Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
  • E21B43/16—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
  • E21B43/24—Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons using heat, e.g. steam injection
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G17/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, with acids, acid-forming compounds or acid-containing liquids, e.g. acid sludge
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G19/00—Refining hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, by alkaline treatment
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G21/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G25/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, with solid sorbents
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G27/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, by oxidation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G29/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, with other chemicals
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G31/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G45/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G45/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds
  • C10G45/02—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds to eliminate hetero atoms without changing the skeleton of the hydrocarbon involved and without cracking into lower boiling hydrocarbons; Hydrofinishing
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G7/00—Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
  • C10L3/00—Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
  • C10L3/12—Liquefied petroleum gas
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
  • E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
  • E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
  • E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B49/00—Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
  • E21B7/04—Directional drilling
  • E21B7/046—Directional drilling horizontal drilling

Definitions

• the Bakken shale in North Dakota has been extensively produced using long horizontal wells which are stimulated with multiple propped hydraulic fractures. These Bakken wells are typically at depths greater than about 3000 m in order for the Type I kerogen to have matured over geological time sufficiently to generate oil and gas. Even though the Bakken oil produced is low viscosity and rich in NGL (natural gas liquids), because of the depth of the wells and the many stages of hydraulic stimulation that are required, these unconventional wells are very expensive and only a very small percentage of the unconventional oil and gas in place is actually produced.
• NGL natural gas liquids
• the present invention relates to techniques where production wells (e.g. shallow wells) are drilled into a kerogenous chalk that is characterized by Type lis kerogen, a porosity of at least 30% and at a location where the geothermal gradient is at least 3 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the production well is shallow - i.e. having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers. This is in contrast to conventional techniques where significantly deeper production wells are required to access naturally occurring oil.
• the shallow production wells of the present invention can be provided at a mush lower cost than would be required for deeper production wells.
• kerogenous chalk having a porosity of at least 30%, it is possible to access locations where a greater quantity of naturally-occurring oil is located in pore space of the source rock.
• the geothermal gradient is at least 3.5 degrees Celsius per 100 meters or at least 4 Celsius per 100 meters.
• a drilling a production well into a kerogenous chalk source rock comprising (i) type lis kerogen and (ii) shallow naturally-occurring unconventional oil derived from the type lis kerogen that is resident within pore space of the source rock; b. at shallow depths of at most 2 kilometers and within the source rock, casing and perforating the production well; and
• a location at which the production well is drilled is selected in accordance with a geothermal gradient.
• the production well is drilled at a location where the geothermal gradient is at least 3.0 degrees Celsius per 100 meters, or at least 3.5 degrees Celsius per 100 meters, or at least 4.0 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the unconventional oil and at least some of the perforations of the production well are located at depths of at most 1.5 kilometers, or at most 1200 meters, or at most 1 kilometer or at most 800 meters.
• the source rock is below an overburden comprising a basalt layer.
• the overburden further comprises a sedimentary portion situated below the basalt layer so that horizontal stresses of the sedimentary portion were locked in at or before a time of deposition of the lava flow which formed the basalt layer.
• a porosity of the source rock is at least 30% or at least 35% or at least 40%.
• a permeability of the source rock matrix is at most 1 mD or at most 0.1 mD or at most 0.01 mD.
• an oil saturation of pore space of the source rock is at least 50% or at least 60% or at least 70%.
• the source rock is stimulated at the shallow depths to increase a permeability of the source rock.
• the stimulation of the source rock occurs at a depth that is less than that of all aquifers thereof.
• the source rock is stimulated by means other than by hydraulic stimulation.
• a total organic content (TOC) of the source rock is at least 10%.
• the source rock is stimulated at the shallow depths by high pressure acid stimulation of the source rock.
• the source rock is hydraulic stimulated.
• the source rock thermally stimulated.
• thermal energy is effective to significantly increase the mobility of the naturally-occurring oil by at least a factor of 10.
• thermal energy is effective to significantly decrease the viscosity of the naturally-occurring oil by at least a factor of 10.
• the thermal energy is effective to vaporize liquid water and light hydrocarbons within the pore space of the source rock.
• pressurized steam is injected into the source rock at the shallow depths so as to thermally stimulate the source rock to increase a mobility of the unconventional oil.
