Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080283246 | Heating tar sands formations to visbreaking temperatures - Methods for treating a tar sands formation are described herein. Methods may include heating at least a section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat may be controlled so that at least a majority of the section reaches an average temperature of between 200° C. and 240° C., which results in visbreaking of at least some hydrocarbons in the section. At least some visbroken hydrocarbon fluids may be produced from the formation. | 11-20-2008 |
20090090509 | IN SITU RECOVERY FROM RESIDUALLY HEATED SECTIONS IN A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - Methods of treating a tar sands formation is described herein. The methods may include providing heat to a first section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the first section of the formation. Heat is transferred from the heaters so that at least a first section of the formation reaches a selected temperature. At least a portion of residual heat from the first section transfers from the first section to a second section of the formation. At least a portion of hydrocarbons in the second section are mobilized by providing a solvation fluid and/or a pressurizing fluid to the second section of the formation. | 04-09-2009 |
20090101346 | In situ recovery from a hydrocarbon containing formation - 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 | 04-23-2009 |
20100101794 | HEATING SUBSURFACE FORMATIONS WITH FLUIDS - A method of treating a hydrocarbon formation includes providing heat to the hydrocarbon formation from a plurality of heaters. The heat transfers from the heaters so that at least a section the formation reaches a selected temperature. The section includes hydrocarbons having an API gravity below 10°. A solution including water is provided to the section. A temperature of the solution is at least 250° C. A pressure of the formation is maintained such that the water remains a liquid at 250° C. At least a some of the hydrocarbons in the section having an API gravity below 10° are contacted to produce hydrocarbon fluids. The hydrocarbon fluids in the section are mobilized. The hydrocarbon fluids include hydrocarbons having an API gravity of at least 10°. | 04-29-2010 |
20100155070 | ORGANONITROGEN COMPOUNDS USED IN TREATING HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATIONS - A method for treating subsurface formation includes providing a hydrocarbon-containing feed stream produced from an in situ heat treatment process. At least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed stream is treated with one or more aqueous acid compounds to produce an aqueous stream including organonitrogen compounds. At least a portion of the aqueous stream including organonitrogen compounds is provided to at least a portion of a formation that has been at least partially treated by an in situ-heat treatment process. | 06-24-2010 |
20110088904 | IN SITU RECOVERY FROM A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - 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 | 04-21-2011 |
20110247814 | FORMING BITUMEN BARRIERS IN SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON FORMATIONS - Systems and methods used in treating a subsurface formation are described herein. Some embodiments also generally relate to barriers and/or methods to seal barriers. A method used to treat a subsurface formation may include heating a portion of a formation adjacent to a plurality of wellbores to raise a temperature of the formation adjacent to the wellbores above a mobilization temperature of bitumen and below a pyrolysis temperature of hydrocarbons in the formation; and allowing the bitumen to move outwards from the wellbores towards a portion of the formation comprising water cooler than the mobilization temperature of the bitumen so that the bitumen solidifies in the formation to form a barrier. | 10-13-2011 |
20130008660 | IN SITU RECOVERY FROM A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - 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 | 01-10-2013 |
20140027119 | IN SITU RECOVERY FROM A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION - 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 | 01-30-2014 |