Patent ID: 9163490
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from an oil shale fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a naturally occurring, highly-permeable zone next to an upper less-permeable zone and a lower less-permeable zone, the highly-permeable zone having a permeability in a range of 0.10 to 10 darcy, the upper and lower less-permeable zones having a permeability in a range of 0.00010 to 0.010 darcy, the steps comprising: providing at least one injection well in the naturally occurring, highly-permeable zone of the formation; providing at least one production well in the naturally occurring, highly-permeable zone of the formation; injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid into the injection well; circulating the carrier fluid through the naturally occurring, highly-permeable zone of the formation and creating a porous heating element therein, the porous heating element providing an underground surface area for heating the highly-permeable zone, the porous heating element disposed between the upper and lower less-permeable zones; using the porous heating element for heating the upper less-permeable zone above the highly-permeable zone and using the porous heating element for heating the lower less-permeable zone and producing mobilized hydrocarbons therefrom; producing at least a portion of mobilized hydrocarbons from the porous heating element and flowing the hydrocarbons with carrier fluid through the production well to the ground surface; and removing at least one selected hydrocarbon held in the carrier fluid.