Conductive heating by encapsulated strontium source (CHESS)

A method of heating a portion of a down hole well, comprising:

• providing a Strontium 90 source;
• encapsulating amounts of the Strontium 90 in a plurality of individual encapsulated units;
• determining a desired application temperature between 100 and 600 C at a site within the well;
• selecting a number of the plurality of individual encapsulated units that combine to provide at least the desired application temperature;
• placing the selected number of individual units in a thermal generator;
• heating the thermal generator from within by Strontium 90 radiation and allowing the temperature of the metallic structure to stabilize at approximately the desired application temperature;
• transporting the thermal generator to the down hole well and inserting the thermal generator in the down hole well to heat a site in the well to approximately the desired application temperature.

A method of providing heat down hole in a well comprising:

• providing a Strontium 90 source having a stabilized temperature;
• encapsulating at least an amount of the Strontium 90 and placing the encapsulated Strontium in a first encapsulated source unit;
• transporting the encapsulated source unit to the down hole well in a metal and ceramic housing;
• heating the encapsulated source unit from within by Strontium 90 radiation to the stabilized temperature;
• removing the encapsulated source unit from the metal and ceramic housing;
• lowering the encapsulated source unit into the well by a cable;
• connecting a water tube with the cable holding the thermal generator down the well;
• heating water to steam by bringing the water from the water tube in close proximity to the encapsulated source unit;
• directing the heated steam to a desired location of the well to heat the well.