Method to maintain reservoir pressure during hydrocarbon recovery operations using electrical heating means with or without injection of non-condensable gases

A method for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground formation, said formation having a first region that is a permeable or semi-permeable substantially non-hydrocarbon containing region and a second region that is a hydrocarbon-containing region in fluid communication with, or partially in fluid communication with, said first region, comprising the steps of:

• (i) providing electrical heating means in said first region;
• (ii) injecting a fluid into said first region;
• (iii) supplying electrical energy to said electrical heating means to transform said fluid in said first region to vapour to thereby pressurize said first region with said vapour;
• (iv) after and while maintaining the pressurization of said first region, exploiting said second region with thermal methods, said thermal methods independent of said electrical heating means and said vapour;
• and
• (v) recovering hydrocarbons from said second region;
• wherein the first region is maintained at a pressure that is greater than or equal to a pressure of the second region during exploitation of the second region.

A method for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon-containing formation, comprising the steps of:

• (i) recovering hydrocarbons via thermal recovery methods from a first region within said formation to at least partially deplete said first region of hydrocarbons;
• (ii) providing electrical heating means in said first region;
• (iii) after the at least partial depletion of said hydrocarbons in said first region, supplying electrical energy to said electrical heating means to thereby transform condensed steam or water in said first region to steam and/or superheat vapour in said first region so as to pressurize or partially pressurize said first region with said steam and/or superheated vapour;
• (iv) after and while maintaining the pressurization or partial pressurization of said first region, exploiting a second region of said formation with thermal methods, said thermal methods independent of said electrical heating means and said steam and/or superheated vapour, said second region in fluid communication with, or in partial fluid communication with, said first region;
• and
• (v) recovering hydrocarbons from said second region.