Subterranean electro-thermal heating system and method
AssigneeTyco Thermal Controls LLC
InventorsEdward Everett de St. Remey, David Parman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subterranean electro-thermal heating system including one or more heater cable sections extending through one or more heat target regions of a subterranean environment and one or more cold lead sections coupled to the heater cable section(s) and extending through one or more non-target regions of the subterranean environment. A cold lead section delivers electrical power to a heater cable section but generates less heat than the heater cable section. The heater cable section(s) are arranged to deliver thermal input to one or more localized areas in the subterranean environment to vaporize a liquid, e.g. water.
Claims20
A subterranean electro-thermal heating system comprising:
- at least one heater cable section disposed outside of an oil production tube in a subterranean environment, said heater cable section being configured to provide a heater cable thermal output to vaporize a fluid adjacent said oil production tube;
- and
- at least one cold lead section electrically coupled to said heater cable section and extending through at least one non-target region of said subterranean environment for delivering electrical energy to said heater cable section, said cold lead section being configured to generate a cold lead thermal output less said heater cable thermal output.
A subterranean electro-thermal heating system comprising:
- at least one heater cable section disposed outside of a fluid-containing structure comprising an oil production tube in a subterranean environment, said heater cable section being configured to provide a heater cable thermal output to heat a fluid within said fluid-containing structure to a temperature greater than or equal to 215° F.;
- and
- at least one cold lead section electrically coupled to said heater cable section and extending through at least one non-target region of said subterranean environment for delivering electrical energy to said heater cable section, said cold lead section being configured to generate a cold lead thermal output less said heater cable thermal output.
A method of increasing oil production from an oil production tube, said method comprising:
- electrically coupling at least one cold lead cable section with at least one heater cable section, said cold lead section being configured to generate a cold lead thermal output less than said heater cable thermal output;
- positioning said cold lead cable section and said heater cable section outside of the oil production tube;
- and
- delivering electrical energy to said heater cable section through said cold lead cable section to vaporize a fluid adjacent the oil production tube and thereby heat the oil in the oil production tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.