Hydrocarbon resource heating apparatus including upper and lower wellbore RF radiators and related methods

摘要

A device for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having at least one pair of laterally extending upper and lower wellbores therein may include a radio frequency (RF) source. The device may also include an upper wellbore RF radiator to be positioned in the laterally extending upper wellbore and including a plurality of first terminals. The device may further include a lower wellbore RF radiator to be positioned in the laterally extending lower wellbore and comprising a plurality of second terminals. The device may also include an interconnection arrangement configured to couple the RF source and the first and second terminals so that at least one of the upper and lower wellbore RF radiators heat the hydrocarbon resource in the subterranean formation.

主权项

1. An apparatus for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having at least one pair of laterally extending upper and lower wellbores therein, the apparatus comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) source; an upper wellbore RF radiator configured to be positioned in the laterally extending upper wellbore and comprising a plurality of first terminals; a lower wellbore RF radiator configured to be positioned in the laterally extending lower wellbore and comprising a plurality of second terminals; and an interconnection arrangement configured to couple selected ones of said plurality of first and second terminals to said RF source, said interconnection arrangement comprising
a plurality of switches, anda controller cooperating with said plurality of switches and operative to selectively couple ones of said plurality of first and plurality of second terminals to said RF source such that a single terminal of at least one of the plurality of first and second terminals being coupled to said RF source heats the hydrocarbon resources from a respective one of the upper and lower RF radiators.