Patent ID: 8770281
Filing Date: 2014-07-08
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, comprising: a. operating a first injector-producer well pair under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process, the first injector-producer well pair forming a first mobilized zone in the subterranean reservoir, the first injector-producer well pair comprising a first substantially horizontal injector well and a first substantially horizontal producer well; b. operating a second injector-producer well pair under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process, the second injector-producer well pair forming a second mobilized zone in the subterranean reservoir, the second injector-producer well pair comprising a second substantially horizontal injector well and a second substantially horizontal producer well, the first injector-producer well pair and the second injector-producer well pair together being adjacent well pairs; c. providing two to four infill substantially horizontal producer wells in a bypassed region, the bypassed region having formed between the adjacent well pairs when the first mobilized zone and the second mobilized zone merge to form a common mobilized zone; d. operating the two to four infill producer wells to establish fluid communication between the two to four infill producer wells and the common mobilized zone; e. operating the two to four infill producer wells and the adjacent well pairs under a substantially gravity-controlled recovery process; and f. recovering hydrocarbons from the two to four infill producer wells, and from the first producer well and the second producer well.