System and method for electrically selectable dry fracture shale energy extraction
US10494909B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2018 |
| Grant date | Dec 3, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B2214/03
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A system and method are provided that use RF energy to enhance the extraction of oil and gas from hydrocarbon bearing strata. A three-dimensional underground electromagnetic array of coupled well pipe segments is used to guide RF energy to where that energy is converted to heat in the hydrocarbon bearing strata. The three dimensional underground electromagnetic array of coupled well pipe segments includes a switch to selectively activate coupled well pipe segments and is a guided wave structure, as opposed to an antenna structure, to minimize the unwanted effects of the near fields associated with antennas. In one embodiment, the leas of the three-dimensional underground electromagnetic array are composed of production well pipe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.