In Situ Retorting of Hydrocarbons and Selected Metal

摘要

A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a higher permeability zone substantially parallel to, and between a top lower permeability zone and a bottom lower permeability zone. The steps include providing at least one injection well and first and second production wells in the higher permeability zone, injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well, circulating the carrier fluid through the zone and creating a substantially horizontal situ heating element (ISHE) between the injection well and the production wells for mobilizing the hydrocarbons.

主权项

1. A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a substantially horizontal, higher permeability zone adjacent to, substantially parallel to, and between a first or top lower permeability zone and a second or bottom lower permeability zone, the steps comprising:
providing at least one injection well in the higher permeability zone of the formation, the injection well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of a portion of the higher permeability zone; providing a first production well in the higher permeability zone of the formation, the first production well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of the higher permeability zone and disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection well, the injection well and the first production well providing fluid communication therebetween in the higher permeability zone; injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well; circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability zone; creating a substantially horizontal in situ heating element (ISHE) in the higher permeability zone and between the injection well and the production well; mobilizing hydrocarbons in the higher permeability zone producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the first production well to the ground surface; and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.