Patent ID: 8151877

Claim:
A method for in situ heating of an organic-rich rock formation, comprising: providing a first wellbore extending at least to a depth of the organic-rich rock formation, wherein the first wellbore comprises a first approximately vertical section; providing a second wellbore intersecting the first wellbore, wherein the second wellbore comprises a second approximately vertical section, the first wellbore and the second wellbore together forming a first heater well; injecting an oxidant and a first combustible fuel into the first wellbore; providing hardware in the approximately vertical section of the first wellbore so as to cause the oxidant and the first combustible fuel to mix and to combust at substantially a single depth, which is substantially the depth of the organic-rich rock formation, thereby forming combustion products; and flowing the combustion products into and up the second wellbore such that a first heat profile is created from the first approximately vertical section and a second heat profile is created from the second approximately vertical section, the first heat profile mating with the second heat profile after flowing the combustion products for a period of time so as to form a substantially continuous pyrolysis zone of formation hydrocarbons within a substantial portion of the organic-rich rock formation between the first and second wellbores.