Irregular spacing of heat sources for treating hydrocarbon containing formations

• US 8,196,658 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Miller, David Scott, Uwechue, Uzo Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Zakiya W
• Application Number:
  US12/250,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20090200031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/272.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/38 Auxiliary core members; Auxiliary coils or windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/04 having provision for tap-changing without interrupting the load current
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32926 Software, data control or modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation includes providing heat input to a first section of the formation from one or more heat sources located in the first section. Fluids are produced from the first section through a production well located at or near the center of the first section. The heat sources are configured such that the average heat input per volume of formation in the first section increases with distance from the production well.

Claims

1. A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat input to a first section of the formation from one or more heat sources located in the first section; and

producing fluids from the first section through a production well located at or near the center of the first section;

wherein the heat sources are configured such that the average heat input per volume of formation in the first section increases with distance from the production well.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing different heat outputs from the heat sources such that the average heat output from heat sources in the first section increases with distance from the production well.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the heat sources such that the number of heat sources per volume of formation increases with distance from the production well.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing heat input to a second section of the formation from one or more heat sources located in the second section, the second section being located adjacent to the first section; and

producing fluids from the second section through a production well located at or near the center of the second section;

wherein the heat sources are configured such that the average heat input per volume of formation in the second section increases with distance from the production well in the second section.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing heat input to a third section of the formation from one or more heat sources located in the third section, the third section being located adjacent to the first section; and

producing fluids from the third section through a production well located at or near the center of the third section;

wherein the heat sources are configured such that the average heat input per volume of formation in the third section increases with distance from the production well in the third section.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing hydrocarbons from the first section that are liquid hydrocarbons at 25°

C. and 1 atm, wherein a majority of such liquid hydrocarbons are hydrocarbons originally in place in the first section.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat sources comprise heaters.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat input into the first section from the heat sources such that fluids moving from near heat sources located furthest from the production well in the first section to the production well are at least partially cooled.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising mobilizing hydrocarbons with heat provided by the heat sources, and producing mobilized hydrocarbons through the production well.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat to a portion of the formation near the production well with heat from mobilized fluids moving to the production well from the outside the portion near the production well.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing or turning off heating in the heat sources near the production well when a temperature at or near the production well reaches a temperature of at least about 100°

C.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning on at least a majority of the heat sources in a sequence with at least a majority of the heat sources furthest from the production well being turned on before at least a majority of the heat sources nearest the production well are turned on.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off or reducing heat output from at least a majority of the heat sources in a sequence with at least a majority of the heat sources furthest from the production well having their heat output turned off or reduced before at least a majority of the heat sources nearest the production well have their heat output turned off or reduced.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the heat input into the formation from the heat sources such that the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in a first volume of the first section is less than the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in a second volume of the first section and the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in the second volume of the first section is less than the heat input to the formation per volume of a third volume of the first section, wherein the first volume substantially surrounds a production well located at or near the center of the section, the second volume substantially surrounds the first volume, and the third volume substantially surrounds the second volume.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one heat source is located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least two heat sources are located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least three heat sources are located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first volume is approximately equal in volume to the second volume and/or the third volume.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the second volume is approximately equal in volume to the third volume.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein all of the heat sources located in the first volume are closer to the production well than any of the heat sources in the second volume.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the average distance from the production well of heat sources located in the first volume is less than the average distance from the production well of heat sources located in the second volume.

22. A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat input to a first section of the formation from one or more heat sources located in the first section;

providing the heat input into the formation from the heat sources such that the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in a first volume of the first section is less than the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in a second volume of the first section and the heat input to the formation per volume of formation in the second volume is less than the heat input to the formation per volume of a third volume of the first section, wherein the first volume substantially surrounds a production well located at or near the center of the section, the second volume substantially surrounds the first volume, and the third volume substantially surrounds the second volume; and

producing fluids from the first section through the production well.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing different heat outputs from the heat sources such that the average heat output from heat sources in the first volume is less than the average heat output of heat sources in the second volume.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising arranging the heat sources such that the number of heat sources per volume of formation in the first volume is less than the number of heat sources per volume of formation in the second volume.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the first volume has an average radial distance from the production well that is less than an average radial distance from the production well of the second volume.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the heat sources comprise heaters.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing heat input into the first section from the heat sources such that fluids moving from at or near the heat sources in the second volume to the production well are at least partially cooled.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing heat to the portion of the formation between the first volume and the production well with heat from mobilized fluids moving to the production well from the second volume.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising mobilizing hydrocarbons with heat provided by the heat sources, and producing mobilized hydrocarbons through the production well.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the heat sources in the first volume are different types of heat sources than the heat sources in the second volume.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing the heat input into the formation from the heat sources such that the heat output to the formation per volume of formation in a fourth volume of the first section is greater than the heat output to the formation per volume of formation in the third volume, wherein the fourth volume substantially surrounds the third volume.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising reducing or turning off heating in the heat sources in the first volume when a temperature at or near the production well reaches a temperature of at least about 100°

C.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising turning on at least a majority of the heat sources in a sequence with at least a majority of the heat sources furthest from the production well being turned on before at least a majority of the heat sources nearest the production well are turned on.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising turning off or reducing heat output from at least a majority of the heat sources in a sequence with at least a majority of the heat sources furthest from the production well having their heat output turned off or reduced before at least a majority of the heat sources nearest the production well have their heat output turned off or reduced.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one heat source is located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein at least two heat sources are located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein at least three heat sources are located in the first volume, the second volume, and/or the third volume.

38. The method of claim 22, wherein the first volume is approximately equal in volume to the second volume and/or the third volume.

39. The method of claim 22, wherein the second volume is approximately equal in volume to the third volume.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein all of the heat sources located in the first volume are closer to the production well than any of the heat sources in the second volume.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein the average distance from the production well of heat sources located in the first volume is less than the average distance from the production well of heat sources located in the second volume.