In situ recovery from a hydrocarbon containing formation

• US 7,461,691 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• 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: Bass, Ronald Marshall, Vinegar, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US11/657,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070209799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 166/60
• US Class Current: 166/60
• 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 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.

Claims

1. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

applying an electrical current to a conductor to provide heat to at least a portion of the formation, wherein the conductor is placed in a conduit, wherein the conduit is placed in an opening in the formation, and wherein a majority of the length of the conductor in an overburden of the formation is clad to an electrically conductive material; and

allowing the heat to transfer from the conductor to a section of the formation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises copper.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling an electrically conductive material to an inside surface of the conduit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises metal tubing clad to the conductor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material reduces an electrical resistance of a portion of the conductor adjacent to an overburden of the formation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the formation.

7. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

applying an electrical current to a conductor to provide heat to at least a portion of the formation, wherein the conductor is configurable to be placed in an opening in the formation, wherein a majority of the length of the conductor in an overburden of the formation is clad to a first electrically conductive material to lower a resistance of the part of the conductor in the overburden; and

allowing the heat to transfer from the conductor to at least a part of the formation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising placing the conductor in a conduit, wherein the conduit is configurable to be placed in the opening in the formation.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling a second electrically conductive material to at least a portion of an inside surface of the conduit.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 3 with the electrically conductive material.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 10 with the electrically conductive material.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 15 with the electrically conductive material.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the formation.

14. An in situ method for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

applying an electrical current to a conductor to provide heat to at least a portion of the formation, wherein the conductor is configurable to be placed in a conduit, wherein the conduit is configurable to be placed in an opening in the formation, wherein a majority of the length of the conductor in a formation overburden is coupled to a first electrically conductive material so that a majority of the electrical current provided to the conductor flows through the first electrically conductive material in the formation overburden; and

allowing the heat to transfer from the conductor to at least a part of the formation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising coupling a second electrically conductive material to at least a portion of an inside surface of the conduit.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 3 with the electrically conductive material.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 10 with the electrically conductive material.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing the electrical resistance of the conductor in the overburden by a factor of greater than about 15 with the electrically conductive material.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the formation.