In Situ Retorting of Hydrocarbons and Selected Metal

Abstract

A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a higher permeability zone substantially parallel to, and between a top lower permeability zone and a bottom lower permeability zone. The steps include providing at least one injection well and first and second production wells in the higher permeability zone, injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well, circulating the carrier fluid through the zone and creating a substantially horizontal situ heating element (ISHE) between the injection well and the production wells for mobilizing the hydrocarbons.

1 . A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a substantially horizontal, higher permeability zone adjacent to, substantially parallel to, and between a first or top lower permeability zone and a second or bottom lower permeability zone, the steps comprising:
 providing at least one injection well in the higher permeability zone of the formation, the injection well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of a portion of the higher permeability zone;   providing a first production well in the higher permeability zone of the formation, the first production well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of the higher permeability zone and disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection well, the injection well and the first production well providing fluid communication therebetween in the higher permeability zone;   injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well;   circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability zone;   creating a substantially horizontal in situ heating element (ISHE) in the higher permeability zone and between the injection well and the production well;   mobilizing hydrocarbons in the higher permeability zone   producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the first production well to the ground surface; and   removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein a vertical depth of the injection well is disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability zone. 
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein a vertical depth of the first production well is disposed next to a top portion of the higher permeability zone. 
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1  further including the step of providing a second production well in the higher permeability zone of the formation and having a vertical depth below a vertical depth of the first production well, the vertical depth of the second production well disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability zone. 
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 1  further including the step of providing a plurality of spaced apart injection wells and spaced apart production wells having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion with perforations therein, the horizontal portion of the production wells disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection wells in the higher permeability zone. 
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1  further including the steps of turning the first production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 4  further including the steps of turning the second production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid. 
     
     
         8 . A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a substantially horizontal, higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone adjacent to, substantially parallel to, and between a first or top lower permeability zone and a second or bottom lower permeability zone, the steps comprising:
 providing at least one injection well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation, the injection well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability natural aquifer, three-dimensional, zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of a portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   providing a first production well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation, the first production well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection well, the injection well and the first production well providing fluid communication therebetween in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well;   circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   creating a substantially horizontal in situ heating element (ISHE) in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and between the injection well and the production well, the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone having an initial permeability in a range of 1 to 5 darcy and prior to the carrier fluid being circulated therethrough;   mobilizing hydrocarbons in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, and producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the first production well to the ground surface; and   removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.   
     
     
         9 . The method as described in  claim 8  wherein a vertical depth of the injection well is disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone. 
     
     
         10 . The method as described in  claim 8  wherein a vertical depth of the first production well is disposed next to a top portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and vertically separated from the injection well in a range of 20 to 50 feet and greater. 
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 8  further including the step of providing a second production well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation and having a vertical depth below a vertical depth of the first production well, the vertical depth of the second production well disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone. 
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 8  further including the step of providing a plurality of spaced apart injection wells and spaced apart production wells having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion with perforations therein, the horizontal portion of the production wells disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection wells in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone. 
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 8  further including the steps of turning the first production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 11  further including the steps of turning the second production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid. 
     
     
         15 . A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation, the hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a substantially horizontal, higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone adjacent to, substantially parallel to, and between a first or top lower permeability zone and a second or bottom lower permeability zone, the steps comprising:
 providing at least one injection well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation, the injection well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability natural aquifer, three-dimensional, zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of a portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   providing a first production well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation, the first production well having a vertical portion extending into the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and a horizontal portion, with perforations therein, extending along a length of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection well, the injection well and the first production well providing fluid communication therebetween in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   providing a second production well in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone of the formation and having a vertical depth below a vertical depth of the first production well, the vertical depth of the second production well disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone;   injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well;   circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone having an initial permeability in a range of 1 to 5 darcy and prior to the carrier fluid being circulated therethrough;   creating a substantially horizontal in situ heating element (ISHE) in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and between the injection well and the production well;   mobilizing hydrocarbons in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, and producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the first and second production wells to the ground surface; and   removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The method as described in  claim 15  wherein a vertical depth of the injection well is disposed next to a bottom portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone. 
     
     
         17 . The method as described in  claim 15  wherein a vertical depth of the first production well is disposed next to a top portion of the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone and vertically separated from the injection well in a range of 20 to 50 feet and greater. 
     
     
         18 . The method as described in  claim 15  further including the step of providing a plurality of spaced apart injection wells and spaced apart production wells having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion with perforations therein, the horizontal portion of the production wells disposed above the horizontal portion of the injection wells in the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone. 
     
     
         19 . The method as described in  claim 15  further including the steps of turning the first production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method as described in  claim 15  further including the steps of turning the second production well into a new injection well and the injection well into a new production well by injecting the heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the new injection well, circulating the thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) through the higher permeability, natural aquifer, three-dimensional zone, producing at least a portion of the mobilized hydrocarbons by flowing the carrier fluid with the mobilized hydrocarbons through the new production well to the ground surface and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.