Microwave process for intrinsic permeability enhancement and hydrocarbon extraction from subsurface deposits
First Claim
1. A method of in-situ extraction of hydrocarbons from a selected layer of subsurface oil shale comprising the steps of drilling a hole down to the selected layer of oil shale and applying sufficient microwave energy to a directional antenna positioned in the selected layer to reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbons to permit it to flow to the drilled hole.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Hydrocarbons are extracted from a target formation, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil and petroleum reservoirs, by apparatus and methods which cause fracturing of the containment rock and liquification or volatization of the hydrocarbons by microwave energy directed by a radiating antenna in the target formation.
79 Citations
18 Claims
- 1. A method of in-situ extraction of hydrocarbons from a selected layer of subsurface oil shale comprising the steps of drilling a hole down to the selected layer of oil shale and applying sufficient microwave energy to a directional antenna positioned in the selected layer to reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbons to permit it to flow to the drilled hole.
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6. A method of in-situ extraction of hydrocarbons from a target formation including oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil or residual oil in a petroleum reservoir comprising the steps of positioning a directional radiating antenna in the target formation applying sufficient microwave energy through the antenna to the target formation to vaporize material in the target formation to fracture the rock in the target formation thereby increasing the intrinsic permeability to allow hydrocarbons to flow toward the antenna.
- 7. A method of extracting hydrocarbons from subsurface target formations, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil, and residual oil from petroleum reservoirs comprising the step of radiating electromagnetic energy at microwave frequencies into the target formation.
- 10. Apparatus for extracting hydrocarbons from subsurface target formation comprising a source of microwave power equal to or greater than one-half Megawatt, a directional antenna positioned in the target formation, and a waveguide coupling the microwave energy from the source to the antenna.
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18. A system for in-situ extraction of hydrocarbons from a target formation comprising a hole drilled down to and including the target formation, a casing in the hole, the casing being closed at the top above ground and having a well screen of low dielectric material at the lower end in the target formation, a source of microwave energy, a radiating antenna positioned in the casing at the target formation, means for coupling the source to the antenna and a valve coupled to the top of the casing to control the pressure in the hole.
Specification