Heating tar sands formations to visbreaking temperatures

Karanikas, John Michael; Colmenares, Tulio Rafael; Zhang, Etuan; Marino, Marian; Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria; Ryan, Robert Charles; Beer, Gary Lee; Dombrowski, Robert James; Jaiswal, Namit

Title: Heating tar sands formations to visbreaking temperatures

Patent · Tue Dec 22 00:00:00 EST 2009

OSTI ID:1013635

Karanikas, John Michael ^[1]; Colmenares, Tulio Rafael ^[1]; Zhang, Etuan ^[1]; Marino, Marian ^[1]; Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria ^[1]; Ryan, Robert Charles ^[1]; Beer, Gary Lee ^[1]; Dombrowski, Robert James ^[1]; Jaiswal, Namit ^[1]

Houston, TX

Methods for treating a tar sands formation are described herein. Methods may include heating at least a section of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat may be controlled so that at least a majority of the section reaches an average temperature of between 200.degree. C. and 240.degree. C., which results in visbreaking of at least some hydrocarbons in the section. At least some visbroken hydrocarbon fluids may be produced from the formation.

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Research Organization:: Shell Oil Company (Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Assignee:: Shell Oil Company (Houston, TX)

Patent Number(s):: 7,635,024

Application Number:: US Patent Application 11/975,676

OSTI ID:: 1013635

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (19)

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