Downhole Oil Heating Device for Heavy Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods for heavy oil, such as steam injection and in-situ combustion, are capital-intensive and limited by formation depth, thickness, and logistics, while electric heating methods have limited incremental recovery and design challenges.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a permanently-installed array of independently-controllable heating elements within a production pipe to heat a geological formation, reducing oil viscosity and enhancing flow, with a controller adjusting temperature based on sensors for optimal oil recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional thermal EOR methods (steam injection, in-situ combustion) are used, then heavy oil viscosity is reduced and oil flow is enhanced, but capital investment requirements are very high and applications are restricted by formation depth and thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/thermal systems (steam injection equipment, combustion systems) with an electrical heating system. Downhole electric heaters generate heat directly in the formation through resistive heating, eliminating the need for surface steam generation equipment and reducing capital investment while achieving the same viscosity reduction effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electrical heating element as an intermediary between the surface control system and the heavy oil formation. This intermediary converts electrical energy to thermal energy directly in the formation, avoiding the complex infrastructure required for traditional steam injection while enabling remote control of the heating process.
2Loss of energy
If resistive heating with injected water is used, then heat conduction is improved, but additional liquid injection infrastructure is required and water to oil production ratio increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water injection requirement from the heating system. Instead of requiring injected water to improve heat conduction, the system uses the natural thermal conductivity of the formation and the heat capacity of the heavy oil itself, eliminating the need for additional liquid injection infrastructure and reducing water to oil production ratio.
3Quantity of substance
If downhole electrical heaters are used, then water to oil production ratio is reduced, but temperature control precision is limited and incremental recovery impact is modest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the downhole heating system into multiple independently controllable heating zones along the production interval. Each zone can be controlled separately with precise temperature regulation, allowing optimization of heat distribution and improving temperature control precision while maintaining low water to oil production ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system using downhole temperature sensors that continuously monitor formation temperature and adjust heating power accordingly. This closed-loop control enables precise temperature maintenance, prevents overheating, and maximizes incremental recovery by optimizing the heating process in real-time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Increases reservoir productivity index by 5-50% and lowers bottomhole pressure, achieving efficient oil recovery with reduced operational requirements.
Implementation Method 1
Resistive heating employs a potential difference between two wells where one well is acting as an electrode and the other well is a cathode. The formation enclosed by the two adjacent wells is subject to increase in temperature as electric current flows through it
Implementation Method 2
heating a portion of a geological formation containing an oil deposit with an oil heating device... at a temperature sufficient to reduce the viscosity of oil in the oil deposit
Data Source
AI summary
A method of enhanced oil recovery of using an oil heating device that is permanently-installed at the end of a production pipe down a wellbore into the pay zone of an oil deposit. The oil heating device contains an array of individually-controlled heating elements controlled by a controller. The oil heating device may also contain a plurality of sensors including array temperature sensors, oil temperature sensors, and oil flow sensors connected to the controller.