Method of recovering bitumen from a tunnel or shaft with heating elements and recovery wells

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the operation of heating elements from wells emanating from an underground excavation to heat and mobilize hydrocarbons, such as bitumen, heavy oil and oil shale.

1 . A method, comprising:
 (a) forming a manned underground excavation at least one of in proximity to and in a hydrocarbon-containing deposit;   (b) forming, from the underground excavation, a plurality of mobilizing wells extending into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit, each mobilizing well containing at least one of a heating element, steam injector, and diluent injector; and   (c) forming, from the underground excavation, at least one recovery well extending into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit and positioned in proximity to at least some of the plurality of mobilizing wells, wherein the mobilizing wells and recovery wells define a drainage volume and wherein the mobilizing wells mobilize hydrocarbons contained within the drainage volume and the recovery wells collect the mobilized hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the underground excavation has an inner diameter ranging from about 3 to about 15 meters, wherein the mobilizing wells have a diameter ranging from about 0.1 to about 1 meters, wherein the distance between adjacent mobilizing wells ranges from about 10 to about 30 meters and wherein the mobilizing wells each have a length of at least about 100 meters. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein a selected mobilizing well is to contain a plurality of heating elements, wherein each of the heating elements is shorter than a diameter of the underground excavation adjacent to the selected mobilizing well, and wherein the heating elements are inserted one-at-a-time into the mobilizing well. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the drainage volume has a height ranging from about 20 to about 100 meters and a width ranging from about 30 to about 150 meters. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon is oil shale. 
     
     
         6 . A method, comprising:
 (a) providing a manned underground excavation in proximity to and/or in a hydrocarbon-containing deposit, the manned underground excavation comprising:
 (i) a plurality of heating wells extending into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit, each heating well containing one or more heating elements; and 
 (ii) at least one recovery well in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon-containing deposit and positioned in proximity to at least some of the plurality of heating wells, wherein the heating wells and recovery wells define a drainage volume; and 
   (b) generating thermal energy from the heating wells to heat and mobilize the hydrocarbons for collection by the recovery wells.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the underground excavation has an inner diameter ranging from about 3 to about 15 meters, wherein the heating wells have a diameter ranging from about 0.1 to about 1 meters, and wherein the heating wells each have a length of at least about 100 meters. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein a selected heating well is to contain a plurality of heating elements, wherein each of the heating elements is shorter than a diameter of the underground excavation adjacent to the selected heating well, and wherein the heating elements are inserted one-at-a-time into the heating well. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the drainage volume has a height ranging from about 20 to about 100 meters and a width ranging from about 30 to about 150 meters. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the heating wells are located above the recovery wells, wherein substantial lengths of each of the heating wells and recovery wells are substantially parallel to one another and wherein the distance between adjacent heating wells ranges from about 10 to about 30 meters. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein step (b) comprises the substeps:
 (B1) in an electrode mode, energizing the heating elements in the heating wells to heat hydrocarbons contained in the drainage volume; and   (B2) when the temperature of the hydrocarbons reaches a selected level, operating the heating elements as thermal conduction heaters.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the heating wells nearest the recovery wells are energized before the heating wells farthest from the recovery wells to produce a flow path for hydrocarbons to the recovery wells. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, during a first time interval, the heating wells are energized to heat the hydrocarbons and, during a second time interval, at least one of steam and diluent is injected through the heating wells into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit and wherein the first and second time intervals are discrete. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the hydrocarbon is oil shale. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 (c) installing equipment in proximity to and/or in the hydrocarbon-containing deposit that is adapted to inject at least one of steam and diluent into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit.   
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 (a) a manned underground excavation in proximity to and/or in a hydrocarbon-containing deposit;   (b) at least one heating well extending from the underground excavation into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit, the at least one heating well containing one or more heating elements; and   (c) at least one recovery well in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon-containing deposit and positioned in proximity to the at least one heating well, wherein the at least one heating well and the at least one recovery well define a drainage volume, whereby thermal energy is generated from the at least one heating well to heat and mobilize hydrocarbons in the drainage volume for collection by the recovery wells.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the underground excavation has an inner diameter ranging from about 3 to about 15 meters, wherein the at least one heating well has a diameter ranging from about 0.1 to about 1 meters, and wherein the at least one heating well has a length of at least about 100 meters. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the at least one heating well comprises a plurality of heating elements, wherein each of the heating elements is shorter than a diameter of the underground excavation adjacent to the at least one heating well, and wherein the heating elements are inserted one-at-a-time into the at least one heating well. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the hydrocarbon is bitumen or heavy oil, wherein the drainage volume has a height ranging from about 20 to about 100 meters and a width ranging from about 30 to about 150 meters. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating well comprises a plurality of heating wells which are located above the recovery wells, wherein substantial lengths of each of the heating wells and recovery wells are substantially parallel to one another and wherein the distance between adjacent heating wells ranges from about 10 to about 30 meters. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the heating elements operate in the following operating modes:
 in an electrode mode, the heating elements operate as electrodes to heat hydrocarbons contained in the drainage volume; and   in a thermal conduction mode, the heating elements operate as thermal conduction heaters to heat hydrocarbons contained in the drainage volume.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the heating wells nearest the recovery wells are energized before the heating wells farthest from the recovery well to produce a flow path for hydrocarbons to the recovery well. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein, during a first time interval, the heating wells are energized to heat the hydrocarbons and, during a second time interval, at least one of steam and diluent is injected through the heating wells into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the hydrocarbon is oil shale. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (d) equipment that is adapted to inject at least one of steam and diluent into the hydrocarbon-containing deposit.