Irregular pattern treatment of a subsurface formation

• US 8,434,555 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Bos, Robert, Brouwer, Dirk Roelof, Colmenares, Tulio Rafael, Ginestra, Jean-Charles, Jaiswal, Namit, Karanikas, John Michael, Li, Zhen, Mo, Weijian, Prince-Wright, Robert George, Stanecki, John Andrew, Syihab, Zuher, De Rouffignac, Eric Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Zakiya W
• Application Number:
  US12/757,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20110042084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/302
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/243 Combustion in situ
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/03 Heating of hydrocarbons

Abstract

A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation includes providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation. The heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion. Heat flux per volume is provided to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation with the heat flux per volume being provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion. The heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources. The second portion is positioned below the first portion.

Claims

1. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion; and

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion, and wherein the second heat sources are separate from the first heat sources.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the second portion.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the second portion; and

heating at least some of the first portion with at least some of the pyrolysis products from the second portion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing a pressure in the formation to between about 2070 kPa and about 3450 kPa.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a pressure in the formation to between about 2070 kPa and about 3450 kPa for a period of time; and

decreasing the pressure in the formation to between about 500 kPa and about 1000 kPa after the period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a pressure in the formation to between about 2070 kPa and about 3450 kPa for a period of 200 days to 600 days; and

decreasing the pressure in the formation to between about 500 kPa and about 1000 kPa after the period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat flux per volume provided to the first portion is limited such that pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is inhibited in the first portion of the formation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the formation comprises about a third of the formation positioned below an overburden of the formation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the formation comprises about two thirds of the formation positioned below an overburden of the formation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the formation comprises about two thirds of the formation positioned below an overburden, and wherein about 20 percent less heat flux per volume is provided to the first portion relative to heat flux per volume provided to the second portion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the formation comprises about two thirds of the formation positioned below an overburden of the formation, and wherein about 20 percent less heat flux per volume is provided to the first portion relative to heat flux per volume provided to the second portion within the first five years of initially providing heat flux to the formation.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat flux per volume to a third portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more third heat sources positioned in the third portion, and wherein the third portion is positioned below the first portion and above the second portion.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat flux per volume to a third portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more third heat sources positioned in the third portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more third heat sources, and wherein the third portion is positioned below the first portion and above the second portion.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat flux per volume to a third portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more third heat sources positioned in the third portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more third heat sources, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more third heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, and wherein the third portion is positioned below the first portion and above the second portion.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation, wherein spacing for heat sources adjacent to the production well is horizontally and/or vertically irregularly offset from the production well.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation such that hydrocarbons are removed from the second portion of the formation.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation; and

removing hydrocarbons from the second portion of the formation such that hydrocarbons from the first portion are conveyed towards the second portion of the formation.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation;

removing hydrocarbons from the second portion of the formation such that hydrocarbons from the first portion are conveyed towards the second portion of the formation; and

pyrolyzing in the second portion at least some of the hydrocarbons conveyed from the first portion.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the formation comprises more second heat sources than the first portion comprises first heat sources.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more of the second heat sources initiate heating before two or more of the first heat sources.

22. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion;

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, and wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion; and

pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons in the second portion.

23. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion;

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, and wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion; and

increasing a pressure in the formation to between about 2070 kPa and about 3450 kPa.

24. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion; and

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion, and wherein the first portion of the formation comprises about two thirds of the formation positioned below an overburden of the formation.

25. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion;

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, and wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion; and

positioning a production well in or adjacent to the second portion of the formation.

26. A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion; and

providing heat flux per volume to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the heat flux per volume is provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion, wherein the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources, wherein the second portion is positioned below the first portion, and wherein the second portion of the formation comprises more second heat sources than the first portion comprises first heat sources.