Wellhead with non-ferromagnetic materials

• US 7,533,719 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Hinson, Richard A., Vinegar, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US11/788,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20070289733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 166/75.11, 166/75.13
• US Class Current: 166/75.11
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/08 Tubular products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/013 one layer being formed of an iron alloy or steel, another layer being formed of a metal other than iron or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/015 the said other metal being copper or nickel or an alloy thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/208 Magnetic, paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/002 comprising natural stone or artificial stone
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/045 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/001 Austenite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/004 Dispersions; Precipitations
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/005 Ferrite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/002 containing Cr C21D6/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/007 containing Co
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/04 containing manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/10 containing cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/12 containing tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, or niobium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/14 containing titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/24 with vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/28 with titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/30 with cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 : using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 : by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 : Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 166/902 : for inhibiting corrosion or coating

Abstract

Wellheads for coupling to a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one wellhead may include a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation; and a wellhead coupled to the heater. The wellhead may be configured to electrically couple the heater to one or more surface electrical components. The wellhead may include at least one non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead. Systems and methods for using such wellheads for treating a subsurface formation are described herein.

Claims

1. A wellhead for coupling to a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation, comprising:

the heater located in the wellbore in the subsurface formation; and

a wellhead coupled to the heater, the wellhead being configured to electrically couple the heater to one or more surface electrical components, and wherein the wellhead wherein the wellhead consists of non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises non-metallic material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises fiberglass.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wellhead comprises a ferromagnetic metal coupled to a non-ferromagnetic metal such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the ferromagnetic metal comprises carbon steel and the non-ferromagnetic metal comprises copper.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heater located in the heater wellbore, wherein the heater is configured to provide heat to at least a portion of the subsurface formation.

8. A method for coupling to a heater in a subsurface wellbore, comprising:

coupling a wellhead to the heater in the wellbore, wherein the wellhead wherein the wellhead consists of non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises non-metallic material.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises fiberglass.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising installing the heater in the heater wellbore and coupling the heater to the wellhead.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising electrically coupling one or more surface electrical components to the heater through the wellhead.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the subsurface formation with the heater.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the subsurface formation comprises a hydrocarbon containing formation, the method further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with the heater such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed and/or mobilized in the formation.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the subsurface formation comprises a hydrocarbon containing formation, the method further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with the heater such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed and/or mobilized in the formation, and producing a fluid from the formation.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the subsurface formation comprises a hydrocarbon containing formation, the method further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with the heater such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed and/or mobilized in the formation, and producing a composition comprising hydrocarbons from the formation.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the subsurface formation comprises a hydrocarbon containing formation, the method further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with the heater such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed and/or mobilized in the formation, producing hydrocarbons from the formation, and producing a transportation fuel from hydrocarbons produced from the formation.

19. A wellhead for coupling to a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation, comprising:

the heater located in the wellbore in the subsurface formation; and

a wellhead coupled to the heater, the wellhead being configured to electrically couple the heater to one or more surface electrical components, and wherein the wellhead comprises a ferromagnetic metal coupled to the inside diameter of a non-ferromagnetic metal such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises non-metallic material.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises fiberglass.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the non-ferromagnetic material comprises high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a heater located in the heater wellbore, wherein the heater is configured to provide heat to at least a portion of the subsurface formation.

24. A method for coupling to a heater in a subsurface wellbore, comprising:

coupling a wellhead to the heater in the wellbore, wherein the wellhead comprises a ferromagnetic metal coupled to the inside diameter of a non-ferromagnetic metal such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the ferromagnetic metal comprises carbon steel and the non-ferromagnetic metal comprises copper.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising installing the heater in the heater wellbore and coupling the heater to the wellhead.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising electrically coupling one or more surface electrical components to the heater through the wellhead.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the subsurface formation with the heater.

29. A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with a heater located in a wellbore such that at least some hydrocarbons are mobilized in the formation, wherein the heater is coupled to a wellhead comprising a ferromagnetic metal coupled to the inside diameter of a non-ferromagnetic metal such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing heat to at least a portion of the formation with the heater such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed in the formation, and producing a fluid from the formation.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising producing a fluid from the formation.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising producing a composition comprising hydrocarbons from the formation.