Low-pressure method and apparatus of producing hydrocarbons from an underground formation using electric resistive heating and solvent injection

摘要

A method of producing hydrocarbons from an underground formation having an array of horizontal wells has the steps of: inserting one or more heater strings into at least one heater well section, the heater string comprising a heating element and a flow passage for transporting fluid from a fluid input to at least one injection port; activating the heating element of the heater string to heat the formation sufficient to produce hydrocarbons from the formation immediately adjacent to the at least one heater well section; heating and injecting a solvent into the at least one heater well in the gaseous phase through the at least one injection port of the heater string such that the solvent is injected into the voidage in the at least one heater well section created by the produced hydrocarbons; and producing hydrocarbons from at least one producer well.