Electromagnetic heat treatment providing enhanced oil recovery

• US 8,701,760 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parsche, Francis Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US13/163,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 166/248, 166/302, 166/57, 166/60
• US Class Current: 166/248
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

A method for using RF energy to facilitate the production of oil from formations separated from the RF energy source by a rock stratum comprises operating an antenna to transmit RF energy into a hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation comprised of a first hydrocarbon portion above and adjacent to the antenna, a second hydrocarbon portion above the first hydrocarbon portion, and a rock stratum between the first hydrocarbon portion and the second hydrocarbon portion. The operation of the antenna heats water in the hydrocarbon formation to produce steam in the hydrocarbon formation, and the steam heats hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon formation and fractures the rock stratum to produce fissures in the rock stratum. The heated hydrocarbons in the second hydrocarbon portion flows into the first hydrocarbon portion through the fissures in the rock stratum.

Claims

1. A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon formation, the method comprising:

transmitting RF energy into the hydrocarbon formation using an antenna laterally extending within the hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation comprising

a first hydrocarbon portion above and adjacent the antenna and comprising hydrocarbons,

a second hydrocarbon portion above the first hydrocarbon portion and comprising hydrocarbons, and

a rock stratum between the first hydrocarbon portion and the second hydrocarbon portion, the rock stratum comprising water and rock;

the RF energy being transmitting into the hydrocarbon formation so that

the first and second hydrocarbon portions are heated,

water in the rock stratum is heated and steam is produced, and

fissures are created in the rock based upon the steam fracturing the rock; and

recovering the hydrocarbons from the first and second hydrocarbon portions, wherein heated hydrocarbons in the second hydrocarbon portion flow through the fissures in the rock stratum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna, and wherein the RF energy is transmitted via the uninsulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency of 60 Hz or lower to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting direct current via an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an uninsulated, linear dipole antenna, and wherein the RF energy is transmitted via the uninsulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency in the range of 3-30 MHz to provide dielectric heating to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a conductively insulated, linear dipole antenna, and wherein the RF energy is transmitted via the conductively insulated, linear dipole antenna at a frequency of about 30 MHz to provide dielectric heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein insulation around the conductively insulated, linear dipole antenna comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein insulation around the conductively insulated, linear dipole antenna comprises steam.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a loop antenna, and wherein the RF energy is transmitted via the loop antenna at a frequency in the range of about 1 to 50 KHz to provide resistance heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a linear dipole antenna conductively insulated by steam surrounding the linear dipole antenna, and wherein the RF energy is transmitted via the linear dipole antenna at a frequency in a range between 3 and 30 MHz to provide Joule effect heating of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises oil well piping.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the rock stratum comprises alluvial shale.

12. An apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation comprising a first hydrocarbon portion comprising hydrocarbons, a second hydrocarbon portion above the first hydrocarbon portion and comprising hydrocarbons, and a rock stratum between the first and second hydrocarbon portions, the rock stratum comprising water and rock, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna extending laterally within the hydrocarbon formation below and adjacent the first hydrocarbon portion; and

a radio frequency (RF) power source coupled to the antenna and cooperating therewith to transmit RF energy into the hydrocarbon formation so that

the first and second hydrocarbon portions are heated,

water in the rock stratum is heated and steam is produced, and,

fissures are created in the rock based upon the steam fracturing the rock, the fissures allowing heated hydrocarbons to flow through the rock stratum from the second hydrocarbon portion for recovery from the first and second hydrocarbon portions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said antenna comprises an uninsulated linear dipole antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said antenna comprises a conductively insulated linear dipole antenna.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said conductively insulated linear dipole antenna comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene insulated linear dipole antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said antenna comprises an oil well pipe.