SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMALLY TREATING A SUBSURFACE FORMATION BY A HEATED MOLTEN SALT MIXTURE

摘要

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.