Means and method for protecting apparatus situated in a borehole from closure of the borehole
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorJohn P. Haberman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus situated in a borehole traversing an earth formation is protected from closure of the borehole by being encased in an inflatable device. Surface equipment inflates and maintains the inflatable device at a sufficient pressure so as to prevent the earth formation from closing in and contacting the apparatus.
Claims8
An improvement to an apparatus for the in-situ recovery of hydrocarbons from an oil shale deposit wherein an RF antenna is entered into a borehole traversing the oil shale deposit and is energized so as to heat the oil shale deposit, comprising
- inflatable, non-conductive means encompassing said RF antenna for protecting the antenna, and
- means for inflating said inflatable means so as to prevent portions of the heated oil shale deposit from contacting said RF antenna.
A system for controlling the temperature of a portion of an earth formation traversed by a borehole comprising
- means for providing heat in the borehole to the earth formation,
- inflatable means encompassing said heating means for being inflated so that it contacts the earth formation,
- means for inflating said inflatable means with hydraulic fluid, and
- means for maintaining the hydraulic fluid at a predetermined temperature so as to control the temperature of the heated earth formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.