Movable heaters for treating subsurface hydrocarbon containing formations

• US 8,256,512 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Stanecki, John Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US12/576,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/272.3
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2405 in association with fracturing or crevice forming processes E21B43/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/02 Automatic control of the tool feed E21B44/005, E21B44/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 3/00 Non-adjustable metal resistors made of wire or ribbon, e.g. coiled, woven or formed as grids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/03 Heating of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/48 heating conductor embedded in insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation includes providing heat to a first portion of the formation using a heater. The heating section of the heater is at least partially located in a substantially horizontal or inclined portion of a wellbore and is located in or proximate to a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation. The heating section has a length that is at most 1/2 the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore. At least a portion of the heating section in the wellbore is moved such that heat is provided to a second portion of the formation. The second portion is horizontally displaced from the first portion of the formation.

Claims

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

providing heat to a first portion of the formation using a heater, wherein the heating section of the heater is at least partially located in a substantially horizontal or inclined portion of a wellbore and is located in or proximate to a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation, and wherein the heating section has a length that is at most ½

the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore; and

moving at least a portion of the heating section in the wellbore such that heat is provided to a second portion of the formation, wherein the second portion is horizontally displaced from the first portion of the formation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore is a u-shaped wellbore.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore is an L-shaped wellbore.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the heating section in the wellbore such that the heating section provides heat to a third portion of the formation, wherein the third portion is horizontally displaced from the first and second portions of the formation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion is adjacent to the first portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating section is moved from heating the first portion to heating the second portion after a selected time period of heating of the first portion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating section is moved from heating the first portion to heating the second portion after at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion are mobilized.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating section is moved from heating the first portion to heating the second portion after at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion are pyrolyzed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the heating section by moving at least a portion of the heater in the wellbore.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the heating section by pulling at least a portion of the heater through the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore is a u-shaped wellbore, the method further comprising moving the heating section by moving at least a portion of the heater through the wellbore from at or near one end of the wellbore to at or near the other end of the wellbore.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising mobilizing at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion, and producing at least some of the mobilized hydrocarbons.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion, and producing at least some of the pyrolyzed hydrocarbons.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating section has a length that is at most ¼

the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating section has a length that is at most ⅕

the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises an electrical resistance heater.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises an oxidation heater.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a circulating fluid heater.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing steam to at least a portion of the formation.

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

providing heat to a first portion of the formation using a first heater, wherein the heating section of the first heater is at least partially located in a substantially horizontal or inclined portion of a wellbore and is located in or proximate to a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation, and wherein the heating section of the first heater has a length that is at most ½

the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore;

providing heat to a second portion of the formation using a second heater, wherein the heating section of the second heater is at least partially located in a substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore and is located in or proximate to the hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation, and wherein the heating section of the second heater has a length that is at most ½

the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore;

wherein the first portion and the second portion of the formation are horizontally displaced from each other in the formation; and

moving at least a portion of the heating section of the first heater in the wellbore such that heat is provided to a third portion of the formation, wherein the third portion is horizontally displaced from the first portion of the formation and the second portion of the formation, and wherein the third portion is closer to the first portion than the second portion.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising moving at least a portion of the heating section of the second heater in the wellbore such that heat is provided to a fourth portion of the formation, wherein the fourth portion is horizontally displaced from the first portion of the formation and the second portion of the formation, and wherein the fourth portion is closer to the second portion than the first portion.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fourth portion is substantially the same distance from the second portion as the third portion is from the first portion.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the wellbore is a u-shaped wellbore.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the wellbore is an L-shaped wellbore.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second portion is adjacent to the first portion.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the heating section of the first heater is moved from heating the first portion to heating the third portion after at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion are mobilized.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the heating section of the first heater is moved from heating the first portion to heating the third portion after at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion are pyrolyzed.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising moving the heating section of the first heater by moving at least a portion of the heater in the wellbore.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising moving the heating section of the first heater by pulling at least a portion of the heater through the wellbore.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising mobilizing at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion, and producing at least some of the mobilized hydrocarbons.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the first portion, and producing at least some of the pyrolyzed hydrocarbons.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing steam to at least a portion of the formation.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the first portion is located substantially adjacent the second portion such that at least some of the heating provided in the portions substantially overlaps.