In situ thermal processing of an oil reservoir formation
First Claim
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1. A method of treating an oil containing formation in situ, comprising:
- injecting a recovery fluid into the formation;
providing heat from heaters to the formation;
allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to a selected section of the formation, wherein the selected section comprises hydrocarbons, and wherein the hydrocarbons comprise oil from the oil containing formation;
mobilizing at least some of the hydrocarbons; and
producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises hydrocarbons having an average API gravity greater than about 25°
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Abstract
An in situ process for treating an oil containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.
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Citations
107 Claims
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1. A method of treating an oil containing formation in situ, comprising:
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injecting a recovery fluid into the formation; providing heat from heaters to the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to a selected section of the formation, wherein the selected section comprises hydrocarbons, and wherein the hydrocarbons comprise oil from the oil containing formation; mobilizing at least some of the hydrocarbons; and producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises hydrocarbons having an average API gravity greater than about 25°
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of treating an oil containing formation in situ, comprising:
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injecting a heated recovery fluid into the formation; allowing the recovery fluid to migrate through at least a portion of the formation, wherein a size of a selected section increases as a recovery fluid front migrates through an untreated portion of the formation, and wherein the selected section is a portion of the formation treated by the recovery fluid; allowing heat from the recovery fluid to transfer heat to the selected section, wherein the heat from the recovery fluid, and heat from one or more heaters, pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section of the formation, and wherein at least before pyrolyzation the hydrocarbons comprise oil from the oil containing formation; allowing the heat from the recovery fluid or at least one of the heaters to mobilize at least some of the hydrocarbons at the recovery fluid front; allowing the heat from the recovery fluid, and heat from at least one of the heaters, to pyrolyze at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the mobilized fluid; and producing a mixture from the formation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method of treating a heavy oil containing formation in situ, comprising:
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injecting a heated recovery fluid into the formation; allowing the recovery fluid to migrate through at least a portion of the formation, wherein a size of a selected section increases as a recovery fluid front migrates through an untreated portion of the formation, and wherein the selected section is a portion of the formation treated by the recovery fluid; allowing heat from the recovery fluid to transfer heat to the selected section, wherein the heat from the recovery fluid, and heat from one or more heaters, pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section of the formation, and wherein at least before pyrolyzation the hydrocarbons comprise oil from the oil containing formation; allowing the heat from the recovery fluid or at least one of the heaters to mobilize at least some of the hydrocarbons at the recovery fluid front; allowing the heat from the recovery fluid, and heat from at least one of the heaters, to pyrolyze at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the mobilized fluid; and producing a mixture from the formation. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107)
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Specification