In situ production of a blending agent from a hydrocarbon containing formation

• US 7,086,465 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Karanikas, John Michael, Vinegar, Harold J., Wellington, Scott Lee, Maher, Kevin Albert, Sumnu-Dindoruk, Meliha Deniz
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US10/279,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20040040715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 166/50, 166/52, 166/59, 166/60, 166/75.12, 166/258, 166/263, 166/266, 166/267, 166/272.1, 166/272.7, 166/279, 166/302, 166/303, 166/310, 166/369, 166/371, 137/13, 208/370, 507/90
• US Class Current: 166/272.1
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/02 Extraction using liquids, e.g. washing, leaching , flotation
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/06 thermally
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 2101/00 In situ
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/24 by heating with electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0285 characterised by electrically insulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/168 Injecting a gaseous medium
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/243 Combustion in situ
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0224 using seismic or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/26 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified either by the surrounding earth formation or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/40 Ethylene production
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/901 Specified land fill feature, e.g. prevention of ground water fouling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy

Abstract

An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon 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 reaction zone to a part of the formation such that heat from one or more heaters pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part of the formation. A blending agent may be produced from the part of the formation, wherein a mixture produced with the blending agent has at least one selected property.

Claims

1. A method for treating a first hydrocarbon containing formation in situ to produce a blending agent, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation;

allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a selected section of the first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section;

producing a liquid from a section of a second hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the second hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as or different from the first hydrocarbon containing formation; and

blending the liquid with the blending agent to produce a mixture with a selected property.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises at least some heavy hydrocarbons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid has an API gravity below about 15°

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid is viscous, and wherein at least a portion of the blending agent is blended with the liquid to produce the mixture with the selected property, wherein the mixture with the selected property is less viscous than the liquid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises an API gravity.

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

.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a selected viscosity.

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

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a density.

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

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

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

13. The method of claim 1, wherein asphaltenes are substantially stable in the mixture with the selected property at ambient temperature.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable through a pipeline.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid has a viscosity sufficiently high to inhibit economical transport of the liquid over 100 km via a pipeline but the mixture with the selected property has a reduced viscosity that allows economical transport of the mixture with the selected property over 100 km via a pipeline.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting the blending agent into the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation such that the blending agent blends with the liquid in the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation to produce the mixture with the selected property.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting the blending agent into a production well in the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation such that the blending agent blends with the liquid in the production well to produce the mixture with the selected property.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing the blending agent when a partial pressure of hydrogen in the first hydrocarbon containing formation is at least about 0.5 bars.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat provided from at least one heater is transferred to at least the portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation substantially by conduction.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of energy output of the blending agent to energy input into the first hydrocarbon containing formation is at least about 5.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the blending agent has an acid number less than about 1.

23. A method comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to a selected section of a first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section when a partial pressure of hydrogen in the first hydrocarbon containing formation is at least about 0.5 bars; and

injecting at least a portion of the blending agent into a section of a second hydrocarbon containing formation to produce a mixture having a selected property, wherein the second hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as or different from the first hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation comprises at least some heavy hydrocarbons.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises an API gravity.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises an API gravity of at least about 10°

.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a selected viscosity.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a viscosity less than about 7500 cs.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a density.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises a density less than about 1 g/cm³.

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

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon to saturated hydrocarbon ratio of less than about 4.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein asphaltenes are substantially stable in the mixture with the selected property at ambient temperature.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable through a pipeline.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation comprises heavy hydrocarbons having an API gravity less than about 15°

.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the blending agent has an API gravity greater than about 25°

.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the blending agent has an acid number less than about 1.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein the mixture with the selected property comprises less than about 50% by weight of the blending agent.

39. The method of claim 23, wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is different from the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the depth of the selected section of the first hydrocarbon containing formation is at least about 500 m below the surface of the first hydrocarbon containing formation.

40. The method of claim 23, wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is different from the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the depth of the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation is less than about 500 m below the surface of the second hydrocarbon containing formation.

41. The method of claim 23, wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is different from the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is vertically displaced from the second hydrocarbon containing formation.

42. The method of claim 23, wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the selected section and the section are vertically displaced.

43. The method of claim 23, wherein the first hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the selected section -and the section are substantially adjacent.

44. The method of claim 23, wherein injecting at least the portion of the blending agent into the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation comprises injecting the blending agent into a production well in the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the mixture with the selected property is produced in the production well.

45. The method of claim 23, further comprising producing the mixture with the selected property from the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation.

46. The method of claim 23, wherein the heat provided from at least one of the heaters is transferred to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation substantially by conduction.

47. A method for treating a first hydrocarbon containing formation in situ to produce a blending agent, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation;

allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a selected section of the first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section;

producing a liquid from a section of a second hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the second hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as or different from the first hydrocarbon containing formation;

blending the liquid with the blending agent to produce a mixture with a selected property, wherein the mixture with the selected property comprises less than about 50% by weight of the blending agent.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the liquid is viscous, and wherein at least a portion of the blending agent is blended with the liquid to produce the mixture with the selected property, wherein the mixture with the selected property is less viscous than the liquid.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the selected property of the mixture comprises an API gravity of at least about 10°

.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the liquid comprises at least some heavy hydrocarbons.

51. A method for treating a first hydrocarbon containing formation in situ to produce a blending agent, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation;

allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a selected section of the first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section;

injecting the blending agent into a production well in a section of a second hydrocarbon containing formation such that the blending agent blends with a liquid in the production well to produce a mixture with a selected property.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the liquid has an API gravity of below about 15°

.

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

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

55. A method for treating a first hydrocarbon containing formation in situ to produce a blending agent, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation;

allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a selected section of the first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section when a partial pressure of hydrogen in the first hydrocarbon containing formation is at least about 0.5 bars; and

wherein at least a portion of the blending agent is adapted to blend with a liquid to produce a mixture with a selected property.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the mixture with the selected property is transportable through a pipeline.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the liquid has a viscosity sufficiently high to inhibit economical transport of the liquid over 100 km via a pipeline but the mixture with the selected property has a reduced viscosity that allows economical transport of the mixture with the selected property over 100 km via a pipeline.

59. A method comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to a selected section of a first hydrocarbon containing formation such that the heat pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected section;

producing a blending agent from the selected section; and

injecting at least a portion of the blending agent into a production well in a section of a second hydrocarbon containing formation such that the blending agent blends with a liquid in the production well to produce a mixture having a selected property, wherein the second hydrocarbon containing formation is the same as or different from the first hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation comprises at least some heavy hydrocarbons.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the mixture comprises less than about 50% by weight of the blending agent.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the heat provided from at least one of the heaters is transferred to at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon containing formation substantially by conduction.

62. The method of claim 59, further comprising producing the mixture from the section of the second hydrocarbon containing formation.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the mixture with the selected property is produced in the production well.