Patent ID: 8087460

Claim:
A method for heating a subsurface formation using electrical resistance heating, comprising: creating by directionally drilling a first wellbore at least partially within the subsurface formation which intersects a second wellbore also located at least partially within the subsurface formation, wherein the first wellbore and the second wellbore each have a substantially vertical section and wherein the first wellbore has a section that is not substantially vertical; providing an electrically conductive granular material into at least the portion of the first wellbore that intersects the second wellbore to form a granular electrical connection, the granular electrical connection providing electrical communication between the first wellbore and the second wellbore, wherein the granular material has a geometry selected to increase the surface area contact of particles comprising the granular material; providing a first electrically conductive member in the first wellbore so that the first electrically conductive member is in electrical communication with the granular electrical connection and wherein a bottom end of the first electrically conductive member terminates within the substantially vertical section of the first wellbore; providing a second electrically conductive member in the second wellbore, so that the second electrically conductive member is in electrical communication with the granular electrical connection and wherein a bottom end of the second electrically conductive member terminates within the substantially vertical section of the second wellbore, thereby forming an electrically conductive flow path comprised of the first electrically conductive member, the granular electrical connection and the second electrically conductive member; and establishing an electrical current through the electrically conductive flow path, thereby generating heat within the electrically conductive flow path due to electrical resistive heating, with at least a portion of the generated heat thermally conducting into the subsurface formation, and wherein the generated heat is comprised of first heat generated at a first heat rate from the first electrically conductive member, second heat generated at a second heat rate from the second electrically conductive member, and third heat generated at a third heat rate from the electrically conductive granular material, with the first heat, the second heat, or both being substantially greater than the third heat.