Mineral well heating systems

Claim 2

A well heating system for a mineral well of the kind in which a flow of a mineral fluid moving upwardly above a predetermined subsurface depth D is subject to impairment due to condensation of paraffin or other condensible constituents from the fluid flow or to increasing viscosity of that fluid, caused by temperature reduction, the well comprising a well bore projecting downwardly from a surface to a fluid reservoir and having an outer wall that is electrically conductive, and an electrically conductive production tubing extending down into the well bore in physically spaced and electrically insulated relation to the well bore wall, the heating system comprising: an electrical power source; connection means for electrically connecting the power source to the tubing and to the electrically conductive wall so that the tubing and wall conjointly afford a two-conductor heating apparatus projecting downwardly into the well bore, which heating apparatus functions electrically approximately as a coaxial line; means for effectively terminating the coaxial line so that most of the electrical power supplied to the coaxial line from the power source is dissipated within the well above the depth D; and control means for controlling the electrical power supplied to the coaxial line from the power source to maintain the mineral fluid flowing in the tubing approximately at or above a flow impairment temperature for the fluid without substantially exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature for the fluid in more than a minor fractional part of the well from depth D to the surface, in which the temperature limits are: ______________________________________ content of flow impairment upper limit mineral fluid temperature temperature ______________________________________ paraffin cloud point paraffin melting point sulfur sulfur 300° F. precipitation point hydrates crystal precipitation 300° F. point heavy, viscous no-flow pour point five centipoise oil temperature ______________________________________

Claim 3

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 4

A mineral well heating system according to claim 2 in which the thermal insulator sleeve encompasses substantially the entire length of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 5

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the electrically conductive wall of the well bore comprises a cylindrical metal casing.

Claim 6

A mineral well heating system according to claim 4 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 7

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1, in a mineral well in which the overburden surrounding the well bore above the depth D includes at least one lossy formation which exhibits a significantly higher heat loss from the heated tubing than adjacent formations; in which the production tubing includes a section having a high heating rate; and in which the production tubing section of high heating rate is aligned with the lossy formation to afford concentrated heating at the depth of the lossy formation.

Claim 8

A mineral well heating system according to claim 6 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the tubing above the depth D, that portion being aligned with the lossy formation.

Claim 9

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the rate of heat dissipation varies as an inverse function of depth, downwardly along the production tubing from the surface to the depth D.

Claim 10

A mineral well heating system according to claim 8 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 11

A mineral well heating system according to claim 4 in which the means for terminating the coaxial line is an electrical connector positioned approximately at the depth D and affording a molecular bond with both the well casing and the production tubing.

Claim 12

A mineral well heating system according to claim 10, and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 13

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the means for terminating the coaxial line is an electrical open circuit in the production tubing.

Claim 14

A mineral well heating system according to claim 12 in which the open circuit is formed by a series-connected section of electrically non-conductive tubing interposed in the production tubing.

Claim 15

A mineral well heating system according to claim 12 in which the power source is an alternating current source and the open circuit is formed by a series inductive reactance.

Claim 16

A mineral well heating system according to claim 12 in which the open circuit is positioned at a depth substantially below the depth D.

Claim 17

A mineral well heating system according to claim 15 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 18

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the production tubing comprises magnetic steel tubing and in which the power source is an alternating current source having a frequency f in the range of 50 Hz to 500 KHz.

Claim 19

A mineral well heating system according to claim 17 in which at least the major portion of the production tubing above depth D is carbon steel tubing.

Claim 20

A mineral well heating system according to claim 18 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 21

A mineral well heating system according to claim 18 in which the the frequency f of the power source exceeds 300 Hz.

Claim 22

A mineral well heating system according to claim 17 in which the A.C. impedance of the production tubing at the frequency f is at least three times the D.C. impedance.

Claim 23

A mineral well heating system according to claim 17 in which the ratio of the applied voltage to the input current, for the coaxial line, varies by at least ten percent for an input current range of ten to five hundred amperes.

