# US 8,772,683 B2 · Apparatus and method for heating of hydrocarbon deposits by RF driven coaxial sleeve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,683 B2 - Document ID: US8772683B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/878,774 - Filed: 2010-09-09 - Published: 2012-03-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-09 - Assignees: Harris Corporation - Applicants: Francis Eugene Parsche - Inventors: Francis Eugene Parsche - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772683B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/2401: {by means of electricity} - E21B 36/04: using electrical heaters - H05B 6/62: Apparatus for specific applications - H05B 2214/03: Heating of hydrocarbons - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An apparatus for radiating RF energy from a well structure that provides a circuit through which RF power may be driven to heat a hydrocarbon deposit that is susceptible to RF heating. The apparatus includes a source of RF power connected at one connection to a conductive linear element, such as a well bore pipe, and at a second connection to a conductive sleeve that surrounds and extends along the linear conductive element. The sleeve extends along the linear conductive element to a location between the connection of the source of RF energy to the linear conductive element and an end of the linear conductive element where the sleeve is conductively joined near to the linear conductive element. The apparatus may include a transmission section that extends from a geologic surface to connect to a radiating apparatus according to the invention. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for heating hydrocarbon material in a subsurface formation from a wellbore comprising: a first conductive element having first and second ends, and a connection location therebetween; a first conductive sleeve surrounding said first conductive element between the first end and the connection location thereof and so that said first conductive element extends outwardly beyond said first conductive sleeve; a conductive connection conductively joining said first conductive sleeve to said first conductive element at the connection location; and an RF power source coupled to said first conductive element and said first conductive sleeve to provide RF current therethrough so that said first conductive element and said first conductive sleeve are configured as a dipole antenna for inducing electromagnetic near field heating of the surrounding subsurface formation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first conductive element comprises a pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first conductive element, said first conductive sleeve and said conductive connection are configured as a radiation section; and further comprising: a transmission section coupled to said RF power source; and a transition section coupled between said transmission section and said radiation section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said transmission section comprises a second conductive element having first and second ends; and a second conductive sleeve surrounding said second conductive element between the first and second ends thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said transition section comprises: an inner non-conductive sleeve coupled between the second end of said first conductive element and the first end of said second conductive element; an outer non-conductive sleeve coupled between said first conductive sleeve and said second conductive sleeve; a first conductive path coupled between said first conductive sleeve and said second conductive element; and a second conductive path coupled between said first conductive element and said second conductive sleeve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said inner non-conductive sleeve is coupled to the second end of said first conductive element via a threaded interface and to the first end of said second conductive element via a threaded interface; and wherein said outer non-conductive sleeve is coupled to said first conductive sleeve via a threaded interface and to said second conductive sleeve via a threaded interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said transition section comprises: at least one non-conductive sleeve coupled between said transmission section and said radiation section; and at least one conductive path coupled between said transmission section and said radiation section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a jacket surrounding said second conductive sleeve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said jacket comprises a mixture of portland cement and iron particles. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for heating hydrocarbon material in a subsurface formation from a wellbore comprising: an RF power source; a transmission section coupled to said RF power source; a transition section coupled to said transmission section; and a radiation section coupled to said transition section and comprising a first conductive element having first and second ends, and a connection location therebetween, a first conductive sleeve surrounding said first conductive element between the first end and the connection location thereof and so that said first conductive element extends outwardly beyond said first conductive sleeve, a conductive connection conductively joining said first conductive sleeve to said first conductive element at the connection location, and said RF power source providing RF current so that said first conductive element and said first conductive sleeve are configured as a dipole antenna for inducing electromagnetic near field heating of the surrounding subsurface formation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first conductive element comprises a pipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said transmission section comprises a second conductive element having first and second ends; and a second conductive sleeve surrounding said second conductive element between the first and second ends thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said RF power source is coupled to the first end of said second conductive element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said transition section comprises: an inner non-conductive sleeve coupled between the second end of said first conductive element and the first end of said second conductive element; an outer non-conductive sleeve coupled between said first conductive sleeve and said second conductive sleeve; a first conductive path coupled between said first conductive sleeve and said second conductive element; and a second conductive path coupled between said first conductive element and said second conductive sleeve. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said inner non-conductive sleeve is coupled to the second end of said first conductive element via a threaded interface and to the first end of said second conductive element via a threaded interface; and wherein said outer non-conductive sleeve is coupled to said first conductive sleeve via a threaded interface and to said second conductive sleeve via a threaded interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said transition section comprises: at least one non-conductive sleeve coupled between said transmission section and said radiation section; and at least one conductive path coupled between said transmission section and said radiation section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising a jacket surrounding said second conductive sleeve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said jacket comprises a mixture of portland cement and iron particles. ### Claim 19 A method for heating hydrocarbon material in a subsurface formation from a wellbore comprising: positioning a first conductive element in the subsurface formation, the first conductive element having first and second ends, and a connection location therebetween; providing a first conductive sleeve surrounding the first conductive element between the first end and the connection location thereof and so that the first conductive element extends outwardly beyond the first conductive sleeve; providing a conductive connection conductively joining the first conductive sleeve to the first conductive element at the connection location; and operating an RF power source coupled to the first conductive element and the first conductive sleeve to provide RF current therethrough so that the first conductive element and the first conductive sleeve are configured as a dipole antenna for inducing electromagnetic near field heating of the surrounding subsurface formation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19 wherein the first conductive element comprises a pipe. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19 wherein the first conductive element, the first conductive sleeve and the conductive connection are configured as a radiation section; and further comprising: positioning a transmission section in the subsurface formation, with the transmission section coupled to the RF power source; and providing a transition section coupled between the transmission section and the radiation section. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21 wherein the transmission section comprises a second conductive element having first and second ends; and a second conductive sleeve surrounding the second conductive element between the first and second ends thereof. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 wherein the RF power source is coupled to the first end of the first conductive element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 wherein the transition section comprises: an inner non-conductive sleeve coupled between the second end of the first conductive element and the first end of the second conductive element; an outer non-conductive sleeve coupled between the first conductive sleeve and the second conductive sleeve; a first conductive path coupled between the first conductive sleeve and the second conductive element; and a second conductive path coupled between the first conductive element and the second conductive sleeve. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 wherein the inner non-conductive sleeve is coupled to the second end of the first conductive element via a threaded interface and to the first end of the second conductive element via a threaded interface; and wherein the outer non-conductive sleeve is coupled to the first conductive sleeve via a threaded interface and to the second conductive sleeve via a threaded interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21 wherein the transition section comprises: at least one non-conductive sleeve coupled between the transmission section and the radiation section; and at least one conductive path coupled between the transmission section and the radiation section. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 further providing a jacket surrounding the second conductive sleeve, with the jacket comprising a mixture of portland cement and iron particles.