In situ recovery from residually heated sections in a hydrocarbon containing formation
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsHarold J. Vinegar, John Michael Karanikas, Robert Charles Ryan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of treating a tar sands formation is described herein. The methods may include providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation. Heat is transferred from the heaters so that at least a first section of the formation reaches a selected temperature. At least a portion of residual heat from the first section transfers from the first section to a second section of the formation. At least a portion of hydrocarbons in the second section are mobilized by providing a solvation fluid and/or a pressurizing fluid to the second section of the formation.
Claims20
A method of treating a tar sands formation, comprising:
- providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation;
- allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters so that at least the first section of the formation reaches a selected temperature;
- allowing at least a portion of residual heat from the heated first section to transfer from the heated first section to an unheated portion of a second section of the formation;
- heating the unheated portion of the second portion to an average temperature of at least 50° C. with the residual heat from the first section;
- mobilizing at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the heated second section by providing a solvation fluid to the second section of the formation;
- and
- producing a mixture from the second section, wherein the mixture comprises mobilized hydrocarbons and solvation fluid.
A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation;
- allowing the heat to transfer from the heaters so that at least the first section of the formation reaches a selected temperature;
- allowing at least a portion of residual heat from the heated first section to transfer from the heated first section to an unheated portion of a second section of the formation;
- heating the unheated portion of the second portion to an average temperature of at least 50° C. with the residual heat from the first section;
- mobilizing at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the heated second section by providing a solvation fluid to the second section of the formation;
- and
- producing hydrocarbons from the first section, wherein the produced hydrocarbons comprise hydrocarbons from the second section and solvation fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.