Patent ID: 8955591
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of recovering hydrocarbons located at or above a sea floor of a sea, comprising: heating a working fluid contained in a closed-loop system at a heater, wherein the working fluid contained in the closed-loop system is only molten salt; delivering the working fluid downward through a first string of a riser that forms a part of the closed loop system to a heat exchanger located in the sea at or above the sea floor, the riser having a plurality of strings in a concentric arrangement; wherein the heat exchanger transfers only thermal energy from the working fluid to at least hydrocarbons to enable recovery of hydrocarbons; receiving recovered hydrocarbons through a second string of the riser; and returning the working fluid from the heat exchanger to the heater through a third string of the riser that forms another part of the closed loop system.