Methods for treating hydrocarbon formations
First Claim
1. A method of treating a hydrocarbon formation, comprising:
- providing heat to a section of the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation;
allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to heat a portion of the section to a selected temperature to generate an in situ deasphalting fluid in the section, wherein the in situ deasphalting fluid comprises hydrocarbons having a boiling range distribution between 35°
C. and 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa;
contacting at least a portion of the in situ deasphalting fluid with hydrocarbons in the section to remove at least some asphaltenes from the hydrocarbons in the section, wherein a majority of the hydrocarbons in the section have a boiling point greater than 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa, wherein sufficient in situ deasphalting fluid is generated such that at least a 5;
1 volume ratio of in situ deasphalting fluid to heavy hydrocarbons in the section is maintained; and
producing at least a portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbons from the formation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some method include providing heat to a section of the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation, allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to heat a portion of the section to a selected temperature to generate an in situ deasphalting fluid in the section, contacting at least a portion of the in situ deasphalting fluid with hydrocarbons in the section to remove at least some asphaltenes from the hydrocarbons in the section, and producing at least a portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbons from the formation. The in situ deasphalting fluid may include hydrocarbons having a boiling range distribution between 35° C. and 260° C. at 0.101 MPa. A majority of the hydrocarbons in the section may have a boiling point greater than 260° C. at 0.101 MPa.
1121 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of treating a hydrocarbon formation, comprising:
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providing heat to a section of the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to heat a portion of the section to a selected temperature to generate an in situ deasphalting fluid in the section, wherein the in situ deasphalting fluid comprises hydrocarbons having a boiling range distribution between 35°
C. and 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa;contacting at least a portion of the in situ deasphalting fluid with hydrocarbons in the section to remove at least some asphaltenes from the hydrocarbons in the section, wherein a majority of the hydrocarbons in the section have a boiling point greater than 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa, wherein sufficient in situ deasphalting fluid is generated such that at least a 5;
1 volume ratio of in situ deasphalting fluid to heavy hydrocarbons in the section is maintained; andproducing at least a portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbons from the formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of treating a hydrocarbon formation, comprising:
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providing heat to a first section of the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to heat a portion of the first section to a selected temperature to generate an in situ deasphalting fluid in the first section, wherein the in situ deasphalting fluid comprises hydrocarbons having a boiling range distribution between 35°
C. and 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa;changing a volume ratio of naphtha/kerosene to heavy hydrocarbons in a second section by contacting at least a portion of the generated in situ deasphalting fluid with heavy hydrocarbons in the second section; and producing at least a portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbons from the formation. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of treating a hydrocarbon formation, comprising:
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providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the first section of the formation; generating an in situ deasphalting fluid comprising hydrocarbons having a boiling range distribution between 35°
C. and 260°
C. at 0.101 MPa in the first section by heating hydrocarbons in the first section, wherein a majority of the hydrocarbons in the first section having a boiling point greater than 260°
C.;mobilizing at least a portion of the in situ deasphalting fluid through an upper portion of the first section to an upper portion of a second section of the formation; contacting the in situ deasphalting fluid with hydrocarbons in the upper portion of the second section to remove at least a portion of the asphaltenes from the hydrocarbon in the upper portion of the second section, wherein a temperature of upper portion of the second section is less than the temperature of the upper portion of the first section; producing at least a portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbons from the formation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification