Using geothermal energy to heat a portion of a formation for an in situ heat treatment process

• US 7,730,945 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• 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: Pieterson, Roelof, Boyles, Joseph Michael, Diebold, Peter Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/975,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 166/272.1, 166/272.6, 166/302, 166/303, 166/369, 299/4, 299/5, 405/130, 405/131
• US Class Current: 166/272.1
• 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 using geothermal energy to treat subsurface formations are described herein. Methods for using geothermal energy to treat a subsurface treatment area containing or proximate to hydrocarbons may include producing geothermally heated fluid from at least one subsurface region. Heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid may be transferred to the subsurface treatment area to heat the subsurface treatment area. At least some hydrocarbon fluids may be produced from the formation.

Claims

1. A method of using geothermal energy to treat a subsurface treatment area containing or proximate to hydrocarbons, comprising:

producing geothermally heated fluid from at least one subsurface region;

transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid to the subsurface treatment area to heat the subsurface treatment area;

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area; and

producing a fluid comprising hydrocarbons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geothermally heated fluid is produced from a geothermally pressurized geyser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the geothermally heated fluid is pumped from the subsurface region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsurface region is located below the subsurface treatment area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the geothermally heated fluid comprises introducing fluid into a hot layer of the region so that heat is transferred from the hot layer to the fluid, and producing at least a portion of the fluid heated by the hot layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from the geothermally heated fluid to the subsurface treatment area comprises circulating the geothermally heated fluid through wells in the subsurface treatment area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from the geothermally heated fluid to the subsurface treatment area comprises introducing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid directly into the subsurface treatment area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid to provide heat to the subsurface treatment area for solution mining.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid as a first fluid of a solution mining process and producing a second fluid from the formation, wherein the second fluid contains at least some minerals dissolved in the first fluid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid preheats the section of the subsurface treatment area prior to heating to above a pyrolysis temperature.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the geothermally heated fluid to the subsurface treatment area without first producing the geothermally heated fluid to the surface.

12. A method comprising:

heating a treatment area of a subsurface formation by transfer of heat from a geothermally heated fluid to at least a portion of the treatment area;

producing the geothermally heated fluid from a layer of the formation located below the treatment area; and

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising introducing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid as a first fluid of a solution mining process and producing a second fluid from the formation, wherein the second fluid contains at least some minerals dissolved in the first fluid.

14. A method for heating at least a portion of a subsurface treatment area, comprising:

introducing a fluid into a geothermal subsurface layer to transfer heat from the geothermal layer to the fluid;

producing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid, wherein the produced geothermally heated fluid is at a temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid introduced into the geothermal layer;

transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid to the treatment area; and

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring heat from the geothermally heated fluid to the treatment area comprises circulating geothermally heated fluid through wells in the treatment area.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring heat from the geothermally heated fluid to the treatment area comprises introducing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid directly into the treatment area.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the geothermally heated fluid to provide heat to the formation for solution mining.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid preheats the section of the treatment area prior to heating to above a pyrolysis temperature.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising directing the geothermally heated fluid to the treatment area without first producing the geothermally heated fluid to the surface.

20. A method of using geothermal energy to treat a subsurface treatment area containing or proximate to hydrocarbons, comprising:

producing geothermally heated fluid from at least one subsurface region;

transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid to the subsurface treatment area to heat the subsurface treatment area;

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a mobilization temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area; and

producing a fluid comprising hydrocarbons.

21. A method comprising:

heating a treatment area of a subsurface formation by transfer of heat from a geothermally heated fluid to at least a portion of the treatment area;

producing the geothermally heated fluid from a layer of the formation located below the treatment area; and

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a mobilization temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area.

22. A method for heating at least a portion of a subsurface treatment area, comprising:

introducing a fluid into a geothermal subsurface layer to transfer heat from the geothermal layer to the fluid;

producing at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid, wherein the produced geothermally heated fluid is at a temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid introduced into the geothermal layer;

transferring heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid to the treatment area; and

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area from one or more heat sources located in the subsurface treatment area to heat at least a section of the subsurface treatment area to above a mobilization temperature of hydrocarbons in the treatment area.