Patent ID: 6877554
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: C09K,E21B,Y02C,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation in situ, comprising: providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a section of the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation to raise an average temperature in the part of the formation to, or above, a temperature that will pyrolyze hydrocarbons in the part of the formation; producing a mixture from the formation; and controlling API gravity of the produced mixture to be greater than about 25 degrees API by controlling average pressure and average temperature in the part of the formation such that the average pressure in the part of the formation is greater than the pressure (p) set forth in the following equation for an assessed average temperature (7) in the part of the formation:  where p is measured in psia and T is measured in Kelvin.