Hydrocarbon resource heating system including common mode choke assembly and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9441472-B2
Application number	US-201414167039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 29, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A system for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein may include a radio frequency (RF) antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore, an RF source, a cooling fluid source, and a transmission line coupled between the RF antenna and the RF source. A plurality of ring-shaped choke cores may surround the transmission line, and a sleeve may surround the ring-shaped choke cores and define a cooling fluid path for the ring-shaped choke cores and in fluid communication with the cooling fluid source.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein, the system comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) antenna configured to be positioned within the wellbore;
an RF source;
a cooling fluid source at the surface of the subterranean formation outside the wellbore;
a transmission line coupled between said RF antenna and said RF source;
a plurality of ring-shaped choke cores surrounding said transmission line;
a plurality of baffles, each spacing an adjacent pair of ring-shaped chokes apart; and
a sleeve surrounding said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores and baffles and defining a cooling fluid path for said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores and in fluid communication with said cooling fluid source;
wherein at least one of the plurality of baffles comprises radially inner and outer dielectric rings defining a gap between the radially inner and outer rings in which a respective ring-shaped choke core rests, and wherein the inner dielectric ring has a plurality of inner fluid passageways within the inner dielectric ring defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission line comprises a coaxial transmission line also coupled in fluid communication with said cooling fluid source.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one other baffle comprises a radial inner ring and a plurality of radial arms extending outward from the inner ring in which a respective ring-shaped choke rests, the radial arms defining a plurality of outer fluid passageways radially outside of the respective ring-shaped choke and defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one other baffle comprises radial inner and outer rings defining a gap between the radially inner and outer rings in which a respective ring-shaped choke core rests, and wherein the outer dielectric ring has a plurality of outer fluid passageways within the outer dielectric ring defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores comprises a first group of ring-shaped choke cores each having a first width, and a second group of ring-shaped choke cores each having a second width different than the first width.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores comprises a first group having a first spacing between corresponding adjacent ring-shaped chokes, and a second group having a second spacing between corresponding adjacent ring-shaped choke cores different than the first spacing.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said sleeve comprises a dielectric material.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores each comprises a nanocrystalline magnetic material.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tubular surrounding said transmission line, and wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores surround the tubular.

10. A choke assembly to be coupled with a radio frequency (RF) antenna to be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation to heat a hydrocarbon resource, the choke assembly comprising:
a transmission line to be coupled between the RF antenna and an RF source within the wellbore in the subterranean formation;
a plurality of ring-shaped choke cores surrounding said transmission line;
a plurality of baffles, each spacing an adjacent pair of ring-shaped chokes apart; and
a sleeve surrounding said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores and baffles and defining a cooling fluid path for said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores to be connected in fluid communication with a cooling fluid source at the surface of the subterranean formation outside the wellbore;
wherein at least one of the plurality of baffles comprises radially inner and outer dielectric rings defining a gap between the radially inner and outer rings in which a respective ring-shaped choke core rests, and wherein the inner dielectric ring has a plurality of inner fluid passageways within the inner dielectric ring defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

11. The choke assembly of claim 10 wherein said transmission line comprises a coaxial transmission line also to be coupled in fluid communication with the cooling fluid source.

12. The choke assembly of claim 10 wherein at least one other baffle comprises a radial inner ring and a plurality of radial arms extending outward from the inner ring in which a respective ring-shaped choke rests, the radial arms defining a plurality of outer fluid passageways radially outside of the respective ring-shaped choke and defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

13. The choke assembly of claim 10 wherein at least one other baffle comprises radial inner and outer rings defining a gap between the radially inner and outer rings in which a respective ring-shaped choke core rests, and wherein the outer dielectric ring has a plurality of outer fluid passageways within the outer dielectric ring defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

14. The choke assembly of claim 10 wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores comprises a first group of ring-shaped choke cores each having a first width, and a second group of ring-shaped choke cores each having a second width different than the first width.

15. The choke assembly of claim 10 wherein said plurality of ring-shaped choke cores comprises a first group having a first spacing between corresponding adjacent ring-shaped chokes, and a second group having a second spacing between corresponding adjacent ring-shaped choke cores different than the first spacing.

16. A method for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein, the method comprising:
positioning a plurality of ring-shaped choke cores and a plurality of baffles surrounding a transmission line, each baffle spacing an adjacent pair of ring-shaped choke cores apart, and positioning a sleeve surrounding the plurality of ring-shaped choke cores and baffles and defining a cooling fluid path for the plurality of ring-shaped choke cores;
positioning a radio frequency (RF) antenna and the transmission line within the wellbore so that the transmission line is coupled with the RF antenna;
coupling the cooling fluid path in fluid communication with a cooling fluid source at the surface of the subterranean formation outside the wellbore; and
applying an RF signal to the transmission line using an RF source;
wherein at least one of the plurality of baffles comprises radially inner and outer dielectric rings defining a gap between the radially inner and outer rings in which a respective ring-shaped choke core rests, and wherein the inner dielectric ring has a plurality of inner fluid passageways within the inner dielectric ring defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmission line comprises a coaxial transmission line; and further comprising coupling the coaxial transmission line in fluid communication with the cooling fluid source.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one other baffle comprises a radial inner ring and a plurality of radial arms extending outward from the inner ring in which a respective ring-shaped choke rests, the radial arms defining a plurality of outer fluid passageways radially outside of the respective ring-shaped choke and defining portions of the cooling fluid path.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one other baffle comprises radial inne

Assignees

• Harris Corp

Inventors

• Wright Brian
• Hann Murray
• Hewit Raymond C
• Hibner Verlin
• Trautman Mark
• White John Emory

Classifications

• E21B47/122

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B43/2401 Primary

  by means of electricity · CPC title

• E21B43/24

  using heat, e.g. steam injection · CPC title

• E21B47/13

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title

• E21B43/2406 Primary

  Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD] · CPC title