Patent ID: 9617839
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: E21B,G06T

Claim:
1. A method of forming extended wormholes in a subsurface formation, comprising: locating at least one guard well in a field, the at least one guard well being completed in the subsurface formation; injecting a guard fluid into the subsurface formation through the at least one guard well, thereby forming a pressure boundary; locating a first injection well in the field proximate the at least one guard well, the injection well also being completed in the subsurface formation; determining a flux rate for a formation-dissolving fluid in a rock matrix of the subsurface formation; injecting the formation-dissolving fluid into the subsurface formation through the first injection well at a rate to reach the determined flux rate, but wherein the formation-dissolving fluid is injected at a pressure that is below a formation parting pressure in the subsurface formation; and using the formation-dissolving fluid, forming wormholes through the subsurface formation substantially along a plane from the injection well that does not intersect the pressure boundary.