Heated liners for treating subsurface hydrocarbon containing formations

Abstract

A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a first tubular located in the subsurface formation and a second tubular. At least a portion of the first tubular is positioned in the second tubular. At least a portion of two or more electrical conductors are positioned between an outer surface of the first tubular and an inner surface of the second tubular. The electrical conductors are configured to provide heat to the subsurface formation when an electrical current is applied to the electrical conductors.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61 / 168,498 entitled “SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND PROCESSES UTILIZED FOR TREATING SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATIONS” to Vinegar et al. filed on Apr. 10, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61 / 250,218 entitled “TREATING SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FORMATIONS AND THE SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND PROCESSES UTILIZED” to D'Angelo III et al. filed on Oct. 9, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61 / 250,337 entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR SPLICING INSULATED CONDUCTORS” to D'Angelo III et al. filed on Oct. 9, 2009; U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61 / 250,347 entitled “DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE MONITORING USING INSULATED CONDUCTORS” to Burns et al. filed on Oct. 9, 2009; and to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61 / 250,353 entitled “SALT BASED DOWNHOLE TEMPERATURE MONITORS” to Nguyen et al. filed on Oct. 9, 2009.RELATED PATENTS[0002]This patent application incorporates by reference in its entirety each of U.S. Pat....

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Mining and upgrading tar sand is usually substantially more expensive than producing lighter hydrocarbons from conventional oil reservoirs.

Obtaining permeability in an oil shale formation between injection and production wells tends to be difficult because oil shale is often substantially impermeable.

Drilling such wells may be expensive and time consuming.

In some situations, heat in the wells is lost to the overburden.

Using the sensors may decrease the amount of time taken to determine positioning of the drilling systems.

At present, however, there are still many hydrocarbon containing formations where drilling wellbores is difficult, expensive, and / or time consuming.

At present, however, there are still many hydrocarbon containing formations from which hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and / or other products cannot be economically produced.

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