Electrode well and method of completion

A method of providing an electrode well for electrical resistance heating of a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:

• drilling a well into said formation to form a wellbore;
• providing a casing section in said wellbore;
• providing first tube guide means insertable in said casing section in a predetermined position in said casing section;
• inserting said first tube guide means into said casing section and locating said first tube guide means in said predetermined position;
• inserting at least one electrode member comprising a length of metal electrode tube into said formation by extending said electrode tube from means located at the surface of said formation through said well and said first tube guide means and diverting said electrode tube generally radially outwardly with respect to the central longitudinal axis of said well at a predetermined position in said formation by axially moving said electrode tube into said formation, the penetration of said electrode tube into said formation being enhanced by hydraulic jetting action, including the pumping of fluid through said electrode tube during said insertion;
• anchoring said electrode tube in said casing section with said first tube guide means;
• providing second tube guide means and inserting said second tube guide means into said casing section in a predetermined position relative to said first tube guide means;
• extending another electrode tube through said second tube guide means and into said formation;
• and
• connecting said electrode tubes to a source of electrical energy for resistance heating of said formation through electrically conductive contact of said electrode tubes with said formation.

An electrode well for conducting electrical current into a subterranean formation to heat said formation for the production of hydrocarbon fluids, said well comprising:

• means forming an elongated wellbore extending into said subterranean formation;
• a plurality of elongated relatively thin-walled metal tubes extending radially outward from said wellbore into said formation, each of said tubes having been inserted into said formation by extension of a length of said tube from the earth's surface above said formation through said wellbore and radially outward from said wellbore into said formation, said insertion including hydraulically jetting a path for penetration of said tubes into said formation during the insertion thereof, respectively;
• means for supporting said tubes in said wellbore;
• and
• connector means for connecting said tubes to a conductor extending to a source of electric energy.

In an electrode well for conducting electrical current into a subterranean formation to heat said formation for the production of hydrocarbon fluids, said well comprising means forming an elongated wellbore extending into said subterranean formation, the improvement comprising:

• a plurality of elongated electrode tubes adapted to be extended radially outward from said wellbore into said formation;
• a plurality of axially stacked guide members insertable in said wellbore, each of said guide members being adapted to provide for guiding at least one of said tubes from a generally axial direction in said wellbore into a radial direction extending outwardly from said wellbore, selected ones of said guide members including means for interconnecting successive ones of said guide members in axial stacked and electrically conductive relationship in said wellbore for conducting electrical current through said electrode tubes into said formation;
• and
• connector means for electrically connecting said electrode tubes to a conductor extending to a source of electric energy.