Temperature limited heaters with high power factors
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A heater configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- a ferromagnetic member;
an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the ferromagnetic member, the electrical conductor configured to conduct a majority of time-varying electrical current passing through the heater at about 25°
C.;
wherein the heater is configured to provide a first heat output below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, and the heater is configured to automatically provide a second heat output approximately at and above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, the second heat output being reduced compared to the first heat output;
wherein the electrical conductor provides a majority of the mechanical strength to support the heater at or near the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member;
wherein the heater is configured to allow heat to transfer from the heater to a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation such that heat transfers from the heater to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer; and
wherein the heater is located in a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Certain embodiments provide a heater. The heater includes a ferromagnetic member. The heater also includes an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the ferromagnetic member. The electrical conductor is configured to conduct a majority of time-varying electrical current passing through the heater at about 25° C. The heater is configured to provide a first heat output below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member. The heater is configured to automatically provide a second heat output approximately at and above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member. The second heat output is reduced compared to the first heat output.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A heater configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
-
a ferromagnetic member; an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the ferromagnetic member, the electrical conductor configured to conduct a majority of time-varying electrical current passing through the heater at about 25°
C.;wherein the heater is configured to provide a first heat output below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, and the heater is configured to automatically provide a second heat output approximately at and above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, the second heat output being reduced compared to the first heat output; wherein the electrical conductor provides a majority of the mechanical strength to support the heater at or near the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member; wherein the heater is configured to allow heat to transfer from the heater to a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation such that heat transfers from the heater to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer; and wherein the heater is located in a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A heater configured to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
-
a ferromagnetic member; an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the ferromagnetic member; wherein the heater is configured to provide a first heat output below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member when time-varying electrical current is applied to the heater, and the heater is configured to automatically provide a second heat output approximately at and above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, the second heat output being reduced compared to the first heat output; wherein the ferromagnetic member and the electrical conductor are electrically coupled such that a power factor of the heater remains above 0.85 during use of the heater; wherein the electrical conductor provides a majority of the mechanical strength to support the heater at or near the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member; wherein the heater is configured to allow heat to transfer from the heater to a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation such that heat transfers from the heater to hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing layer to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer; and wherein the heater is located in a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method of heating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
-
applying electrical current to a heater section to provide an electrically resistive heat output, the heater section comprising an electrical conductor electrically coupled to a ferromagnetic member, the electrical conductor configured to conduct a majority of the electrical current passing through the cross-section of the heater section at about 25°
C., the electrical conductor providing a majority of the mechanical strength of the heater at or near the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member, the heater section being located in a heater well extending from a surface of the earth through an overburden of the formation and into the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation, and the heater section being located below the overburden;providing a first heat output when electrical current is applied to the heater section below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic member; providing a second heat output approximately at and above the Curie temperature during use, the second heat output being reduced compared to the first heat output; and allowing heat to transfer from the heater section to hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation to at least mobilize some hydrocarbons in the layer. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification