Methods for heating with slots in hydrocarbon formations

• US 8,739,874 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Ocampos, Ernesto Rafael Fonseca, Karanikas, John Michael, MacDonald, Duncan Charles, Carter, Ernest E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US13/083,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20110247810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 166/302, 166/57, 166/60, 166/272.1, 166/272.7
• US Class Current: 166/302
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some embodiments generally relate to systems, methods, and/or processes for treating fluid produced from the subsurface formation. Some methods include providing heat to a first section of the hydrocarbon containing 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 mobilize formation fluid; and producing formation fluid from the formation.

Claims

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

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots extends from a side of the wellbore and is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more heaters placed in at least a portion of one of the slots, wherein one or more of the heaters comprise one or more insulated electrical conductors;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the slot comprises adjusting a tension of an abrasive member of a slot drill such that the area between the first opening, the second opening, and the one or more slots forms a polygon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a second wellbore is positioned below the substantially horizontal or inclined wellbore in the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the second wellbore comprises a substantially horizontal incline portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein placing at least one of the heaters in at least a portion of the slot comprises removing a slot drill from the wellbore;

coupling a portion of at least one heater to a pipe of the slot drill; and

threading the heater through the slot.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing at least one of the heaters from at least one slot;

extending the slot into another portion of the hydrocarbon containing layer;

providing an additional heater to a portion of the extended slot;

providing heat to the additional portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from the additional heater, wherein the additional heaters comprises an insulated electrical conductor;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heater to the additional portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and

producing additional hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon containing formation has low permeability.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon containing formation comprises oil shale and/or coal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the slot comprises using at least one of the heaters as an abrasive tool member of a slot drill.

10. A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

allowing the heat to transfer from a plurality of heaters to a first section of the formation;

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots extends from a side of a wellbore and is perpendicular to at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore positioned in the hydrocarbon containing formation;

providing heat to a second section of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more additional heaters placed in at least one of the slots;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the second section of the formation; and

producing additional hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the additional heaters comprises an insulated electrical conductor.

12. A method of producing methane from a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots extends from a side of the wellbore and is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more heaters placed in at least a portion of one of the slots, wherein one or more of the heaters comprise one or more insulated electrical conductors;

maintaining an average temperature in the portion of the formation below a pyrolyzation temperature of hydrocarbons in the section; and

removing methane from the hydrocarbon formation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the hydrocarbon containing formation comprises oil shale.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing hydrocarbons having a carbon number between 1 and 5 from the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the formation comprises coal.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a barrier around the portion of the formation.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein an average temperature in the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation is below 230°

C.

18. A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots extends from a side of the wellbore and is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

providing a drive fluid to at least one of the slots; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon formation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the drive fluid is steam.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing heat to the portion from one or more heaters located in the hydrocarbon containing formation;

and producing at least some additional hydrocarbons from the layer of the formation, the additional hydrocarbons comprising at least some hydrocarbons that are upgraded compared to the hydrocarbons produced by using the drive fluid.

21. A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

adjusting a tension of an abrasive member of a slot drill such that the area between the first opening, the second opening, and the one or more slots forms a polygon;

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more heaters placed in at least a portion of one of the slots, wherein one or more of the heaters comprise one or more insulated electrical conductors;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

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

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

placing one or more heaters in at least a portion of one of the slots by removing a slot drill from the wellbore;

coupling a portion of at least one heater to a pipe of the slot drill; and

threading one or more of the heaters through the slot;

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more of the heaters placed in at least a portion of the slot;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

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

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore, and wherein at least one of the slots is formed by using at least heater as an abrasive tool member of a slot drill,

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more heaters placed in at least a portion of one of the slots, wherein one or more of the heaters comprise one or more insulated electrical conductors;

allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters to the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon containing formation.

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

forming at least one wellbore in a hydrocarbon containing formation, the wellbore comprising at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions, a first opening at a first position of the earth'"'"'s surface and a second opening at a second position of the earth'"'"'s surface;

forming one or more slots in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein at least one of the slots extends from a side of the wellbore and is perpendicular to the at least two substantially horizontal or inclined portions of the wellbore;

providing heat to a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation from one or more heaters placed in at least a portion of one of the slots, wherein one or more of the heaters comprise one or more insulated electrical conductors; and

producing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon formation.