Gas injection to inhibit migration during an in situ heat treatment process

• US 7,841,401 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• 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: Kuhlman, Myron Ira, Baker, Ralph Sterman, Heron, Goren, Vinegar, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/975,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 166/52, 166/245, 166/272.1, 166/285, 166/302, 166/305.1
• US Class Current: 166/245
• 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 subsurface formation are described herein. Methods for treating a subsurface treatment area in a formation may include introducing a fluid into the formation from a plurality of wells offset from a treatment area of an in situ heat treatment process to inhibit outward migration of formation fluid from the in situ heat treatment process.

Claims

1. A method for treating a subsurface treatment area in a formation, comprising:

forming a low temperature barrier around at least a portion of a perimeter of the treatment area;

providing heat to the subsurface treatment area in the formation from one or more heaters in the treatment area;

introducing a sweep fluid into the formation from a plurality of wells offset from the heaters and between the low temperature barrier and the heaters in the treatment area to inhibit outward migration of formation fluid from the treatment area; and

providing additional heat to at least a portion of the formation adjacent to at least one well of the plurality of wells, wherein at least one additional heat source is positioned in the well of the plurality of wells, and wherein the heat source is configured to provide the additional heat without raising an average temperature of the portion of the formation above a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the formation or a dissociation temperature of nahcolite in the formation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sweep fluid comprises carbon dioxide.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sweep fluid comprises water.

4. A method for treating a subsurface treatment area in a formation, comprising:

providing a plurality of wells offset from a treatment area of an in situ heat treatment area process;

wherein at least some of the plurality of wells are injection wells configured to introduce a sweep fluid into the formation to inhibit migration of formation fluid from the in situ heat treatment area; and

wherein at least some of the plurality of wells comprise one or more heaters; and

providing heat from at least some of the heaters to a portion of the formation adjacent to the injection wells.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sweep fluid comprises carbon dioxide.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the sweep fluid comprises low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein one of more of the injection wells are configured to introduce the sweep fluid into one or more permeable zones of the formation.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising forming a barrier offset from the plurality of wells, wherein the plurality of wells are positioned between the barrier and the treatment area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the barrier comprises a low temperature zone formed by freeze wells.