Grouped exposed metal heaters

• US 8,233,782 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Vinegar, Harold J., Coit, William George, Griffin, Peter Terry, Hamilton, Paul Taylor, Hsu, Chia-Fu, Mason, Stanley Leroy, Watkins, Ronnie Wade, Samuel, Allan James
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor
• Application Number:
  US12/893,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20110170843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 392/301
• US Class Current: 392/301
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 4/02 by cracking a single hydrocarbon or a mixture of individually defined hydrocarbons or a normally gaseous hydrocarbon fraction
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 9/04 Methane production by treatment of sewage C02F11/04; natural gas, synthetic natural gas C10L3/06
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/028 Electrical or electro-magnetic connections
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/001 Cooling arrangements
• 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 43/243 Combustion in situ
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. The system includes two or more groups of elongated heaters. The group includes two or more heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation. The heaters in the group are electrically coupled below the surface of the formation. The openings include at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The groups are electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the formation.

Claims

1. A method for providing heat to a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of the formation from two or more groups of elongated heaters, wherein a group comprises two or more elongated heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation, the elongated heaters in the group being electrically coupled below the surface of the formation, the openings comprising at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, and the groups being electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited; and

allowing the heat to transfer to at least a section of the formation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a fluid from the formation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed in the formation.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising producing a fluid comprising pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the formation.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising producing a transportation fuel from the produced fluid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the group comprises three elongated heaters, the three elongated heaters being electrically coupled at or near an end portions of the openings distal from the surface of the formation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two openings interconnect at or near the end portions of the openings distal from the surface of the formation and the elongated heaters in the openings are electrically coupled at the interconnection of the openings.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are mobilized in the formation.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising producing a fluid comprising mobilized hydrocarbons from the formation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a fluid comprising hydrocarbons from the formation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising producing the fluid through a production well, wherein the production well is located at or near a center of a group of elongated heaters.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising producing the fluid through a production well, wherein the production well is located at a location at which voltage potentials from vertices of two or more groups of elongated heaters average out to relatively little or zero voltage potential.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising physically arranging the groups such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the groups comprises a triad of elongated heaters.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongated heaters comprise exposed metal elongated heaters.

16. A method for providing heat to a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of the formation from two or more groups of elongated heaters, wherein a group comprises two or more elongated heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation, the openings comprising at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, and the groups being electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited;

allowing the heat to transfer to at least a section of the formation;

producing a fluid from the formation; and

producing the fluid through a production well, wherein the production well is located at a location at which voltage potentials from vertices of two or more groups of elongated heaters average out to relatively little or zero voltage potential.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed in the formation.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are mobilized in the formation.

19. A method for providing heat to a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of the formation from two or more groups of elongated heaters, wherein a group comprises two or more elongated heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation, the openings comprising at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, the groups being electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited, and wherein at least one of the groups comprises a triad of elongated heaters; and

allowing the heat to transfer to at least a section of the formation.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising producing a fluid from the formation.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed in the formation.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are mobilized in the formation.

23. A method for providing heat to a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of the formation from two or more groups of exposed metal elongated heaters, wherein a group comprises two or more elongated heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation, the openings comprising at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation, and the groups being electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited;

allowing the heat to transfer to at least a section of the formation.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising producing a fluid from the formation.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are pyrolyzed in the formation.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the heat to transfer to the section of the formation such that at least some hydrocarbons are mobilized in the formation.