Claim 24

A mineral well heating system according to claim 17 in which the phase angle between the applied voltage and the input current, for the coaxial line, is in a range of 5° to 45°.

Claim 25

A mineral well heating system according to claim 23 in which the phase angle between the applied voltage and the input current, for the coaxial line, decreases by at least 5° as the tubing current is increased from ten to five hundred amperes.

Claim 26

A mineral well heating system according to claim 21 in which at least the major portion of the production tubing above depth D is carbon steel tubing.

Claim 27

A mineral well heating system according to claim 22 in which at least the major portion of the production tubing above depth D is carbon steel tubing.

Claim 28

A mineral well heating system according to claim 23 in which at least the major portion of the production tubing above depth D is carbon steel tubing.

Claim 29

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the power source is an alternating current source having a frequency f and a waveform such that the input impedance of the coaxial line is high enough to permit use of a transformerless power source.

Claim 30

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the power source is a switching type alternating current power source having a frequency f in the range of 300 Hz to 500 kHz.

Claim 31

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the control means includes thermal sensor means for sensing the temperature of fluid flow from the production tubing and means for varying the current from the power source to the coaxial line to maintain that temperature substantially constant.

Claim 32

A mineral well heating system according to claim 30 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 33

A mineral well heating system according to claim 30 in which the thermal sensor is positioned in a fluid outlet connected to the production tubing above the surface.

Claim 34

A mineral well heating system according to claim 30 in which the thermal sensor is positioned in a casing cap comprising an extension of the well wall above the surface.

Claim 35

A mineral well heating system according to claim 30 in which the thermal sensor is positioned within the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 36

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 in which the control means includes means for sensing the rate of fluid flow in the production tubing and means for increasing the current from the power source to the coaxial line in response to sensing of a fluid flow rate below a given rate indicative of flow impairment.

Claim 37

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 for a well including a pump for pumping mineral fluid up through the production tubing, in which the control means includes means for sensing the power input to the pump and means for increasing the current from the power source to the coaxial line in response to sensing of a pump power input that exceeds a given level indicative of flow impairment.

Claim 38

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1 for heating a well including a pump for pumping mineral fluid up through the production tubing, in which the control means includes a strain gauge mounted on a pump operating member.

Claim 39

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1, in a mineral well producing a viscous oil, in which the flow impairment temperature is the temperature at which the fluid viscosity requires at least one component of the pumping system of the well to exceed its design ratings and the upper limit temperature is the five centipoise point.

Claim 40

A mineral well heating system according to claim 4, in a well in which fluid from the reservoir collects in the annulus between the tubing and the casing, the system further comprising an electrical connector interconnecting the tubing and the well casing at a depth in the well below the level of fluid in the annulus.

Claim 41

A mineral well heating system according to claim 39, and further comprising an electrical insulator sleeve encompassing a portion of the tubing from the electrical connector to above the level of fluid in the annulus.

Claim 42

A mineral well heating system according to claim 40 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing above the depth D.

Claim 43

A mineral well heating system according to claim 40 and further comprising an electrical insulator section interposed in the conductive casing adjacent the top of the reservoir.

Claim 44

A mineral well heating system according to claim 42 and further comprising an electrical insulator section interposed in the conductive casing adjacent the bottom of the reservoir.

Claim 45

A mineral well heating system according to claim 1, in a well in which fluid from the reservoir collects in the annulus between the well bore wall and the tubing, and the conductive well bore wall is electrically discontinuous at a given point near the top of the reservoir, the system further comprising an electrical insulator sleeve encompassing the production tubing from that given point to above the level of fluid in the annulus.

