Alternate energy source usage methods for in situ heat treatment processes

• US 8,857,506 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salamander IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Stone, Francis Marion Jr., Goodwin, Charles R., Richard, James E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOIKITH, CATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US13/902,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20130333878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 166/302, 166/57, 166/60, 166/61, 323/355, 323/359
• US Class Current: 166/60
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/08 Tubular products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/013 one layer being formed of an iron alloy or steel, another layer being formed of a metal other than iron or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/015 the said other metal being copper or nickel or an alloy thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/208 Magnetic, paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/002 comprising natural stone or artificial stone
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/045 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/001 Austenite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/004 Dispersions; Precipitations
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/005 Ferrite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/002 containing Cr C21D6/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/007 containing Co
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/04 containing manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/10 containing cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/12 containing tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, or niobium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/14 containing titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/24 with vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/28 with titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/30 with cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 : using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 : by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 : Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 166/902 : for inhibiting corrosion or coating

Abstract

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one method for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters is described herein. The method may include monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and controlling the power output of the transformer so that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

Claims

1. A method for controlling power provided to one or more subsurface heaters from an intermittent power source, comprising:

monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and

controlling a power output of the transformer such that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm that assesses the monitored operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer using one or more sensors coupled to the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, for future use, load provided by the transformer that is in excess of the load required by the heaters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a windmill.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittent power source comprises a gas turbine.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer in a range between about 5 megavolt amps (MVA) and about 500 MVA.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically controlling the power provided to the heaters.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically controlling the power provided to the heaters to within about 20% of the power required by the heaters.

11. A method for controlling power provided to one or more subsurface heaters from an intermittent power source, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of a subsurface formation from one or more heaters located in the subsurface formation;

monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and

controlling a power output of the transformer such that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm that assesses the monitored operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and the transformer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing, for future use, load provided by the transformer that is in excess of the load required by the heaters.

15. A method for controlling power provided to one or more subsurface heaters from an intermittent power source, comprising:

providing heat to at least a portion of a subsurface formation from one or more heaters located in one or more wellbores in the subsurface formation, wherein the provided heat mobilizes at least some hydrocarbons in the subsurface formation;

monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and

controlling a power output of the transformer such that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the power output of the transformer using at least one predictive algorithm.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically controlling the power provided to the heaters.