…Streeter et al 32 discusses why SATAC techniques for developing oil resources has not been accepted by the industry. The primary reason, however, is that sufficient oil is available from conventional sources to meet the demand SATAC technologies envisioned here and proposed by others will become viable as oil and gas prices rise to the level which can economically justify development of petroleum reserves in areas with hostile weather conditions and restricted surface access.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shaft and Tunnel Access (SATAC) Concepts for Developing Petroleum Reserves

Haskin

Bugno

Miller³

1991

All Days

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Shaft and tunneling technology commonly employed in the mining and construction industries has hem shown to have application in the development of some petroleum deposits. The use of Shaft And Tunnel Access (SATAC) technology in the Athabasca Oil Sands in Alberta has been well documented by Haston, Best, and others. Arctic reservoirs, because of the hostile weather, are among the potential candidates for development using SATAC methods, particularly potential candidates for development using SATAC methods, particularly shallow (less than 5000') heavy oil reservoirs. Underground space concepts offer solutions to many problems now commonly associated with developing oil reserves in these and other areas. While not applicable to all reservoirs, SATAC is recognized technology and should be considered among the available tools to access and develop oil reservoirs. Possibilities include:employing mining to develop oil reserves;using for infrastructure, like access roads and pipelines; orusing in combination with other technologies like pipelines; orusing in combination with other technologies like subsea production. Introduction Archaeologists have documented man's use of underground space for shelter and protection. Natural caves were used first, but man soon began creating underground space as his needs for natural resources developed. European flint mines (13,000 BC), catacombs on Malta (3000 BC), the Sinai copper mines (3000 BC), and the Alps Hallstatt salt mine (2500 BC) cited by Willett are examples of man's early creation, as well as his use, of underground space. Abraham's well dug at Beersheba (1500 BC) is believed to be the earliest written record of man having sunk a well (shaft) to extract liquids from the earth for his use. Early oil production was developed through wells and underground openings dug by hand. Unocal's oil mine at Ventura (1884) still produces through drain holes drilled from a tunnel excavated using early mining methods and the first well in the Kern River (1899) Field was dug by hand. No industry has experienced more recent change than the mining and tunneling industry. Modern SATAC (Shaft And Tunnel Access) technology has made subterranean projects possible that were once only dreams in the minds of men. The Fixed Link (Chunnel) project between England and France is a reality. On October 30, 1990, a probe breakthrough between U.K. and French tunnel-boring machines under the English Channel achieved the realization of a 200-year old dream. Background It is not surprising that mining continues to be considered a technically viable method for developing some large oil deposits. Early petroleum developments used simple mining methods. The roots of petroleum engineering are in the mining and mechanical disciplines. Recent years have seen renewed interest in "oil mining" as conventional production continues to decline, costs of other enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods increase, and environmental constraints grow. Industry publications, as well as daily news media, have discussed existing and planned "oil mining" projects. Most of these are mining projects only in the sense that tunnels or shafts are used to gain access projects only in the sense that tunnels or shafts are used to gain access to the oil reservoir through drain holes drilled into the reservoir from the tunnels and shafts. P. 567

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%