Molten salt as a heat transfer fluid for heating a subsurface formation
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsScott Vinh Nguyen, Harold J. Vinegar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a conduit located in an opening in the subsurface formation. An insulated conductor is located in the conduit. A material is in the conduit between a portion of the insulated conductor and a portion of the conduit. The material may be a salt. The material is a fluid at operating temperature of the heating system. Heat transfers from the insulated conductor to the fluid, from the fluid to the conduit, and from the conduit to the subsurface formation.
Claims17
A method of heating a subsurface formation comprising:
- supplying electricity to resistively heat an insulated conductor positioned in a conduit located in an opening in the subsurface formation, wherein the conduit is configured to contain a molten salt in the conduit;
- allowing heat to transfer from the insulated conductor to the molten salt adjacent to at least a portion of the insulated conductor, wherein a temperature of the insulated conductor is above a melt temperature of the molten salt, wherein heat from the molten salt transfers to the conduit, and wherein heat transfers from the conduit to the formation.
A heating system for a subsurface formation, comprising:
- a conduit located in an opening in the subsurface formation;
- at least one insulated conductor located in the conduit;
- a salt in the conduit adjacent to a portion of at least one insulated conductor, wherein the conduit is configured to contain the salt in the conduit, and
- wherein at least one insulated conductor is configured to resistively heat to a temperature sufficient to maintain the salt in a molten phase in the conduit.
A heating system for a subsurface formation, comprising:
- a wellbore in the formation;
- a conduit located in the wellbore;
- a heat source in the conduit;
- and
- a salt in the conduit between the conduit and the heat source, wherein the conduit is configured to contain the salt in the conduit, and wherein the salt is a liquid at a selected operating temperature of the heat source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.