US 7,011,154 B2 · In situ recovery from a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method of treating a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to at least a portion of the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heat sources to a part of the formation. In some embodiments, at least a portion of liquid hydrocarbons in the part may be mobilized. At least a portion of kerogen in the part may be pyrolyzed. In certain embodiments, a pressure within at least a part of the formation may be controlled. The pressure may be controlled to be at least about 2.0 bars absolute. A mixture may be produced from the formation.

Claims68

Dependent claims

A method for treating a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:

providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation;
allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a selected section of the formation;
mobilizing at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbons in the selected section;
pyrolyzing at least a portion of the kerogen in the selected section;
and
producing a mixture from the formation.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/279,287Filed 24 Oct 2002 · us provisional application

Priority

24 Oct 2001

Published

US 2003/0178191 A125 Sep 2003

Granted

14 Mar 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

E21B 36/04
Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones: using electrical heaters
C09K 8/592
Compositions for enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons, i.e. for improving the mobility of the oil, e.g. displacing fluids:…
E21B 36/001
Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones: cooling arrangements
E21B 41/0057
Waste disposal systems: disposal of a fluid by injection into a subterranean formation

Family

Application60/337,427Us provisional application · filed 24 Oct 2001

Application60/337,405Us provisional application · filed 24 Oct 2001

Application60/375,043Us provisional application · filed 24 Apr 2002

Application60/374,999Us provisional application · filed 24 Apr 2002

US 2003/0178191 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Sep 2003

US 7,011,154 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

In situ recovery from a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation

Life of this patent

In situ recovery from a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims68