Systems and methods for producing hydrocarbons from tar sands formations

• US 7,562,706 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Li, Ruijian, Karanikas, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/584,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 166/272.3, 166/306, 166/50, 166/52, 166/57, 166/245, 166/272.7, 166/302, 299/2
• US Class Current: 166/245
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/002 in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/308 Gravity, density, e.g. API
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/24 by heating with electrical means
• 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 43/281 using heat
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/34 Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]

Abstract

A system for treating a tar sands formation is disclosed. A plurality of heaters are located in the formation. The heaters include at least partially horizontal heating sections at least partially in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The heating sections are at least partially arranged in a pattern in the hydrocarbon layer. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the hydrocarbon layer. The provided heat creates a plurality of drainage paths for mobilized fluids. At least two of the drainage paths converge. A production well is located to collect and produce mobilized fluids from at least one of the converged drainage paths in the hydrocarbon layer.

Claims

1. A system for treating a tar sands formation, comprising:

a plurality of heaters located in the formation, wherein the heaters include at least partially horizontal heating sections at least partially in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, the heating sections being at least partially arranged in a pattern in the hydrocarbon layer, and the heaters being configured to provide heat to the hydrocarbon layer, the provided heat creating a plurality of drainage paths for mobilized fluids, at least two of the drainage paths converging proximate at least one, at least partially horizontal production well that is located to collect and produce mobilized fluids from at least one of the converged drainage paths in the hydrocarbon layer, and wherein at least one horizontal heating section that is creating one of the drainage paths is at least partially vertically displaced from the at least partially horizontal production well and is at least partially above the at least partially horizontal production well.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein heat from the heaters is configured to at least partially superimpose over the at least partially horizontal production well.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the production well includes a heater to provide heat to the production well and at least a portion of the formation surrounding the production well.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the production well is configured to produce at least some pyrolyzed fluids from the formation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a pump in the production well to remove fluids from the formation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heaters are elongated heaters.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pattern includes heating sections with substantially equidistant spacing between the heating sections in the pattern.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pattern is a triangular pattern of heating sections.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a steam source configured to provide steam to the formation.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pattern of heating sections includes a vertex oriented towards the bottom of the hydrocarbon layer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the production well is located near or below the vertex that is oriented towards the bottom of the hydrocarbon layer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the production well is located such that heat from at least one of the heaters heats at least a portion of the hydrocarbon layer proximate the production well.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the production well is located a distance from the nearest heater that is no more than the average spacing between heaters in the pattern.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the heaters are configured to provide heat such that drainage paths are created by creating more permeable zones in the formation.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the production well is located between 2 m and 10 m from the nearest heater.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one additional horizontal heating section is vertically displaced and at least partially above the at least one horizontal heating section that is at least partially vertically displaced from the at least partially horizontal production well and is at least partially above the at least partially horizontal production well.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the drainage paths is created with at least two horizontal heating sections that create an angled path toward the at least partially horizontal production well.

18. A method for treating a tar sands formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation, wherein the heaters include at least partially horizontal heating sections at least partially in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, the heating sections being at least partially arranged in a pattern in the hydrocarbon layer, and the heaters being configured to provide heat to the hydrocarbon layer;

wherein the provided heat creates a plurality of drainage paths for mobilized fluids, at least two of the drainage paths converging proximate at least one, at least partially horizontal production well;

allowing at least some of the mobilized fluids from the formation to flow to the at least partially horizontal production well along at least one of the converged drainage paths;

creating at least one of the drainage paths with at least one horizontal heating section that is at least partially vertically displaced and at least partially above the at least partially horizontal production well; and

producing at least some of the mobilized fluids through the at least partially horizontal production well.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing heat to the hydrocarbon layer from the heaters such that the heat at least partially superimposes over the at least partially horizontal production well.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising allowing fluids in the hydrocarbon layer to drain to the production well along the drainage paths and/or the converged drainage paths.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing heat in the production well with a heater to provide heat to the production well and at least a portion of the formation surrounding the production well.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising producing at least some pyrolyzed fluids from the formation.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising pumping fluids to the surface of the formation.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the fluids to one or more processing units, processing the fluids to produce one or more crude products;

and making transportation fuel from one or more of the crude products.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing steam to the formation.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing heat such that the drainage paths are created by creating more permeable zones in the formation.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one additional horizontal heating section is vertically displaced and at least partially above the at least one horizontal heating section that is at least partially vertically displaced from the at least partially horizontal production well and is at least partially above the at least partially horizontal production well.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the drainage paths is created with at least two horizontal heating sections that create an angled path toward the at least partially horizontal production well.