Electrothermal process for recovering hydrocarbons
US4412585A · kind A · utility
340Cited by
11References
2Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 1982 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B36/04
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
In a pair of electrode wells to be developed for injection and production wells for the electrothermal process for recovering heavy hydrocarbons, the electrodes are formed by inserting a heating device in each borehole and heating the surrounding formation to a temperature at which the hydrocarbon-containing material undergoes thermal cracking, resulting in a coke-like residue surrounding the heater. This conductive and permeable material serves as an electrode, for each well, by which the formation is heated. The heavy hydrocarbon material, such as bitumen found in tar sands, becomes mobile and can be recovered.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.