REDUCING VISCOSITY OF OIL FOR PRODUCTION FROM A HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATION

摘要

The invention provides a method comprising: applying electrical current to one or more electrical conductors located in an opening in the formation to provide an electrically resistive heat output; allowing the heat to transfer from the electrical conductors to a part of the formation containing hydrocarbons so that a viscosity of fluids in the part at or near the opening in the formation is reduced; providing a gas at one or more locations in the opening to reduce the density of the fluids so that the fluids are lifted in the opening towards the surface of the formation by the formation pressure; and producing the fluids through the opening.