Claim 46

A well heating system for a mineral well of the kind in which a flow of a mineral fluid moving upwardly to a ground surface from a subterranean reservoir is subject to flow impairment due to condensation of paraffin or other condensible constituents from the fluid flow or to increasing viscosity of that fluid, caused by temperature reduction, the well comprising a well bore projecting downwardly from the ground surface to the fluid reservoir and an electrically conductive production tubing extending down into the well bore in physically spaced and electrically insulated relation to the well bore, the heating system comprising: an alternating current electrical power source of given frequency f; connection means for electrically connecting the power source to the tubing so that the tubing constitutes a part of a heating apparatus projecting downwardly through the well bore; downhole connector means for electrically connecting a downhole portion of the tubing to the mineral fluid in the portion of the reservoir immediately encompassing the well bore; and control means for controlling the electrical power supplied to the tubing from the power source to maintain the mineral fluid flowing in the tubing approximately at or above the flow impairment temperature for the fluid without substantially exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature for the fluid in more than a minor fractional part of the tubing, in which the temperature limits are: ______________________________________ content of flow impairment upper limit mineral fluid temperature temperature ______________________________________ paraffin cloud point paraffin melting point sulfur sulfur 300° F. precipitation point hydrates crystal precipitation 300° F. point heavy, viscous no-flow pour point five centipoise oil temperature ______________________________________

Claim 47

A well heating system for a mineral well of the kind in which a flow of a mineral fluid moving upwardly to a ground surface from a subterranean reservoir is subject to flow impairment due to condensation of paraffin or other condensible constituents from the fluid flow or to increasing viscosity of that fluid, caused by temperature reduction, the well comprising a well bore projecting downwardly from the ground surface to the fluid reservoir and an electrically conductive production tubing extending down into the well bore in physically spaced and electrically insulated relation to the well bore, the heating system comprising: an alternating current electrical power source of given frequency f; connection means for electrically connecting the power source to the tubing so that the tubing constitutes a part of a heating apparatus projecting downwardly through the well bore; downhole connector means for electrically connecting a downhole portion of the tubing to the mineral fluid in the portion of the reservoir immediately encompassing the well bore; and control means for controlling the electrical power supplied to the tubing from the power source to maintain the mineral fluid flowing in the tubing approximately at or above the flow impairment temperature for the fluid without substantially exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature for the fluid in more than a minor fractional part of the tubing, in which the temperature limits are: ______________________________________ content of flow impairment upper limit mineral fluid temperature temperature ______________________________________ paraffin cloud point paraffin melting point sulfur sulfur 300° F. precipitation point hydrates crystal precipitation 300° F. point heavy, viscous no-flow pour point five centipoise oil temperature ______________________________________

Claim 48

A mineral well heating system according to claim 45, in a well in which liquid from the reservoir collects in the annulus between the tubing and the well bore, to a given level above the downhole portion of the tubing, and further comprising an electrical insulator sleeve encompassing the tubing from above said given level down to the downhole portion of the tubing.

Claim 49

A mineral well heating system according to claim 45 and further comprising an electrically conductive downhole reservoir casing section encompassing the portion of the well bore in the reservoir, the downhole connector means comprising an electrical connector mounted on the downhole portion of the tubing and affording a molecular bond with the downhole reservoir casing section.

Claim 50

A mineral well heating system according to claim 47, in a well in which liquid from the reservoir collects in the annulus between the tubing and the well bore, to a given level above the reservoir casing section, and further comprising an electrical insulator sleeve encompassing the tubing from above said given level down to the level of the reservoir casing section.

Claim 51

A mineral well heating system according to claim 47, in which the reservoir casing section is physically connected to but electrically isolated from a conductive well casing that lines the well bore upwardly from a point a short distance above the reservoir casing section.

Claim 52

A mineral well heating system according to claim 49, in which the reservoir casing section is physically connected to but electrically isolated from a conductive well casing that lines the well bore downhole from a short distance below the reservoir casing section.

Claim 53

A mineral well heating system according to claim 50, in a well in which liquid from the reservoir collects in the annulus between the tubing and the well bore, to a given level above the reservoir casing section, and further comprising an electrical insulator sleeve encompassing the tubing from above said given level down to the level of the reservoir casing section.

