A Modular System for Radio Frequency Heating of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs
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2019-10-29
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Abstract
Radio frequency (RF) heating is an enhanced oil recovery method with the potential to revolutionize oil sands resource development. In the author's opinion, RF heating currently faces four major practical challenges: heating pattern control, downhole transmission loss, sensitivity to changing reservoir environments and the cost and efficiency of RF generation. This thesis pursues a system concept and laboratory prototypes that can address these issues. The first two challenges can be addressed using a modular system. Sensitivity to the reservoir can be resolved using a single conductor transmission line launcher with two coaxial discontinuities and field quasi-symmetry, which was validated using a frequency-scaled prototype. Power combined switching oscillators can ensure high-efficiency RF generation at high output power, while the use of silicon carbide transistor technology can prospectively reduce cost while providing ruggedness. A new E/Fodd oscillator was devised and a prototype using two power combined oscillators is presented.
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Apperley, T. (2019). A Modular System for Radio Frequency Heating of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.