Patent ID: 7631691

Claim:
A method of treating a subterranean formation that contains solid organic matter, said method comprising: (a) providing one or more wells that penetrate a treatment interval within the subterranean formation; (b) establishing at least one fracture from at least one of said wells, whereby said fracture intersects at least one of said wells; (c) placing electrically conductive material in said fracture, wherein said electrically conductive material is comprised of a mixture of at least a first material and a second material, wherein the first material comprises substantially non-electrically conductive cement; (d) placing two electrodes in contact with the electrically conductive material; and (e) applying a voltage across the two electrodes causing an electric current to pass through said fracture such that said current passes through at least a portion of said electrically conductive material and sufficient heat is generated by electrical resistivity within said portion of said electrically conductive material to pyrolyze at least a portion of said solid organic matter into producible hydrocarbons.