Patent ID: 7717175
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a reservoir containing said hydrocarbons and having disposed therein at least one first well and at least one second well, each of the first wells having a first completion string disposed therein, and each of the second wells having a second completion string disposed therein, the first wells being positioned in a lower portion of the reservoir and the second wells being positioned vertically above and laterally offset from the first wells, the method comprising: (a) injecting a solvent fluid into the reservoir through at least one of the first completion strings to cause gravity induced counter-flow mixing of the solvent fluid and the hydrocarbons within the reservoir; (b) extracting reservoir fluid from the reservoir through at least one of the second completion strings to create a solvent fluid chamber extending between the at least one first well and the at least one second well; (c) injecting solvent fluid into the reservoir through at least one of the second completion strings; (d) extracting reservoir fluid from the reservoir through at least one of the first completion strings; wherein at least one of the first and second completion strings includes two or more flow control devices located on a portion thereof in the reservoir for uniform injection of the solvent fluid into the reservoir or uniform extraction of reservoir fluid from the reservoir.