Method of producing drive fluid in situ in tar sands formations

• US 7,681,647 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Mudunuri, Ramesh Raju, Jaiswal, Namit, Karanikas, John Michael, Vinegar, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/975,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/302
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4037 In-situ processes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/243 Combustion in situ
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0228 using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor

Abstract

Methods of treating a tar sands formation are described herein. Methods for treating a tar sands may include providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from one or more heaters located in the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation such that a drive fluid is produced in situ in the formation. The drive fluid may move at least some mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from a first portion of the formation to a second portion of the formation. At least some of the mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

Claims

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

providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from one or more heaters located in a first portion of the formation;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to at least a part of the first portion of the formation such that a drive fluid is produced in situ in the first portion of the formation;

allowing the drive fluid to move at least some mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the first portion of the formation to a second portion of the formation, the second portion being at least partially horizontally displaced relative to the first portion;

producing at least some of the mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the second portion of the formation; and

providing heat to at least a part of the second portion from one or more heaters located in the second portion after moving at least some of the mobilized, visbroken and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons into the second portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive fluid is steam.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring heat from a least a part of the first portion to at least a part of the second portion of the formation using at least some of the drive fluid.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the heaters located in the first portion of the formation at substantially full power until the drive fluid is produced.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a pressure in the first and/or second portions of the formation below a fracture pressure of the formation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the amount of mobilized hydrocarbons, visbroken hydrocarbons, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons produced from the first portion of the formation to vary a quality of the fluids produced from the second portion of the formation and/or to vary the total recovery of hydrocarbons from the formation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the provided heat mobilizes, visbreaks, and/or pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion and/or second portion of the formation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive fluid mobilizes, visbreaks, and/or pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the second portion of the formation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the temperature and the pressure in the first and/or second portion of the formation such that (a) at least a majority of the hydrocarbons in the formation are mobilized, (b) the pressure is below the fracture pressure of the first and/or second portion of the formation, and (c) at least some hydrocarbons in the first and/or second portion of the formation form a fluid comprising mobilized hydrocarbons that can be produced through a production well.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an average temperature of the second portion is lower than an average temperature of the first portion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some production wells in the second portion of the formation are positioned below at least some of the heaters in the second portion of the formation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some production wells in the second portion of the formation are positioned between the one or more heaters positioned in the second portion of the formation.