Claim 54

A mineral well heating system according to claim 46, in a well having a conductive casing that lines the well bore above said given level, the conductive casing being terminated below said given level and the electrical insulator sleeve extending below the bottom of the conductive casing.

Claim 55

A well heating system for a mineral well of the kind in which a flow of a mineral fluid moving upwardly through the well is subject to impairment due to condensation of paraffin or other condensible constituents from the fluid flow or to increasing viscosity of that fluid, caused by temperature reduction, the well comprising a well bore projecting downwardly from a surface to a fluid reservoir and having an outer wall that is electrically conductive, and an electrically conductive production tubing extending down into the well bore in physically spaced and electrically insulated relation to the well bore wall, the heating system comprising: a first electrical power source, comprising an alternating current source having a given frequency f; a second electrical power source having a frequency much lower than f, down to D.C.; connection means for electrically connecting both of the power sources to the tubing and to the electrically conductive wall so that the tubing and wall conjointly afford a two-conductor heating apparatus projecting downwardly into the well bore, which heating apparatus functions electrically approximately as a coaxial line, for both power sources; and control means for controlling the electrical power supplied to the coaxial line from each of the power sources to maintain the mineral fluid flowing in the tubing approximately at or above the flow impairment temperature for the fluid without substantially exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature for the fluid in more than a minor fractional part of the well; whereby electrical power from the first source primiarly heats the upper part of the well whereas electrical power from the second source primarily heats the downhole portion of the well; in which the temperature limits are: ______________________________________ content of flow impairment upper limit mineral fluid temperature temperature ______________________________________ paraffin cloud point paraffin melting point sulfur sulfur 300° F. precipitation point hydrates crystal precipitation 300° F. point heavy, viscous no-flow pour point five centipoise oil temperature ______________________________________

Claim 56

A well heating system for a mineral well of the kind in which a flow of a mineral fluid moving upwardly through the well is subject to impairment due to condensation of paraffin or other condensible constituents from the fluid flow or to increasing viscosity of that fluid, caused by temperature reduction, the well comprising a well bore projecting downwardly from a surface to a fluid reservoir and having an outer wall that is electrically conductive, and an electrically conductive production tubing extending down into the well bore in physically spaced and electrically insulated relation to the well bore wall, the heating system comprising: a first electrical power source, comprising an alternating current source having a given frequency f; a second electrical power source having a frequency much lower than f, down to D.C.; connection means for electrically connecting both of the power sources to the tubing and to the electrically conductive wall so that the tubing and wall conjointly afford a two-conductor heating apparatus projecting downwardly into the well bore, which heating apparatus functions electrically approximately as a coaxial line, for both power sources; and control means for controlling the electrical power supplied to the coaxial line from each of the power sources to maintain the mineral fluid flowing in the tubing approximately at or above the flow impairment temperature for the fluid without substantially exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature for the fluid in more than a minor fractional part of the well; whereby electrical power from the first source primiarly heats the upper part of the well whereas electrical power from the second source primarily heats the downhole portion of the well; in which the temperature limits are: ______________________________________ content of flow impairment upper limit mineral fluid temperature temperature ______________________________________ paraffin cloud point paraffin melting point sulfur sulfur 300° F. precipitation point hydrates crystal precipitation 300° F. point heavy, viscous no-flow pour point five centipoise oil temperature ______________________________________

Claim 57

A mineral well heating system according to claim 53 in which the electrically conductive wall of the well bore comprises a cylindrical metal casing.

Claim 58

A mineral well heating system according to claim 54 in which the casing and the production tubing are both formed of a highly conductive metal such as aluminum.

Claim 59

A mineral well heating system according to claim 53 and further comprising a thermal insulator sleeve encompassing at least a portion of the production tubing in the upper part of the well.