• the steam is injected according to a huff-and-puff technique. In some embodiments the steam enters the source rock at a temperature of at most 200 degrees Celsius.
• the production well is non-vertical.
• the non-vertical production well is substantially horizontally- oriented.
• the stimulation forms a plurality of parallel, thin flow channels within the source rock that are each substantially vertically oriented, a thickness direction of the flow channels being along a central axis of the production well, and with each flow channel leading to the production well.
• the production well is substantially horizontal, a central axis thereof being substantially parallel to a minimum stress vector of the kerogenous chalk source rock.
• a total organic content (TOC) of the source rock is at least 15%.
• a sulfur content of the unconventional oil is at least 2.5% wt/wt or at least 3% wt/wt or at least 3.5% wt/wt or at least 4% wt/wt.
• an API gravity of the unconventional oil is at least 20° and/or at most 30°.
• a maximum depth of the production well is at most 2 km or at most 1.5 kilometers, or at most 1200 meters, or at most 1 kilometer or at most 800 meters.
• oil produced via the production wells is never heated within the source rock to a temperature exceeding 200 degrees Celsius
• the method is carried out without significantly pyrolyzing the source rock.
• a majority of hydrocarbon liquids produced via the production wells is the naturally-occurring oil.
• the producing includes drawing naturally-occurring oil residing in pore space of the kerogenous chalk source rock into the production well. In some embodiments the producing includes drawing naturally occurring oil residing in the pore space of the kerogenous chalk source rock into the production well via perforations thereof.
• a production well drilled into a kerogenous chalk source rock comprising (i) type lis kerogen and (ii) shallow naturally-occurring unconventional oil derived from the type lis kerogen that is resident within pore space of the source rock, wherein the production well is cased and perforated at shallow depths of at most 2 kilometers and within the source rock so that the shallow naturally-occurring unconventional oil is recovered by the production well via the shallow-depth perforations of the production well.
• the production well is non- vertical.
• the production well is horizontal.
• the production well is substantially horizontal, a central axis thereof being substantially parallel to a minimum stress vector of the kerogenous chalk.
• a local geothermal gradient is at least 3.0 degrees Celsius per 100 meters, or at least 3.5 degrees Celsius per 100 meters, or at least 4.0 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the unconventional oil and at least some of the perforations of the production well are located at depths of at most 1.5 kilometers, or at most 1200 meters, or at most 1 kilometer or at most 800 meters.
• FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 10 are flow charts of methods of producing naturally-occurring oil that resides in pore space of a kerogenous chalk.
• FIGS. 2, 4, and 6-9 illustrate subsurface production wells.
• FIGS. 11 illustrates a geothermal gradient from a well log.
• FIG. 1A-1C are flow charts of a method of producing naturally-occurring oil that resides in pore space of a kerogenous chalk optionally at a location where there is a significant geothermal gradient.
• a 'significant' geothermal gradient is at least 3 degrees Celsius/100 meters.
• the geothermal gradient is at least 3.5 degrees Celsius/100 meters or at least 4.0 degrees Celsius/100 meters or about 4.5 degrees Celsius/100 meters.
• the kerogenous chalk is characterized by Type lis kerogen and may have a porosity of at least 30% (in some embodiments, at least 35% or at least 40% or at least 45% or at least 50%). Because of the relatively large porosity, a large amount of naturally-occurring oil may be stored therein.
• a shallow production well i.e. see 224 of any of FIGS. 2, 4, 6 or 8- 10
• the kerogenous chalk source rock i.e. see 800 of FIGS. 2, 4 or 6
• the kerogenous chalk source rock i.e. see 800 of FIGS. 2, 4 or 6
• a depth (e.g. a depth 'within the source rock') is measured relative to the surface and not relative to the highest location in the source rock.
• the term 'shallow' refers to a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers - in some embodiments, at most 1.5 kilometers, or at most 1200 meters, or at most 1 kilometer, or at most 800 meters, or at most 750 meters.
• step S101 is 'shallow' - i.e. has a maximum depth that is
• step S105 at depths that are (i) shallow, (ii) optionally above the aquifer and (iii) within the source rock 800, the production well is cased and perforated.
• the 'shallow depth' of the casing and perforating may be less than the maximum depth of the production well which is also 'shallow.
• the well may be cased or perforated at a maximum depth of about 1.5 kilometers, or at most 1200 meters, or at most 1 kilometer or at most 800 meters.
