Patent ID: 9062541
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of subsurface flow manipulation, comprising: providing at least three wells positioned about a subsurface volume and configured to supply and extract fluid from a base of the respective well; operating a first subset of the wells for a first time period to cause fluid to travel part-way through the subsurface volume in a first general direction; operating a second subset of the wells for a second time period to cause fluid to travel part-way through the subsurface volume in a second general direction displaced at a first acute angle from the first direction; operating a third subset of the wells for a third time period to cause fluid to travel part-way through the subsurface volume in a third general direction displaced at a second acute angle from the first direction that is greater than the first acute angle; wherein the first, second and third time periods and the first and second acute angles are selected to cause some of the supplied fluid to remain within the subsurface volume during the operating of at least the first, second and third subsets of wells; and wherein the operating of the first, second and third well subsets is performed to cause fluid to flow in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction in the subsurface volume.