Alternate energy source usage for in situ heat treatment processes

• US 7,912,358 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salamander IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Charles R., Stone, Francis Marion Jr., Richard, James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell; Thor S
• Application Number:
  US11/788,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 392/301
• US Class Current: 392/301
• 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

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters is described herein. The system may include an intermittent power source; a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source, and a tap controller coupled to the transformer. The transformer may be configured to transform power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters. The tap controller may be configured to monitor and control the transformer so that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters from the transformer regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

Claims

1. A system for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters, comprising:

an intermittent power source;

a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source, the transformer being configured to transform power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and

a tap controller coupled to the transformer, the tap controller being configured to monitor and control the transformer such that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters from the transformer regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control system coupled to the tap controller, the control system being configured to operate the tap controller.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control system coupled to the tap controller, the control system being configured to operate the tap controller using at least one predictive algorithm.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors coupled to the system, the sensors being configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and/or the transformer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a control system coupled to the tap controller; and

one or more sensors coupled to the system configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and/or the transformer;

wherein the control system is configured to operate the tap controller based on operating parameter data collected from the sensors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tap controller is configured to store, for future use, load provided by the transformer that is in excess of the load required by the heaters.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a windmill.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a gas turbine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the tap controller is configured to control power output in a range between about 5 megavolt amps (MVA) and about 500 MVA.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tap controller is configured to automatically control the power provided to the heaters.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tap controller is configured to automatically control the power provided to the heaters to within about 20% of the power required by the heaters.

12. A method for controlling power provided to one or more subsurface heaters from an intermittent power source, comprising:

monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters;

controlling the power output of the transformer using a tap controller coupled to the transformer and the heaters such that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm that assesses the monitored operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring the operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer using one or more sensors coupled to the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing, for future use, load provided by the transformer that is in excess of the load required by the heaters.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a windmill.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a gas turbine.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer in a range between about 5 megavolt amps (MVA) and about 500 MVA.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically controlling the power provided to the heaters.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically controlling the power provided to the heaters to within about 20% of the power required by the heaters.