Shell Oil Comapny

University of Texas System

Other

Eric Pierre De Rouffignac

Harold J Vinegar

Scott Lee Wellington

Ilya Emil Berchenko

George Leo Stegemeier

Robert Charles Ryan

Etuan Zhang

Thomas David Fowler

John Michael Karanikas

Gordon Thomas Shahin

Kevin Albert Maher

Robert Martijn Van Hardeveld

Lanny Gene Schoeling

Meliha Deniz Sumnu-Dindoruk

Bruce Gerard Hunsucker

John Matthew Coles

James Louis Menotti

Charles Robert Keedy

Lawrence James Bielamowicz

Bruce Roberts

Margaret Ann Messier

Ajay M Madgavkar

Steven Dexter Crane

Phillip Temmons Baxley

John Michael Ward

Fredrick Gordon Carl, Jr

Frederick Gordon Carl, Jr

Thomas Mikus

Charles C Chou

Christopher Arnold Pratt

Carlos A Glandt

Bruce Donald Palfreyman

David Scott Miller

Weijian Mo

Peter Veenstra

Billy John McKinzie

Zhen Li

Alexander Michiel Mollinger

Anthony Thomas Cole

Robert George Prince-Wright

Peter Van Meurs

Michael F Lucid

Namit Jaiswal

Dirk Roelof Brouwer

Tulio Rafael Colmenares

John Andrew Stanecki

Mark A Beckemeier

Jean-Charles Ginestra

Felix Antonio Ascanio Milano

Monica M Pingo-Almada

IIya Emil Berchenko

George L Stegmeier

Robert Bos

Zuher Syihab

An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise the temperature of portion at a selected rate during pyrolysis of hydrocarbons within the formation. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation.

In situ recovery from a hydrocarbon containing formation

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.

A method of treating an oil shale formation in situ includes allowing a temperature of a portion of the formation to decrease. The portion has previously undergone an in situ heat treatment process. A first fluid is injected into a part of the portion and a second fluid is produced from the formation.

In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation

A method of heating a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation includes providing heat flux per volume to a first portion of a subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation. The heat flux per volume is provided by two or more first heat sources positioned in the first portion. Heat flux per volume is provided to a second portion of the subsurface hydrocarbon containing formation with the heat flux per volume being provided by two or more second heat sources positioned in the second portion. The heat flux per volume provided by the two or more second heat sources is greater than the heat flux per volume provided by the two or more first heat sources. The second portion is positioned below the first portion.

Irregular pattern treatment of a subsurface formation

A system is provided for injecting an injection fluid into an earth formation via a wellbore formed in the earth formation and for producing hydrocarbon fluid from the earth formation via the wellbore. The system comprises an injection conduit extending into the wellbore and being in fluid communication with a plurality of outlet ports for injection fluid, and a production conduit extending into the wellbore and being in fluid communication with at least one inlet section for hydrocarbon fluid. The injection conduit is arranged to prevent fluid communication between the injection conduit and each said inlet section.

System for cyclic injection and production from a well

An oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat input into the formation may be controlled to raise the temperature of portion at a selected rate during pyrolysis of hydrocarbons within the formation. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. The mixture may be separated into condensable hydrocarbons and non-condensable hydrocarbons. The condensable hydrocarbons removed from the formation may be a high quality oil that has a relatively low olefin content and a relatively high API gravity.

A method of treating an oil shale formation in situ includes providing heat directly from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat is controlled to maintain an average temperature of the portion below a dissociation temperature of carbonate minerals in the portion. A first fluid is injected into the portion of the formation. A second fluid is produced from the formation. An in situ conversion process is conducted in the portion of the formation.

In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation containing carbonate minerals

A method for treating an oil shale formation comprising nahcolite is disclosed. The method includes providing a first fluid to a portion of the formation through at least two injection wells. A second fluid is produced from the portion through at least one injection well until at least two injection wells are interconnected such that fluid can flow between the two injection wells. The second fluid includes at least some nahcolite dissolved in the first fluid. The first fluid is injected through one of the interconnected injection wells. The second fluid is produced from at least one of the interconnected injection wells. Heat is provided from one or more heaters to the formation to heat the formation. Hydrocarbon fluids are produced from the formation.

Solution mining systems and methods for treating hydrocarbon containing formations

Method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation are described herein. Methods may include providing heat to two or more first sections of the formation with one or more first heaters in two or more of the first sections. The provided heat may mobilize first hydrocarbons in two or more of the first sections. At least some of the mobilized first hydrocarbons are produced through production wells located in two or more second sections of the formation. The first sections and the second sections are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. A portion of at least one of the second sections proximate at least one production well is provided some heat from the mobilized first hydrocarbons, but is not conductively heated by heat from the first heaters. Heat may be provided to the second sections with one or more second heaters in the second sections to further heat the second sections.

Heating hydrocarbon containing formations in a checkerboard pattern staged process

A oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat sources may be used to heat the formation. The heat sources may be positioned within the formation in a selected pattern.

In situ thermal processing of an oil shale formation using a pattern of heat sources

In an embodiment, a system may be used to heat a hydrocarbon containing formation. The system may include a heater placed in an opening in the formation. The system may allow 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.

Installation and use of removable heaters in a hydrocarbon containing formation

A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. In one embodiment, heat from one or more heaters may be provided to at least a portion of the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to at least a part of the formation. In certain embodiments, the heat from the one or more heaters may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the formation. In an embodiment, a first fluid may be introduced into at least a portion of the formation. The portion may have previously undergone an in situ conversion process. A mixture of the first fluid and a second fluid may be produced from the formation. Such mixture may, in some embodiments, be treated or burned.

Treatment of a hydrocarbon containing formation after heating

An in situ process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to at least a portion of the formation. Heat sources may include a natural distributed combustor. The natural distributed combustor may include an oxidizing fluid source to provide oxidizing fluids to a reaction zone in the formation to generate heat within the reaction zone. The heat may be allowed, in some embodiments, to transfer from the reaction zone to a selected section of the formation such that heat from one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

In situ thermal processing of a hydrocarbon containing formation using a natural distributed combustor

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Eric Pierre De Rouffignac