In situ processing of hydrocarbon-bearing formations with automatic impedance matching radio frequency dielectric heating

A method for heating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, comprising:

• maintaining at least one hydrocarbonaceous compound within a subterranean environment and in an alternating current electrical field, said electrical field provided by a radio frequency waveform, said hydrocarbonaceous compound originating from said hydrocarbon-bearing formation;
• periodically sensing an impedance of said hydrocarbonaceous compound and undesired organic and inorganic compositions to produce a sensor output signal;
• determining impedance mismatch based on a difference between a most recently sensed impedance and a known impedance, and generating a corresponding control signal output that corresponds to said difference with a computer;
• and
• as said hydrocarbonaceous compound and undesired organic and inorganic compositions increase in temperature, adjusting said frequency of said radio frequency waveform by said control signal output of said computer such that said impedance matches said most recently sensed impedance.

A method of separating a hydrocarbonaceous matter from undesired matter commonly associated with a hydrocarbonaceous formation, comprising:

• maintaining hydrocarbonaceous matter and undesired matter in an alternating current electrical field provided by a radio frequency waveform, said hydrocarbonaceous formation being exposed to a subterranean reservoir, said reservoir comprising a fluid carrier medium, said fluid carrier medium allowing passage of said radio frequency waveforms to penetrate and heat said hydrocarbonaceous formation;
• periodically sensing an impedance of said hydrocarbonaceous matter and said fluid carrier medium to produce a sensor output signal;
• determining an impedance mismatch based on a difference between a most recently sensed impedance and a known impedance, and generating a corresponding control signal output that corresponds to said difference with a computer;
• and,
• as said hydrocarbonaceous matter and said fluid carrier medium increase in temperature, adjusting said frequency of said radio frequency waveform by said control signal output of said computer such that said sensed impedance matches said most recently sensed impedance, such that said hydrocarbonaceous matter will rise in temperature and decrease in viscosity, and thus rise to the surface of said reservoir and dropping out said undesired matter to settle as sediment in said reservoir.