Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150027694 | HEATER PATTERN FOR IN SITU THERMAL PROCESSING OF A SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - Embodiments of the present invention relate to heater patterns and related methods of producing hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface hydrocarbon-containing formation (for example, an oil shale formation) where a heater cell may be divided into nested inner and outer zones. Production wells may be located within one or both zones. In the smaller inner zone, heaters may be arranged at a relatively high spatial density while in the larger surrounding outer zone, a heater spatial density may be significantly lower. Due to the higher heater density, a rate of temperature increase in the smaller inner zone of the subsurface exceeds that of the larger outer zone, and a rate of hydrocarbon fluid production ramps up faster in the inner zone than in the outer zone. In some embodiments, a ratio between a half-maximum sustained production time and a half-maximum rise time of a hydrocarbon fluid production function is relatively large. | 01-29-2015 |
20150101814 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HEATING A BED OF ROCKS CONTAINING SULFUR-RICH TYPE IIS KEROGEN - Hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising type IIs kerogen are introduced into an excavated enclosure (e.g. a pit or an impoundment) to form a bed of rocks therein. One or more heaters (e.g. molten salt heaters) are operated to pyrolyze type IIs kerogen of the rocks. In some embodiments, a hydrocarbon reflux loop is maintained within the enclosure to convectively heat the type IIs-kerogen-containing rocks by boiling hydrocarbon liquids from a reservoir at the bottom of the enclosure so that vapor passes to the top of the enclosure, condenses, and falls back through the bed. Alternatively or additionally, the rocks may be heated by heaters embedded within wall(s) and/or a floor of the enclosure. | 04-16-2015 |
20150176380 | HEATER PATTERN FOR IN SITU THERMAL PROCESSING OF A SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - Embodiments of the present invention relate to heater patterns and related methods of producing hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface hydrocarbon-containing formation (for example, an oil shale formation) where a heater cell may be divided into nested inner and outer zones. Production wells may be located within one or both zones. In the smaller inner zone, heaters may be arranged at a relatively high spatial density while in the larger surrounding outer zone, a heater spatial density may be significantly lower. Due to the higher heater density, a rate of temperature increase in the smaller inner zone of the subsurface exceeds that of the larger outer zone, and a rate of hydrocarbon fluid production ramps up faster in the inner zone than in the outer zone. In some embodiments, a ratio between a half-maximum sustained production time and a half-maximum rise time of a hydrocarbon fluid production function is relatively large. | 06-25-2015 |
20150184500 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING UNCONVENTIONAL OIL AT SHALLOW DEPTHS - An oil production well is drilled into a kerogenous chalk source rock comprising (i) type IIs kerogen and (ii) shallow naturally-occurring unconventional oil derived from the type IIs kerogen that is resident within pore space of the source rock. In some embodiments, the production well is drilled at a location where the geothermal gradient is at least 3 degrees C. per 100 m is present at or near the production well. It is believed that the presence of this geothermal gradient accelerated maturation of the type IIs kerogen of the source rock to convert a portion of the type IIs kerogen into the unconventional oil. In some embodiments, the shallow production well is non-vertical. In some embodiments, at depths that are shallow and within the source rock, the production well is cased and perforated. Oil from the source rock may be produced via the production well and the shallow-depth perforated locations thereof. | 07-02-2015 |
20150203776 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HEATING A BED OF HYDROCARBON- CONTAINING ROCKS - Hydrocarbon-containing rocks (e.g, mined oil shale or mined coal or tar sands) are introduced into an excavated enclosure (e.g. a pit or an impoundment) to form. a bed of rocks therein, One or more heaters (e.g. molten salt heaters) are operated to pyrolyze kerogen or bitumen of the rocks. In some embodiments, a hydrocarbon reflux loop is maintained within the enclosure to convectively heat the hydrocarbon-containing rocks by boiling hydrocarbon liquids from a reservoir at the bottom of the enclosure so that vapor passes to the top of the enclosure, condenses, and falls back through the bed. Alternatively or additionally, the rocks may be heated by heaters embedded within wall(s) and/or a floor of the enclosure. Some embodiments relate to techniques for upgrading mined coal to recover both hydrocarbon pyrolysis fluids and upgraded coal (e.g. anthracite coal). | 07-23-2015 |
20150210917 | ALKYLTHIOPHENE-RICH COMPOSITIONS, USES THEREOF AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Embodiments of the present invention relates to a pyrolysis-derived thiophenic composition having a high concentration of C1 and/or C2 and/or C3 alkylthiophenes. Preferably, the composition is derived from pyrolysis (e.g. by slow, low-temperature pyrolysis) of type IIs kerogen (e.g. of a kerogenous chalk). In some embodiments, the thiophenic composition may be used as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) fluid. Some advantages of the presently-disclosed alkylthiophene-rich enhanced oil recovery (EOR) fluids are that (i) the alkyl-thiophene fluids have excellent solvency for heavy hydrocarbons, (ii) alkyl-thiophene fluids are insoluble in water; (iii) it is possible to blend the alkyl-thiophene fluids to a density of about 1.0 g/cc which matches extra heavy oils and bitumens and water; (iv) a boiling point of alkyl-thiophenes exceeds that of water, making it possible to inject heated EOR fluid and create steam in situ for steam distillation. Methods of use of the EOR fluid are disclosed herein. | 07-30-2015 |
20150260023 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMALLY TREATING A SUBSURFACE FORMATION BY A HEATED MOLTEN SALT MIXTURE - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for pyrolyzing kerogen or mobilizing bitumen using thermal energy of a carbonate molten salt mixture having a melting point of at most 395 degrees Celsius or at most 390 degrees Celsius or at most 385 degrees Celsius. The carbonate molten salt may include lithium cations (e.g. at a cationic molar concentration of at least 0.2) and/or relatively small quantities of nitrates (e.g. at an anionic molar concentration of at least 0.01 and at most 0.1). Preferably, the molten salt mixture is non-oxidizing or non-explosive when brought into contact with crude oil. | 09-17-2015 |
20150260024 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ACID GASES GENERATED BY PYROLYSIS OF KEROGEN - In some embodiments, a pyrolysis method comprises: a. heating kerogen or bitumen to initiate pyrolysis so that a stream of pyrolysis formation gases is recovered via production wells or production conduits; b. monitoring or estimating a concentration of acid gas within the gas stream; c. contingent upon an acid gas concentration being below a threshold value, subjecting pyrolysis gases of the stream to sequestration; and d. responding to an estimated or monitored increase in acid gas concentration of the gas stream by performing at least one of: i. subjecting a greater fraction of the stream to an acid gas separation process and/or acid gas elimination process; and ii. subjecting a lesser fraction of the stream to a sequestration. The presently disclosed teachings are applicable both to in situ pyrolysis and to pyrolysis performed within an enclosure such as a pit. | 09-17-2015 |