• step S109 naturally-occurring oil from the source rock may be produced via the shallow-depth perforations of the production well.
• the producing may include drawing naturally occurring oil residing in pore space of the kerogenous chalk source rock into the production well.
• the high porosity means that larger quantities of naturally-occurring oil may be stored than would be possible if the porosity of the source rock was lower.
• the drilling of the production well is continent upon geothermal conditions being satisfied - e.g. a minimal temperature gradient.
• the drilling of the production well is contingent upon a basalt overburden condition being satisfied - e.g. a minimum thickness or a greater thickness than that in neighboring locations.
• FIG. 2 illustrates an apparatus related to the method of FIG. 1. Illustrated in FIG. 2 are the overburden 820 (e.g. a basalt overburden), the kerogenous chalk 800, the aquifer 830, a production well 224.
• the overburden 820 e.g. a basalt overburden
• the kerogenous chalk 800 e.g. a basalt overburden
• the aquifer 830 e.g. a production well 224.
• a stimulated zone 870 is formed within the kerogenous chalk source rock 800.
• multiple stimulated zones 870 at different depths are formed within the kerogenous chalk source rock 800.
• FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method where the production well is non-vertical - e.g. horizontal.
• well perforations 860 at shallow depths are not illustrated in any of FIGS. 4, 6, 8-10, it is appreciated that the well perforations 860 may be provided in any embodiment, and not just that of FIG. 2.
• FIG. 4 illustrates an apparatus related to the method of FIG. 3.
• the source rock at the shallow depths (e.g. above all aquifers) so as to mobilize naturally-occurring oil within the kerogenous chalk source rock 800.
• this creates a series of parallel flow conduits towards the production well 224 through which the naturally- occurring oil may flow.
• the stimulation of the kerogenous chalk source rock 800 may increase the ability of the naturally-occurring oil to flow to production well 224, and thus may be said to 'mobilize' the naturally-occurring oil.
• FIGS. 6 and 9 illustrate a series of thin flow channels, for example, shaped like discs. Each flow channel leads to production well 224 and is vertically oriented. Each flow channel is a transverse fracture.
• FIGS. 7-8 longitudinal fractures are illustrated. It is noted that transverse fractures are significantly more efficient for transporting oil within the chalk formation to the production well - thus, the transverse fractures of FIGS. 6 and 9 are preferred to the longitudinal fractures of FIGS. 7-8.
• the production well 224 is horizontal so that a central axis thereof is in the horizontal plane.
• the minimum stress direction is vertically- oriented - i.e in the z direction.
• the minimum stress direction is horizontally-oriented - however, in the example of FIG. 9, the central axis of the production well 224 is substantially co-linear with a stress axis of the formation.
• the minimum stress axis is in the horizontal plane. Thus, it may be preferred to locate the horizontal production well where there is significant vertical stress.
• basalt overburden Because of the relatively large density of basalt (i.e. over 70% greater than that of chalk), a presence of the basalt overburden increases a vertical stress/pressure in the kerogenous chalk. During deposition of the sediments, the resulting horizontal stresses, contained within stiff lateral boundaries, are locked in place. Basalt flows, resulting from volcanic eruptions, are added on top of the sedimentary deposits. As such, a ratio between the vertical stress and horizontal stresses is concomitantly increased by the basalt accumulations, and for relatively shallow depths (i.e. significantly shallower than would be observed in the absence of the basalt overburden), the vector of minimum stress is in the horizontal plane.
• Basalt has a high density of about 3 gm/cc, and a basalt flow on top of the sedimentary cover adds significant vertical stress. For example, 100 m of basalt on the surface adds over 400 psi of vertical stress, thus assuring that a hydrofracture will be oriented vertically.
• a thickness direction 890 of each flow channel is along the central axis of the production well 224.
• the source rock is stimulated to mobilize naturally- occurring oil. This is not a requirement.
• thermal energy into the kerogenous source rock as to increase the mobility of naturally occurring oil therein - e.g. by reducing the viscosity thereof or by facilitating the removal of water or brine from the pore space of the kerogenous chalk so as to increase the relatively permeability of the naturally-occurring oil therein.
• Fig. 11 illustrates data from a well log where the geothermal gradient is about 4.4 degrees Celsius per 100 meter.
• Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of oil production comprising: a. drilling a shallow production well having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers into a kerogenous chalk source rock that is characterized by a. type lis kerogen; at a location where there is a geothermal gradient of at least 3 degrees Celsius per 100 meters ; and b. at depths that are shallow, above the aquifer and within the source rock, casing and perforating the production well; c. producing naturally-occurring oil from the source rock via the production well and the shallow-depth perforated locations thereof.
• Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of oil production comprising: a. drilling a shallow non-vertical production well having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers into a kerogenous chalk source rock that is characterized by: i. type lis kerogen; and ii. a geothermal gradient of at least 4 degrees Celsius per 100 meters and c. producing naturally-occurring oil from the source rock via the non- vertical production well.
• the non-vertical production well is substantially horizontally-oriented.
• Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of oil production comprising: a. drilling a shallow production well having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers into a kerogenous chalk source rock that is characterized by: i. type lis kerogen; and ii. a geothermal gradient of at least 4 degrees Celsius per 100 meters and b. stimulating the source rock at the shallow depths so as to mobilize naturally-occurring oil therein; and c. producing from the source rock, via the production well, the mobilized naturally-occurring oil.
• the production well is non-vertical.
• the non-vertical production well is substantially horizontally-oriented.
• the stimulation forms a plurality of parallel, thin flow channels within the source rock that are each substantially vertically oriented, a thickness direction of the flow channels being along a central axis of the production well, and with each flow channel leading to the production well.
• the stimulation of the source rock occurs at a depth that is less than that all aquifers thereof.
• Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of oil production comprising: a. drilling a shallow production well having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers into a kerogenous chalk source rock that is characterized by: i. type lis kerogen; and ii. a geothermal gradient of at least 4 degrees Celsius per 100 meters and b. introducing thermal energy into the source rock so as to increase a mobility of naturally- occurring oil in the source rock; and c. producing, via the production wells, the increased-mobility naturally-occurring oil from the dried portions of the oil shale source rock.
• thermal energy is effective to significantly increase a mobility of the naturally-occurring oil by at least a factor of 10.
• the thermal energy is effective to significantly decrease the viscosity of the naturally-occurring oil by at least a factor of 10.
• the thermal energy is effective to vaporize liquid water within the pore space of the source rock so as to increase the relative permeability of the naturally-occurring oil within the source rock.
• oil produced via the production wells is never heated within the source rock to a temperature exceeding 200 degrees Celsius.
• the method is carried out so that the bulk source rock is never heated to a temperature exceeding 200 degrees Celsius.
• the method is carried out without significantly pyrolyzing the source rock.
• a majority of hydrocarbon liquids produced via the production wells is naturally occurring.
• the geothermal gradient is at least 3.5 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the geothermal gradient is at least 4.0 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the geothermal gradient is at about 4.5 degrees Celsius per 100 meters.
• the production well is substantially horizontal, a central axis thereof being substantially parallel to a minimum stress vector of the kerogenous chalk.
• the producing includes drawing naturally-occurring oil residing in pore space of the kerogenous chalk source rock into the production well.
• the producing includes drawing naturally-occurring oil residing in the pore space of the kerogenous chalk source rock into the production well via perforations thereof.
• the method further comprises (i) subjecting the produced oil to a distillation process and/or (ii) desulfurizing the produced oil or a derivative thereof and/or (iii) refining the produced oil into at least one of naphtha, gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas.
• Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for oil production comprising: a shallow production well having a maximum depth of at most 2 kilometers drilled into a kerogenous chalk source rock that is characterized by: i. type lis kerogen; and ii. a geothermal gradient of at least 4 degrees Celsius per 100 meters wherein at depths that are shallow, above the aquifer and within the source rock, the production well is cased and perforated.
• the production well is non-vertical.
• the production well is horizontal.
• the apparatus further comprises a series of thin parallel flow channels each of which leads to the production well and a thickness direction of each flow channel being oriented along the production well central axis.
• the production well is substantially horizontal, a central axis thereof being substantially parallel to a minimum stress vector of the kerogenous chalk.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
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• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Fats And Perfumes (AREA)
• Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-07-05 US US14/412,696 patent/US20150184500A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-07-05 WO PCT/US2013/049422 patent/WO2014008457A2/fr not_active Ceased
• 2015
  • 2015-01-04 IL IL236567A patent/IL236567B/en unknown

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