US 8,627,887 B2Granted

In situ recovery from a hydrocarbon containing formation

AssigneeShell Oil Company

InventorsHarold J. Vinegar, Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk, Scott Lee Wellington, Kevin Albert Maher, John Michael Karanikas, Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Margaret Ann Messier, Bruce Edmunds Roberts, Steven Dexter Crane

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Abstract

An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method for treating a tar sands formation, comprising:

providing heat from a first set of one or more heaters located in a first section of a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation such that the heat provided from the first set of heaters to the first section mobilizes at least some hydrocarbons in the first section;
providing heat from a second set of one or more heaters located in a second section of the hydrocarbon containing layer such that the heat provided to the second section from the second set of heaters mobilizes at least some hydrocarbons in the second section;
producing at least some fluids from the first section to create a pressure gradient such that at least some of the mobilized hydrocarbons in the second section flow into the first section;
and
providing fluid in the first section to drive hydrocarbons to the second section.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/329,942Filed 8 Dec 2008 · continuation
Priority: 24 Oct 2001
Published: US 2010/0126727 A127 May 2010
Granted: 14 Jan 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

E21B 43/2401
Using heat, e.g. steam injection: by means of electricity
B09C 1/02
Reclamation of contaminated soil: extraction using liquids, e.g. washing, leaching , flotation
B09C 1/06
Reclamation of contaminated soil: thermally
C10G 9/24
Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils: by heating with electrical means

Family

Application60/334,568Us provisional application · filed 24 Oct 2001
Application60/337,136Us provisional application · filed 24 Oct 2001
Application60/374,970Us provisional application · filed 24 Apr 2002
Application60/374,995Us provisional application · filed 24 Apr 2002
Application10/279,288Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Oct 2002
Application11/657,442Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Jan 2007
US 2010/0126727 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 May 2010
US 7,461,691 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,165,615 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2004/0020642 A1Published application
US 2007/0209799 A1Published application
US 8,627,887 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.