INSTALLATION AND USE OF REMOVABLE HEATERS IN A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION

• Main Authors: MENOTTI, JAMES, LOUIS, PRATT, CHRISTOPHER, ARNOLD, VINEGAR, HAROLD, J, COLE, ANTHONY, THOMAS, HUNSUCKER, BRUCE, GERARD, CARL, JR., FREDERICK, GORDON, WELLINGTON, SCOTT, LEE, COLES, JOHN, MATTHEW, DE ROUFFIGNAC, ERIC, PIERRE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 21.05.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FUELS; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; LUBRICANTS; MEASURING; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINED SOIL SOIL; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A system includes a heater placed in an opening in a formation to heat hydrocarbons contained in that formation. The system allows heat to transfer from the heater to a part of the formation. The transferred heat may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the formation. The heater may be removable from the opening in the formation and redeployable in at least one alternative opening in the formation. The heater may be installed and/or removed using a spool or coiled tubing installation. Dans un mode de réalisation, l'invention concerne un système pouvant être utilisé pour réchauffer une formation contenant des hydrocarbures. Ledit système peut comprendre un réchauffeur placé dans une ouverture de formation, et permettant de transférer la chaleur dudit réchauffeur à une partie de cette formation. La chaleur transférée peut pyrolyser au moins certains hydrocarbures de la formation. Le réchauffeur peut être retiré de l'ouverture de la formation et redéployé dans au moins une autre ouverture de ladite formation.