Installation and use of removable heaters in a hydrocarbon containing formation

• US 7,156,176 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• 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: de Rouffignac, Eric Pierre, Coles, John Matthew, Vinegar, Harold J., Wellington, Scott Lee, Menotti, James Louis, Pratt, Christopher Arnold, Hunsucker, Bruce Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US10/279,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 166/302, 166/245, 166/381, 166/384, 166/385, 166/378, 166/379, 166/380, 166/377, 392/302, 392/305
• US Class Current: 166/302
• 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

In an embodiment, a system may be used to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation. The system may include a heater placed in an opening in the formation. The system may allow heat to transfer from the heater to a part of the formation. The transferred heat may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the formation. The heater may be removable from the opening in the formation and redeployable in at least one alternative opening in the formation.

Claims

1. A method of installing a heater in a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

uncoiling the heater from a reel into an opening in the formation, wherein the heater comprises a conduit, one or more conductors in the conduit, and centralizers positioned between the conduit and at least one of the conductors;

coupling the heater to a wellhead; and

wherein the heater is removable from the wellhead to allow the heater to be withdrawn from the opening.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a wellcap to the conduit before inserting the heater into the opening.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the conductors comprises a low resistance section that is placed adjacent an overburden section of the formation and a resistive section placed adjacent to a portion of the formation to be heated, and further comprising placing packing between the formation and the heater near a location adjacent to a transition between the low resistance section and the resistive section.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a sliding connector to electrically couple at least one of the one or more conductors to the conduit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the heater so that a portion of the heater configured to heat the formation is placed adjacent to an unheated portion of the formation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a fluid into the conduit to pressurize the conduit and reduce a pressure difference between pressure in the conduit and pressure in the formation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing an oxidizing fluid into the conduit to oxidize at least a portion of the conduit and increase the emissivity of the conduit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing an oxidizing fluid into the conduit to oxidize at least a portion of at least one conductor of the one or more conductors.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising roughening at least a portion of an inside surface of the conduit to increase the emissivity of the conduit.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising roughening at least a portion of an outer surface of the conduit to increase the emissivity of the conduit.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising roughening at least a portion of an outer surface of at least one conductor of the one or more conductors to increase the emissivity of the conductor.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an electrically insulative, thermally conductive coating to at least a portion of the conduit.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an electrically insulative, thermally conductive coating to at least a portion of a conductor of the one or more conductors.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the heater to the wellhead comprises electrically coupling at least one conductor of the one or more conductors to a power source.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening comprises an overburden casing, and an open hole adjacent to one or more hydrocarbon layers;

and wherein uncoiling the heater from the reel places a portion of the heater in the overburden casing and a portion of the heater configured to heat hydrocarbon layers in the open hole adjacent to one or more of the hydrocarbon layers.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening comprises an overburden casing, and an open hole adjacent to one or more hydrocarbon layers;

and further comprising positioning packing between at least a portion of the overburden casing and the conduit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the conductor to the wellhead comprises cutting the heater from the reel, electrically coupling at least one of the conductors to a power source, and securing the conduit to the wellhead.

18. A method of installing a heater for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

uncoiling the heater from a reel, the heater comprising one or more conductors positioned in a conduit with one or more centralizers to position at least one conductor of the one or more conductors in the conduit;

passing the heater through a straightener;

inserting the heater into an opening;

coupling the conductor to a wellhead; and

wherein the heater is configured to be removable from the wellhead so that the heater can be withdrawn from the opening.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising attaching a wellcap to the conduit before inserting the heater into the opening.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the conductor to the wellhead comprises cutting the heater from the reel, electrically coupling at least one of the conductors of the one or more conductors to a power source, and securing the conduit to the wellhead.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising removing the heater from the wellhead, coupling the heater to a reel, and coiling the heater on the reel to remove the heater from the opening.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising moving the heater so that a portion of the heater configured to heat the formation is placed adjacent to an unheated portion of the formation.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising introducing a fluid into the conduit to pressurize the conduit and reduce a pressure difference between pressure in the conduit and pressure in the formation.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising introducing an oxidizing fluid into the conduit to oxidize at least a portion of the conduit and increase the emissivity of the conduit.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising introducing an oxidizing fluid into the conduit to oxidize at least a portion of at least one conductor of the one or more conductors.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising roughening at least a portion of an inside surface of the conduit to increase the emissivity of the conduit.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising roughening at least a portion of an outer surface of a conductor of the one or more conductors to increase the emissivity of the conductor.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying an electrically insulative, thermally conductive coating to at least a portion of the conduit.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying an electrically insulative, thermally conductive coating to at least a portion of a conductor of the one or more conductors.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the opening comprises an overburden casing, and an open hole adjacent to one or more hydrocarbon layers;

and wherein uncoiling the heater from the reel places a portion of the heater in the overburden casing and a portion of the heater configured to heat hydrocarbon layers in the open hole adjacent to one or more of the hydrocarbon layers.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the opening comprises an overburden casing, and an open hole adjacent to one or more hydrocarbon layers;

and further comprising positioning packing between at least a portion of the overburden casing and the conduit.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the conductor to the wellhead comprises cutting the heater from the reel, electrically coupling at least one of the conductors to a power source, and securing the conduit to the wellhead.