Electrodes for electrical current flow heating of subsurface formations with tapered copper thickness
First Claim
1. A system for treating a subsurface formation, comprising:
- a first wellbore at least partially located in a hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the first wellbore comprises a substantially horizontal or inclined portion in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation;
a first conductor at least partially positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the first wellbore, wherein the first conductor comprises electrically conductive material, and wherein at least a portion of the first conductor positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the first wellbore comprises copper coupled to the electrically conductive material, the copper tapering from a larger thickness at a first end of the portion to a smaller thickness at a second end of the portion, the first end being closer to an overburden section of the first wellbore than the second end; and
a power supply coupled to the first conductor, the power supply configured to electrically excite the electrically conductive materials of the first conductor such that current flows between the electrically conductive materials in the first conductor, through at least a portion of the formation, to a second conductor located in the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation, and the current resistively heats at least a portion of the formation between the two conductors.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first conductor is positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of a first wellbore. The first conductor includes electrically conductive material. A portion of the first conductor positioned in the first wellbore includes copper coupled to the electrically conductive material. The copper tapers from a larger thickness at a first end of the portion to a smaller thickness at a second end of the portion. A power supply coupled to the first conductor electrically excites the electrically conductive materials of the first conductor such that current flows between the electrically conductive materials in the first conductor, through at least a portion of the formation, to a second conductor located in the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation, and the current resistively heats at least a portion of the formation between the two conductors.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for treating a subsurface formation, comprising:
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a first wellbore at least partially located in a hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the first wellbore comprises a substantially horizontal or inclined portion in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation; a first conductor at least partially positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the first wellbore, wherein the first conductor comprises electrically conductive material, and wherein at least a portion of the first conductor positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the first wellbore comprises copper coupled to the electrically conductive material, the copper tapering from a larger thickness at a first end of the portion to a smaller thickness at a second end of the portion, the first end being closer to an overburden section of the first wellbore than the second end; and a power supply coupled to the first conductor, the power supply configured to electrically excite the electrically conductive materials of the first conductor such that current flows between the electrically conductive materials in the first conductor, through at least a portion of the formation, to a second conductor located in the hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation, and the current resistively heats at least a portion of the formation between the two conductors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for heating a subsurface formation, comprising:
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providing electrical current to a first conductor in a first substantially horizontal or inclined position in a section of the formation such that electrical current flows from the first conductor to a second conductor located in a second substantially horizontal or inclined position in the section of the formation; wherein the first and second conductors comprise electrically conductive materials, and wherein at least a portion of the first conductor positioned in the substantially horizontal or inclined portion of the first wellbore comprises copper coupled to the electrically conductive material, the copper tapering from a larger thickness at a first end of the portion to a smaller thickness at a second end of the portion, the first end being closer to an overburden section of the first wellbore than the second end; and heating a least a portion of the hydrocarbon layer between the first and second conductors with heat generated by the electrical current flow between the conductors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification