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Kafe 바로가기국가/구분 | United States(US) Patent 등록 |
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 | US-0841493 (2001-04-24) |
발명자 / 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 | 피인용 횟수 : 225 인용 특허 : 378 |
A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may be applie
A coal formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat may be applied to the formation from heating elements positioned within wellbores. Portions of the heater elements may be free to move within the wellbores to inhibit failure of the heater elements due to thermal expansion.
What is claimed is: 1. A method of treating a coal formation in situ, comprising: heating a part of the formation with heating elements, wherein at least two of the heating elements are placed in open wellbores, wherein at least one end of at least one of the heating elements is free to move axiall
What is claimed is: 1. A method of treating a coal formation in situ, comprising: heating a part of the formation with heating elements, wherein at least two of the heating elements are placed in open wellbores, wherein at least one end of at least one of the heating elements is free to move axially in one of the open wellbores to allow for thermal expansion of the at least one heating element, and wherein superposition of heat from two of the heating elements raises a temperature of the part between the two heating elements to a temperature in a pyrolysis temperature range in order to pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a temperature in a majority of the part in the pyrolysis temperature range during pyrolysis, and wherein the pyrolysis temperature range spans from about 250째 C. to about 370째 C. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a pipe-in-pipe heater. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a flameless distributed combustor. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable coupled to a support, and wherein the support is free to move in at least one of the wellbores. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable suspended from a wellhead. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a pressure and a temperature in at least a majority of the part of the formation, wherein the pressure is controlled as a function of temperature, or the temperature is controlled as a function of pressure. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the heat such that an average heating rate of the heated part is less than about 1째 C. per day in a range of about 270째 C. to about 400째 C. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the part of the formation further comprises: heating a selected volume (V) of the coal formation from at least one of the heating elements, wherein the formation has an average heat capacity (Cv), and wherein the heating pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the selected volume of the formation; and wherein heating energy/day (Pwr) provided to the selected volume is equal to or less than h*V*Cv*ρB, wherein ρB is formation bulk density, and wherein an average heating rate (h) of the selected volume is about 10째 C./day. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the part of the formation comprises transferring heat substantially by conduction. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the part of the formation to increase a thermal conductivity of the part to greater than about 0.5 W/(m=째 C.). 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein about 0.1% by weight to about 15% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons are olefins. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises non-condensable hydrocarbons. and wherein a molar ratio of ethene to ethane in the non-condensable hydrocarbons ranges from about 0.001 to about 0.15. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein less than about 1% by weight, when calculated on an atomic basis, of the condensable hydrocarbons is nitrogen. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein less than about 1% by weight, when calculated on an atomic basis, of the condensable hydrocarbons is oxygen. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein less than about 1% by weight, when calculated on an atomic basis, of the condensable hydrocarbons is sulfur. 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, wherein about 5% by weight to about 30% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons comprise oxygen containing compounds, and wherein the oxygen containing compounds comprise phenols. 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein greater than about 20% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons are aromatic compounds. 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein less than about 5% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons comprises multi-ring aromatics with more than two rings. 20. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein less than about 0.3% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons are asphaltenes. 21. The method of claim 1 further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons, and wherein about 5% by weight to about 30% by weight of the condensable hydrocarbons are cycloalkanes. 22. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises a non-condensable component, wherein the non-condensable component comprises molecular hydrogen, wherein the molecular hydrogen is greater than about 10% by volume and less than about 80% by volume of the non-condensable component at 25째 C. and one atmosphere absolute pressure. 23. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises ammonia, and wherein greater than about 0.05% by weight of the produced mixture is ammonia. 24. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises ammonia, and wherein the ammonia is used to produce fertilizer. 25. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a pressure in the part of the formation, wherein the controlled pressure is at least about 2.0 bar absolute. 26. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling formation conditions to produce a mixture from the formation, wherein a partial pressure of H2 in the mixture is greater than about 0.5 bar. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the partial pressure of H2 in the mixture is measured when the mixture is at a production well. 28. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a pressure in the formation to inhibit production of hydrocarbons from the formation having carbon numbers greater than about 25. 29. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture from the formation and controlling formation conditions by recirculating a portion of hydrogen from the mixture into the formation. 30. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing hydrogen (H2) to the heated part to hydrogenate hydrocarbons in the heated part; and heating a portion of the heated part with heat from hydrogenation. 31. The method of claim 1, further comprising: producing hydrogen (H2) and condensable hydrocarbons from the formation; and hydrogenating a portion of the produced condensable hydrocarbons with at least a portion of the produced hydrogen. 32. The method of claim 1, wherein heating increases a permeability of a majority of the heated part to greater than about 100 millidarcy. 33. The method of claim 1, wherein heating increases a permeability of a majority of the heated part, such that the permeability of the majority of the heated part of the formation is substantially uniform. 34. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating is controlled to yield greater than about 60% by weight of condensable hydrocarbons, as measured by Fischer Assay. 35. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a mixture in a production well, and wherein at least about 7 heating elements are disposed in the formation for each production well. 36. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat from three or more heating elements to at least a portion of the formation, wherein three or more of the heating elements are located in the formation in a unit of heating elements, and wherein the unit of heating elements comprises a triangular pattern. 37. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing heat from three or more heating elements to at least a portion of the formation, wherein three or more of the heating elements are located in the formation in a unit of heating elements, wherein the unit of heating elements comprises a triangular pattern, and wherein a plurality of the units are repeated over an area of the formation to form a repetitive pattern of units. 38. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the part of the formation comprises transferring heat from the heating elements substantially by radiation. 39. A method of treating a coal formation in situ, comprising: heating a part of the formation with heating elements, wherein at least two of the heating elements are placed in open wellbores, wherein at least one end of at least one of the heating elements is free to move axially in one of the open wellbores to allow for thermal expansion of the at least one heating element, and wherein superposition of heat from at least two of the heating elements pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation; and producing a mixture from the formation, wherein the produced mixture comprises condensable hydrocarbons having an API gravity of at least about 25째. 40. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a pipe-in-pipe heater. 41. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a flameless distributed combustor. 42. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable coupled to a support, and wherein the support is free to move the wellbore. 43. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable suspended from a wellhead. 44. A method of treating a coal formation in situ, comprising: heating a part of the formation with heating elements, wherein at least two of the heating elements are placed in open wellbores, wherein at least one end of at least one of the heating elements is free to move axially in one of the open wellbores to allow for thermal expansion of the at least one heating element, and wherein superposition of heat from at least two of the heating elements pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons in the part of the formation; and controlling the pressure of a majority of the part of the formation at or above 2 bar absolute. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a pipe-in-pipe heater. 46. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a flameless distributed combustor. 47. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable coupled to a support, and wherein the support is free to move in the wellbore. 48. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of the heating elements comprises a mineral insulated cable suspended from a wellhead.
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