The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 29, 2006

Filed:

Apr. 24, 2001
Applicants:

Eric Pierre DE Rouffignac, Houston, TX (US);

Harold J. Vinegar, Houston, TX (US);

John Michael Karanikas, Houston, TX (US);

Ilya Emil Berchenko, Friendswood, TX (US);

George Leo Stegemeier, Houston, TX (US);

Kevin Albert Maher, Bellaire, TX (US);

Etuan Zhang, Houston, TX (US);

Thomas David Fowler, Katy, TX (US);

Robert Charles Ryan, Houston, TX (US);

Scott Lee Wellington, Belliare, TX (US);

Inventors:

Eric Pierre de Rouffignac, Houston, TX (US);

Harold J. Vinegar, Houston, TX (US);

John Michael Karanikas, Houston, TX (US);

Ilya Emil Berchenko, Friendswood, TX (US);

George Leo Stegemeier, Houston, TX (US);

Kevin Albert Maher, Bellaire, TX (US);

Etuan Zhang, Houston, TX (US);

Thomas David Fowler, Katy, TX (US);

Robert Charles Ryan, Houston, TX (US);

Scott Lee Wellington, Belliare, TX (US);

Assignee:

Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B21B 43/24 (2006.01); E21B 43/243 (2006.01); E21B 43/30 (2006.01); E21B 47/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A coal containing 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 within a relatively thin layer of coal may be positioned in a staggered pattern near to edges of the layer so that superposition of heat from the heat sources allows a large percentage of the layer to reach a desired temperature.


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