Abstract: Methods and systems of treating an oil shale formation using an in situ thermal process are described herein. A method of treating an oil shale formation in situ includes providing heat from one or more heat sources to at least a portion of the formation; allowing the heat to transfer from at least the portion to a selected section of the formation substantially by conduction of heat; pyrolyzing at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section of the formation; and producing a mixture from the formation.

Abstract: A method of determining a fluid inflow profile along the length of a permeable inflow region of an underground wellbore comprising: transferring heat into or from the permeable inflow region of the wellbore during a well shut period; starting production of hydrocarbon fluids via the permeable inflow region; measuring substantially simultaneously the temperature of the fluids at various points of the inflow region; determining at selected intervals of time after production start up a temperature profile of the inflow region on the basis of the thus measured temperatures; and determining a fluid inflow profile of the inflow region on the basis of a comparison of the determined temperature profiles at selected intervals after production start up. The heater cable may have a layer of compacted mineral powder and temperatures may be measured with an optical fiber.

Abstract: A method is provided to remove contaminants from near-surface contaminated soil, the method including the steps of: placing a plurality of metal sheets on the surface above the contaminated soil to form a contiguous cover over at least a portion of the contaminated soil; seal welding adjacent metal sheets together; cutting a plurality of holes in the metal sheet; providing a plurality of heater wells and a plurality of vapor extraction wells into the contaminated soil through the holes cut in the metal sheets; providing vapor extraction wellheads over the vapor extraction wells, the vapor extraction wellheads sealed to the metal sheets; and removing contaminants from the near-surface soil by heating from the heater wells and extracting vapor through the vapor extraction wells. The wells are preferably both heater wells and vapor extraction wells, and the wellheads are preferably bolted to a flange which is welded to the metal sheets to ensure a positive seal at the surface.

Abstract: A method is provided to remove volatile contaminates from a contaminated volume of earth, the contaminated volume lying above a noncontaminated layer of earth, the method including the steps of: penetrating the contaminated volume with at least one wellbore so that a wellbore penetrates the contaminated volume and the noncontaminated layer; applying heat from the wellbore within the noncontaminated layer to the noncontaminated layer until the temperature of a substantial portion of the noncontaminated layer is about the boiling point of liquids within the noncontaminated layer; and applying heat from the wellbore within the contaminated volume to the contaminated volume wherein the temperature of the contaminated volume rises to about the boiling point of liquids in the contaminated layer after a substantial portion of the noncontaminated layer is about the boiling point of liquids within the noncontaminated layer at the pressure of the noncontaminated layer.

Abstract: A heater is disclosed, the heater including: a porous metal sheet heating element; and an electrical insulating material surrounding the porous metal sheet heating element; wherein there is no casing surrounding the porous metal sheet heating element.

Abstract: The invention is a method to operate a heat injection well, the method comprising the steps of: providing a heat injection well comprising a metal casing and a controllable source of heat within the casing; determining the maximum temperature of the casing which can be applied to the metal casing as a function of external pressure; providing a formation stress measurement device within the formation in the vicinity of the wellbore; providing a temperature measurement device effective for determining the temperature of the casing; determining the formation stress during operation of the heat injection well; and controlling heat released from the controllable source of heat to maintain the formation stress below a predetermined fraction of the collapse stress of the casing.

Abstract: A method is provided to remove contaminants that are more dense than water from a contaminated volume of earth, the contaminants pooled above a layer of earth, the method comprising the steps of: providing an essentially horizontal wellbore along the interface between the layer of earth and the contaminants; heating at least a portion of the contaminants in situ from the wellbore; and removing the heated contaminants by heating through the horizontal wellbore. The wellbores preferably include both heaters and provide a conduit for removal of contaminants, and preferably also provide heaters located within the wellbores in addition to those heaters required to vaporize the contaminants to maintain the contaminants in a vapor state until the vapors reach a well head and can be further processed at the surface.

Abstract: A heater is disclosed, the heater comprising: a heating element effective to generate radiant energy; a casing surrounding the heating element separated from the heating element; and support material between the casing and the heating element wherein the support material comprises a granular solid material that is translucent to radiant energy in the peak wavelength of energy which is radiated by the heating element at operating temperatures. The translucency of the support material is such that at least 50% of the radiant energy emitted by the heating element is radiated to the casing.

Abstract: A method is provided to remove volatile liquid contaminates from a contaminated volume of earth, the contaminated volume lying above a noncontaminated layer of earth, the method including the steps of: penetrating the contaminated volume with at least one wellbore so that a wellbore penetrates the contaminated volume and at least one wellbore penetrates the noncontaminated layer; applying heat from the wellbore within the noncontaminated layer to the noncontaminated layer until the temperature of a substantial portion of the noncontaminated layer that is contiguous with the contaminated layer is at least the boiling point temperature of contaminated liquids; and applying heat from the wellbore within the contaminated volume to the contaminated volume wherein the temperature of the contaminated volume rises to the boiling point of contaminated liquids after a substantial portion of the noncontaminated layer that is contiguous with the contaminated layer is about the boiling point of the contaminated liquids.