In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a natural distributed combustor
First Claim
1. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- providing an electrical current to a conduit positioned in an opening in the formation;
allowing heat to transfer from the conduit to a reaction zone of the formation;
providing at least some oxidizing fluid to the conduit;
allowing the oxidizing fluid to transfer from the conduit to the reaction zone in the formation;
allowing the oxidizing fluid to oxidize at least some hydrocarbons in the reaction zone to generate heat; and
allowing at least some of the generated heat to transfer to a pyrolysis zone in the formation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to at least a portion of the formation. Heat sources may include a natural distributed combustor. The natural distributed combustor may include an oxidizing fluid source to provide oxidizing fluids to a reaction zone in the formation to generate heat within the reaction zone. The heat may be allowed, in some embodiments, to transfer from the reaction zone to a selected section of the formation such that heat from one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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providing an electrical current to a conduit positioned in an opening in the formation; allowing heat to transfer from the conduit to a reaction zone of the formation; providing at least some oxidizing fluid to the conduit; allowing the oxidizing fluid to transfer from the conduit to the reaction zone in the formation; allowing the oxidizing fluid to oxidize at least some hydrocarbons in the reaction zone to generate heat; and allowing at least some of the generated heat to transfer to a pyrolysis zone in the formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An in situ method for providing heat to a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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heating a portion of the formation with a heater to a temperature sufficient to support reaction of hydrocarbons with an oxidizing fluid in the portion of the formation; providing the oxidizing fluid to a reaction zone in the formation; controlling a flow of the oxidizing fluid along at least a length of the reaction zone; controlling a rate of oxidation by providing the oxidizing fluid to the reaction zone from a conduit having critical flow orifices; generating heat in the reaction zone; and allowing the generated heat to transfer to the formation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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heating a portion of the formation to a temperature sufficient to support reaction of hydrocarbons in the portion of the formation with an oxidizing fluid; providing the oxidizing fluid to a reaction zone in the formation; allowing the oxidizing fluid to react with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the reaction zone to generate heat in the reaction zone; providing molecular hydrogen to the reaction zone; and transferring the generated heat from the reaction zone to a pyrolysis zone in the formation. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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heating a portion of the formation to a temperature sufficient to support reaction of hydrocarbons in the portion of the formation with an oxidizing fluid; providing the oxidizing fluid to a reaction zone in the formation; allowing the oxidizing fluid to react with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the reaction zone to generate heat in the reaction zone; controlling a flow of the oxidizing fluid with critical flow orifices in a first opening of the formation such that a rate of oxidation is controlled; removing an oxidation product from a second opening in the formation; and allowing the heat to transfer from the reaction zone to the formation. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification