Electromagnetic Heat Treatment Providing Enhanced Oil Recovery

• US 20120318498A1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parsche, Francis Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/248
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

A method for using RF energy to facilitate the production of oil from formations separated from the RF energy source by a rock stratum comprises operating an antenna to transmit RF energy into a hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation comprised of a first hydrocarbon portion above and adjacent to the antenna, a second hydrocarbon portion above the first hydrocarbon portion, and a rock stratum between the first hydrocarbon portion and the second hydrocarbon portion. The operation of the antenna heats water in the hydrocarbon formation to produce steam in the hydrocarbon formation, and the steam heats hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon formation and fractures the rock stratum to produce fissures in the rock stratum. The heated hydrocarbons in the second hydrocarbon portion flows into the first hydrocarbon portion through the fissures in the rock stratum.

Claims

1. A method for using RF energy to facilitate the production of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon formation where the hydrocarbons are separated from the RF energy source by a rock stratum, the method comprising:

transmitting RF energy into a hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation comprised of;

a first hydrocarbon portion above and adjacent to the antenna comprising hydrocarbons,

a second hydrocarbon portion above the first hydrocarbon portion comprising hydrocarbons, and

a rock stratum between the first hydrocarbon portion and the second hydrocarbon portion, the rock stratum comprising water and rock;

heating the first and second hydrocarbon portions and creating fissures in the rock by heating the water in the rock stratum to produce steam that fractures the rock; and

recovering hydrocarbons from the first and second hydrocarbon portions, wherein heated hydrocarbons in the second hydrocarbon portion flow through the fissures in the rock stratum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency of 60 Hz or lower to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna using direct current to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency in the range of 3-30 MHz to provide dielectric heating to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via a conductively insulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency of about 30 MHz to provide dielectric heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein insulation around the antenna comprises Teflon.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein insulation around the antenna comprises steam.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via a loop antenna at a frequency in the range of about 1 to 50 KHz to provide resistance heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is transmitted via a linear dipole antenna conductively insulated by steam surrounding the antenna at a frequency in a range between 3 and 30 MHz to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises oil well piping.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the rock stratum comprises alluvial shale.

12. An apparatus for transmitting RF energy into a hydrocarbon formation to facilitate the production of hydrocarbons separated from the RF energy source by a rock stratum, the apparatus comprising:

a linear dipole antenna comprised of oil well piping; and

a power source operably connected to the uninsulated, linear dipole antenna to power the antenna.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power source is an alternating current power source.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power source is a direct current power source.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the linear dipole antenna is uninsulated.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the linear dipole antenna is conductively insulated.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein insulation used to conductively insulate the linear dipole antenna is comprised of Teflon.

18. An apparatus for transmitting RF energy into a hydrocarbon formation to facilitate the production of hydrocarbons separated from the RF energy source by a rock stratum, the apparatus comprising:

a loop antenna comprised of oil well piping; and

an alternating current power source operably connected to the loop antenna to power the antenna.