Production of a blending agent using an in situ thermal process in a relatively permeable formation

• US 6,948,562 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Karanikas, John Michael, de Rouffignac, Eric Pierre, Vinegar, Harold J., Wellington, Scott Lee, Roberts, Bruce Edmunds, Messier, Margaret Ann, Maher, Kevin Albert, Sumnu-Dindoruk, Meliha Deniz
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US10/128,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20030116315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 166/50, 166/52, 166/57, 166/59, 166/60, 166/75.12, 166/258, 166/263, 166/266, 166/267, 166/272.1, 166/272.7, 166/302, 166/310, 166/369, 166/371, 166/303, 137/13, 208/370, 507/90
• US Class Current: 166/272.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/10 Wear protectors; Centralising devices , e.g. stabilisers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/00 Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/02 using burners
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/025 the burners being above ground or outside the bore hole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/166 Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/243 Combustion in situ
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/247 in association with fracturing processes or crevice forming processes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/281 using heat
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy

Abstract

A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The heat provided to the selected section may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section. A blending agent may be produced from the selected section. A portion of the blending agent may be adapted to blend with a liquid to produce a mixture with a selected property.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of the first relatively permeable formation such that the heat reduces the viscosity of at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the first relatively permeable formation;

producing a first mixture from the part of the first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of a second relatively permeable formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the second relatively permeable formation;

producing a second mixture from the part of the second relatively permeable formation; and

blending at least a portion of the first mixture with at least a portion of the second mixture to produce a third mixture comprising a selected property.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises an API gravity of at least about 10°

.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises a viscosity less than about 7500 cs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises a density less than about 1 g/cm³.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises an asphaltene to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 1.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 4.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein asphaltenes are substantially stable in the third mixture at ambient temperature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third mixture is transportable.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third mixture is transportable through a pipeline.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mixture comprises an API gravity less than about 15°

.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mixture comprises an API gravity greater than about 25°

.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mixture comprises an acid number less than about 1.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the third mixture comprises less than about 50% by weight of the second mixture.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation comprises a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the first relatively permeable formation.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the part of the second relatively permeable formation comprises a depth less than about 500 m below a surface of the second relatively permeable formation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced in the single relatively permeable formation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are substantially adjacent in the single relatively permeable formation.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of energy content of the first produced mixture to energy input into the first relatively permeable formation is at least about 5.

20. A method, comprising:

producing a first mixture from a first part of a relatively permeable formation, wherein the first mixture comprises heavy hydrocarbons;

providing heat from one or more heaters to a second part of the relatively permeable formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the second part of the formation;

producing a second mixture from the second part of the relatively permeable formation; and

blending at least a portion of the first mixture with at least a portion of the second mixture to produce a third mixture comprising a selected property.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising cold producing the first mixture from the first part of the relatively permeable formation.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein producing the first mixture from the first part of the relatively permeable formation comprises producing the first mixture through a production well in or proximate the relatively permeable formation.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises an asphaltene to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 1.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the selected property of the third mixture comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 4.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein asphaltenes are substantially stable in the third mixture at ambient temperature.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the third mixture is transportable.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the third mixture is transportable through a pipeline.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the first mixture has a viscosity sufficiently high to inhibit economical transport of the first mixture over 100 km via a pipeline but the third mixture has a reduced viscosity that allows economical transport of the third mixture over 100 km via a pipeline.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the first mixture comprises an API gravity less than about 15°

.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the second mixture comprises an API gravity greater than about 25°

.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the second mixture comprises an acid number less than about 1.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the third mixture comprises less than about 50% by weight of the second mixture.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the first part of the relatively permeable formation comprises a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the relatively permeable formation.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the second part of the relatively permeable formation comprises a depth less than about 500 m below a surface of the relatively permeable formation.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein a ratio of energy content of the second mixture to energy input into the relatively permeable formation is at least about 5.

36. A method, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of the first relatively permeable formation such that the heat reduces the viscosity of at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of a second relatively permeable formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the second relatively permeable formation;

producing a first mixture from the part of the second relatively permeable formation;

injecting at least a portion of the produced first mixture into a production well the part of the first relatively permeable formation such that the portion of the produced first mixture blends with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the part of the first relatively permeable formation to produce a second mixture in the production well; and

producing the second mixture from the production well, wherein the second mixture comprises a selected property.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an API gravity of at least about 10°

.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises a viscosity less than about 7500 cs.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises a density less than about 1 g/cm³.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an asphaltene to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 1.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 4.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the second mixture is transportable.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the second mixture is transportable through a pipeline.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the first mixture comprises an API gravity greater than about 25°

.

45. The method of claim 36, wherein the first mixture comprises an acid number less than about 1.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation is at a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the first relatively permeable formation.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein the part of the second relatively permeable formation is at a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the second relatively permeable formation.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced.

49. The method of claim 36, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced in the single relatively permeable formation.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are substantially adjacent in the single relatively permeable formation.

51. A method, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of the first relatively permeable formation such that the heat reduces the viscosity of at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the first relatively permeable formation;

allowing heat to transfer from one or more of the heaters to a part of a second relatively permeable formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the second relatively permeable formation;

producing a first mixture from the part of the second relatively permeable formation;

injecting at least a portion of the produced first mixture into the part of the first relatively permeable formation such that the first mixture blends with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the part of the first relatively permeable formation to produce a second mixture; and

producing the second mixture from the part of the first relatively permeable formation, wherein the second mixture comprises a selected property.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an API gravity of at least about 10°

.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises a viscosity less than about 7500 cs.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises a density less than about 1 g/cm³.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an asphaltene to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 1.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the selected property of the second mixture comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 4.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the second mixture is transportable.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the second mixture is transportable through a pipeline.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the first mixture comprises an API gravity greater than about 25°

.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the first mixture comprises an acid number less than about 1.

61. The method of claim 51, wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation is at a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the first relatively permeable formation.

62. The method of claim 51, wherein the part of the second relatively permeable formation is at a depth of at least about 500 m below a surface of the second relatively permeable formation.

63. The method of claim 51, wherein the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced.

64. The method of claim 51, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are vertically displaced in the single relatively permeable formation.

65. The method of claim 51, wherein a single relatively permeable formation comprises the first relatively permeable formation and the second relatively permeable formation, and wherein the part of the first relatively permeable formation and the part of the second relatively permeable formation are substantially adjacent in the single relatively permeable formation.