High voltage temperature limited heaters
First Claim
1. A system configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation;
an AC supply configured to provide AC at a voltage above about 200 volts; and
one or more electrical conductors located in the heater well and extending from the surface into the hydrocarbon containing layer, the electrical conductors being electrically coupled to the AC supply;
at least one electrical conductor comprising one or more ferromagnetic sections, and being configured to provide an electrically resistive heat output during application of AC to the electrical conductor such that heat transfers from the electrical conductor to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer;
wherein one or more of the ferromagnetic sections provides a reduced amount of heat above or near a selected temperature during use, wherein the selected temperature is at or about the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heater system may include an alternating current supply and an electrical conductor. An alternating current may be applied to one or more electrical conductors at a voltage above about 200 volts. The electrical conductors may be located in a formation. The electrical conductors may provide an electrically resistive heat output upon application of the alternating electrical current. At least one of the electrical conductors may include an electrically resistive ferromagnetic material. An electrical conductor may provide a reduced amount of heat above or near a selected temperature. Heat may be allowed to transfer from an electrical conductor to a part of the formation.
1079 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A system configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation; an AC supply configured to provide AC at a voltage above about 200 volts; and one or more electrical conductors located in the heater well and extending from the surface into the hydrocarbon containing layer, the electrical conductors being electrically coupled to the AC supply; at least one electrical conductor comprising one or more ferromagnetic sections, and being configured to provide an electrically resistive heat output during application of AC to the electrical conductor such that heat transfers from the electrical conductor to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer; wherein one or more of the ferromagnetic sections provides a reduced amount of heat above or near a selected temperature during use, wherein the selected temperature is at or about the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 55, 56)
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20. A system configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation; an AC supply configured to provide AC at a voltage above about 200 volts; and one or more electrical conductors located in the heater well and extending from the surface into the hydrocarbon containing layer, the electrical conductors being electrically coupled to the AC supply; at least one electrical conductor comprising one or more ferromagnetic sections, and being configured to provide an electrically resistive heat output during application of AC to the electrical conductor such that heat transfers from the electrical conductor to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer; wherein one or more of the ferromagnetic sections provides a reduced amount of heat above or near a selected temperature that is about 20% or less of the heat output at about 50°
C. below the selected temperature during use, wherein the selected temperature is at or about the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic section. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 57, 58)
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39. A method of heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
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providing AC at a voltage above about 200 volts to one or more electrical conductors located in a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation, wherein providing the AC produces an electrically resistive heat output from the electrical conductors, at least one of the electrical conductors comprising one or more ferromagnetic sections; and wherein one or more of the ferromagnetic sections are configured to provide a reduced amount of heat above or near a selected temperature during use, wherein the selected temperature is at or about the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic section; and allowing heat to transfer from the electrical conductors to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 59, 60)
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Specification