Processes for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir

A process for producing hydrocarbon-comprising material from a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising:

• (a) during a first time interval, while supplying a liquid heating fluid to the hydrocarbon reservoir through a well, electrically heating, within the well, with an electrical heater, a combined heating fluid including the supplied liquid heating fluid and a condensed heating fluid, such that the combined heating fluid is evaporated to produce a gaseous heating fluid that is conducted into the reservoir and then condensed upon heating of hydrocarbon material to produce the condensed heating fluid;
• (b) suspending the supplying of the liquid heating fluid;
• (c) after the suspending of the supplying of the liquid heating fluid, and during a second time interval, reducing the rate at which heat energy is being delivered by the electric heater such that the rate at which heat energy is being delivered by the electric heater is less than 50% of the rate at which heat energy is being delivered by the electric heater during the first time interval, and while the electric heater is delivering the heat energy at the reduced rate, collecting reservoir fluid within the well, and producing the collected reservoir fluid, wherein the collected reservoir fluid includes the heated hydrocarbon material that has become mobilized and drained into the well;
• and
• (d) suspending the producing.

A process for producing hydrocarbon-comprising material from a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising:

• (a) during a first time interval, while supplying a liquid heating fluid to the hydrocarbon reservoir through a well, electrically heating, within the well, a combined heating fluid including the supplied liquid heating fluid and a condensed heating fluid, such that the combined heating fluid is evaporated to produce a gaseous heating fluid that is conducted into the reservoir, and then condensed upon heating of hydrocarbon material to produce the condensed heating fluid;
• (b) suspending the supplying of the liquid heating fluid;
• (c) after the suspending of the supplying of the liquid heating fluid, during a second time interval, modulating the electrical heating such that the electrical heating of reservoir fluid that is being collected within the well is such that the temperature of the collected reservoir fluid is less than 350 degrees Celsius, and, while the modulated electrical heating of collected reservoir fluid is being effected, producing the collected reservoir fluid from the well;
• and
• (d) suspending the producing.

A process for producing hydrocarbon-comprising material from a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising:

• during a first time interval:
• while supplying a liquid heating fluid to the hydrocarbon reservoir through a non-production well that is disposed within the hydrocarbon reservoir, electrically heating, within the non-production well, with a first electrical heater, a combined heating fluid including the supplied liquid heating fluid and a condensed heating fluid, such that the combined heating fluid is evaporated to produce a gaseous heating fluid that is conducted into the reservoir and then condensed upon heating of hydrocarbon material to produce the condensed heating fluid;
• and
• with a second electrical heater disposed within a production well that is disposed below the non-production well and within the hydrocarbon reservoir, electrically heating the hydrocarbon reservoir;
• and
• after the first time interval, and during a second time interval, while either one of:
• (a) the second electrical heater is delivering heat energy at a rate that is less than 50% of the rate at which heat energy is being delivered by the second electrical heater during the first time interval;
• or
• (b) the electrical heating being effected by the second electrical heater has become suspended;
• and while continuing to effect the electrical heating with the first electric heater:
• supplying a liquid heating fluid to the hydrocarbon reservoir through the non-production well, such that a combined heating fluid, including the supplied liquid heating fluid and a condensed heating fluid, is evaporated to produce a gaseous heating fluid that is conducted into the hydrocarbon reservoir and then condensed upon heating of hydrocarbon material to produce the condensed heating fluid;
• and
• producing, via a production well, reservoir fluid that has collected within the production well, wherein the collected reservoir fluid includes hydrocarbon material that has been mobilized by the gaseous heating fluid.