Inhibiting reflux in a heated well of an in situ conversion system
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorMichael David Fairbanks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Certain embodiments provide a method for treating a subsurface formation. The method includes using heaters to form a heated portion of the subsurface formation. A production conduit is used to direct formation fluid in a vapor phase from the heated portion of the subsurface formation towards a surface of the subsurface formation. Condensate of the vapor phase formation fluid is formed in or near the production conduit. Condensate of the vapor phase formation fluid is diverted to a desired location.
Claims19
A method for treating a subsurface formation, comprising:
- using heaters to form a heated portion of the subsurface formation;
- passing formation fluid in a vapor phase from the heated portion into a production conduit through a riser;
- using the production conduit to direct vapor phase formation fluid towards a surface of the subsurface formation;
- forming condensate of a portion of the vapor phase formation fluid in the production conduit;
- and
- diverting downward condensate flow by the riser to a desired location in the production conduit to inhibit the condensate from entering the heated portion of the formation.
A system for producing formation fluids from a subsurface formation, comprising:
- one or more heaters in the subsurface formation configured to form a heated portion of the formation;
- a plurality of production conduits in the formation, at least one of the production conduits configured to direct vapor phase formation fluids from the heated portion of the formation towards a surface of the subsurface formation;
- and
- diverters in one or more of the production conduits, wherein at least one diverter is configured to divert condensate of the vapor phase formation fluids to a desired location to inhibit condensate from removing heat from the heated portion of the formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.