Electrical current flow between tunnels for use in heating subsurface hydrocarbon containing formations
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsDavid Booth Burns, Horng Jye (Jay) Hwang, Jochen Marwede, Duncan Charles MacDonald, Robert George Prince-Wright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation includes one or more shafts. A first substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extends from one or more of the shafts. A second substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extends from one or more of the shafts. Two or more heat source wellbores extend from the first tunnel to the second tunnel. The heat source wellbores are configured to allow electrical current to flow between the heat source wellbores.
Claims26
A system for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- one or more shafts;
- a first substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extending from one or more of the shafts, wherein the first tunnel is located in an overburden of the formation;
- a second substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extending from one or more of the shafts, wherein the second tunnel is located in an overburden of the formation;
- and
- two or more heat source wellbores extending between the first tunnel and the second tunnel with a majority of the wellbores located in a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation, wherein the heat source wellbores are configured to allow electrical current to flow between the heat source wellbores.
A method for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- providing electrical current into two or more heat source wellbores extending between a first substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel and a second substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel, wherein the first and second tunnels are located in an overburden of the formation and a majority of the wellbores are located in a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation;
- allowing electrical current to flow between the heat source wellbores;
- and
- heating the hydrocarbon containing layer.
A system for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- one or more shafts;
- a first substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extending from one or more of the shafts, wherein the first tunnel is located in an overburden of the formation;
- a second substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel extending from one or more of the shafts, wherein the second tunnel is located in an overburden of the formation;
- a first heat source wellbore extending from the first tunnel, wherein at least a portion of the first wellbore is located horizontally in the hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the first wellbore extends from the overburden of the formation into a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation;
- and
- a second heat source wellbore extending from the second tunnel, wherein at least a portion of the second wellbore is located horizontally in the hydrocarbon containing formation, and wherein the second wellbore extends from the overburden of the formation into a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation;
- wherein the heat source wellbores are configured to allow electrical current to flow between the heat source wellbores.
A method for treating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
- providing electrical current into two or more heat source wellbores, at least one wellbore extending from a first substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel in an overburden of the formation into a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation with at least a portion of the wellbore being horizontal in the formation, and at least one wellbore extending from a second substantially horizontal or inclined tunnel in an overburden of the formation into a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation with at least a portion of the wellbore being horizontal in the formation;
- allowing electrical current to flow between the heat source wellbores;
- and
- heating the formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.