System And Method For Recovering Hydrocarbons From A Subsurface Formation That Minimizes Surface Disturbance

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for recovering hydrocarbons that minimize surface disturbance. The system includes an electrical heater within the subsurface formation that heats hydrocarbons within the subsurface formation and a heater wellbore within the subsurface formation that has been reclaimed for surface use.

1 . A system for recovering hydrocarbons, from a subsurface formation, that minimizes surface disturbance, comprising:
 an electrical heater within the subsurface formation that heats hydrocarbons within the subsurface formation;   a heater wellbore within the subsurface formation, wherein at least a portion of the heater wellbore has been reclaimed for surface use; and   a heater sensor which is coupled to the electrical heater, wherein the heater sensor in configured to detect a heater characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical heater is within the heater wellbore. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the electrical heater comprises electrical heaters. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical heaters are within the heater wellbore. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the heater wellbore comprises a heater wellbore topmost portion and a heater wellbore bottommost portion, wherein the heater wellbore topmost portion is closer to a surface of the subsurface formation than the heater wellbore bottommost portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the heater wellbore topmost portion and the heater wellbore bottommost portion are completely within the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater wellbore is not flush with a surface of the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a production wellbore that is configured to produce hydrocarbons heated by the electrical heater. 
     
     
         9 . A method for recovering hydrocarbons, from a subsurface formation below a surface of the earth, that minimizes surface disturbance, comprising:
 forming a first heater wellbore within the subsurface formation;   placing a first electrical heater within the first heater wellbore;   reclaiming at least a portion of the first heater wellbore intersecting the surface of the subsurface formation;   creating thermally-inducing changes within the subsurface formation; and   detecting a first heater characteristic with a first heater sensor which is coupled to the first electrical heater.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein creating the thermally-inducing changes comprises generating heat within the subsurface formation using the first electrical heater. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein creating the thermally-inducing changes comprises altering at least one of a physical property and a chemical property of the hydrocarbons within the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising producing the hydrocarbons after creating the thermally-inducing changes. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater characteristic is comprised of one of temperature, voltage, current, electrical resistance and impedance. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first heater characteristic is comprised of one of temperature, voltage, current, electrical resistance and impedance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a local electrical room which is configured to detect deviations in heater performance within the first electrical heater based on the first heater characteristic of the first electrical heater. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the local electrical room compares the first heater characteristic detected by the first heater sensor to a target operating heater range to determine whether the first heater characteristic is within the target operating heater range. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the local electrical room detects that the first heater characteristic is outside of the target operating heater range, and the local electrical room redistributes power transmitted from the first electrical heater to at least a second electrical heater. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second electrical heater is located in a second heater wellbore within the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising detecting a second heater characteristic with a second heater sensor which is coupled to the second electrical heater. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second heater characteristic is comprised of one of temperature, voltage, current, electrical resistance and impedance.