Method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation

Abstract

Methods of generating subsurface heat for treatment of a hydrocarbon containing formation are described herein. Methods include providing steam to at least a portion of a hydrocarbon containing formation from a plurality of locations in a wellbore. The steam is hotter than a temperature of the portion. The steam is heated in the wellbore by combusting a stream comprising hydrogen sulfide in the wellbore. Heat from the combustion transfers to the steam. The steam provided the portion at a first location in the wellbore is hotter than steam provided at a second location in the wellbore along the length of the wellbore, where the first location is further from a surface of the formation than the second location along the length of the wellbore.

1 . A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
 providing steam to at least a portion of a hydrocarbon containing formation from a plurality of locations in a wellbore, wherein the steam has a higher temperature than the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and   heating the steam in the wellbore by combusting at least a portion of a mixture comprising fuel and oxidant in the wellbore and transferring heat from the combustion to the steam, wherein the fuel comprises hydrogen sulfide, and wherein the steam is heated such that the steam provided to the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation at a first location in the wellbore is hotter than steam provided at a second location in the wellbore, and wherein the first location is further from a surface of the formation than the second location along the length of the wellbore.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the steam is provided in an outer portion of at least one of the wellbores, and combustion occurs in one or more heaters in an inner portion of the wellbore, and the inner portion of the wellbore communicates with the outer portion of the wellbore such that at least a portion of the generated heat provides heat to a portion of the steam. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the steam is provided in an outer portion of at least one of the wellbores, and combustion occurs in one or more heaters in an inner portion of the wellbore, and the inner portion of the wellbore communicates with the outer portion of the wellbore such that at least a portion of the generated heat provides heat to a portion of the steam to a temperature at or above the auto-ignition temperature of the fuel/oxidant mixture. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein combustion generates a combustion by-products stream and the method further comprises contacting at least a portion of the combustion by-products stream with a portion of the water in a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation that is downstream of the formation surface, along the length of the wellbore, from the transferred heat portion. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising driving formation fluids with at least a portion of the combustion by-products stream and a portion of the steam. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mobilizing formation fluids in the hydrocarbon formation by providing the steam to the portion of the hydrocarbon formation. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the hydrogen sulfide is produced from formation fluids obtained from the hydrocarbon containing formation. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprises controlling where the second location is along the length of the wellbore. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling heat flux along the length of the wellbore. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heat at the second location is proximate to a portion of formation richer in hydrocarbons, as compared to the first location. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stream comprising steam further comprises carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and/or sulfur dioxide. 
   
   
       12 . A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising:
 providing steam to at least a portion of a hydrocarbon containing formation from a plurality of locations in a wellbore, wherein the wellbore extends from the surface into the portion of the hydrocarbon formation, and wherein the steam has a higher temperature than the portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation;   heating the steam in the wellbore by combusting a stream comprising hydrogen sulfide in the wellbore, wherein heat from the combustion transfers to the steam, wherein the steam is heated such that steam provided to the portion at a first location in the wellbore is hotter than steam provided at a second location in the wellbore, and wherein the first location is further along the length of the wellbore, as measured from the surface, than the second location;   transferring at least a portion of the heat at the first location to at least a portion the hydrocarbon containing formation;   transferring at least a portion of the heat at the second location to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon formation; and   mobilizing at least a portion of formation fluids in the heated portion of the hydrocarbon formation.