An apparatus and method for electromagnetic heating of a hydrocarbon formation. The method involves providing electrical power to at least one electromagnetic wave generator for generating high frequency alternating current; using the electromagnetic wave generator to generate high frequency alternating current; using at least one pipe to define at least one of at least two transmission line conductors; coupling the transmission line conductors to the electromagnetic wave generator; and applying the high frequency alternating current to excite the transmission line conductors. The excitation of the transmission line conductors can propagate an electromagnetic wave within the hydrocarbon formation. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining that a hydrocarbon formation between the transmission line conductors is at least substantially desiccated; and applying a radiofrequency electromagnetic current to excite the transmission line conductors. The radiofrequency electromagnetic current radiates to a hydrocarbon formation surrounding the transmission line conductors.

An electrical heating device comprising a support and a heating layer made of carbon fibre composite on the support mid connected to an electrical power supply to warm the device. The heating layer has a volume which comprises an electrically conducting circuit part which extends along at least one continuous line, and an electrically non-conducting insulation part which fills the remainder of the volume of the heating layer.

An electrical installation for an electrical system for trace heating a fluid transport pipe (8) made of metal, at least one polyphase circuit having three main electric cables (6-1, 6-4, and 6-7) in a star connection, and one additional electric cable (6-2, 6-3, 6-5, 6-6, 6-8, and 6-9), the main cables and the additional cable positioned around the pipe and connected at the pipeline end to a common connection ring (10) forming a point of zero electric potential, and detector for detecting a failure, if any, of the polyphase circuit to identify a failed main cable in order to replace it with the additional cable.

A process and system for in situ electrical heating of a hydrocarbon bearing formation includes a tool capable of being lowered down a well casing. The tool has a plurality of metal arms capable of extending radially within a secondary well casing. Each of the metal arms includes an injection electrode, a bucking electrode, and first and second monitoring electrodes. An insulating member is mounted to each metal arm. The insulating member is arranged and designed to make contact with the casing and prevent the metal arm from directly contacting the casing. A switch is provided that is capable of being electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes of one metal arm at a time. A logging cable having a plurality of wires connected at one end to the switch and a second end to instrumentation at the ground surface.

Embodiments of the invention provide an electric heat trace (EHT) control system for use with a piping system having pipes and capable of transporting a fluid. The EHT control system includes an EHT circuit for heating the piping system, a temperature sensor outputting a temperature value, a flow status sensor outputting a flow status value, and an EHT management system. The EHT management system can include a controller connected to the EHT circuit in order to selectively energize the EHT circuit. The controller can be connected to the temperature sensor in order to receive the temperature value and the flow status sensor in order to receive the flow status value. The controller can be configured to execute an EHT management program including the steps of receiving the temperature value, receiving the flow status value, and utilizing the temperature value and/or the flow status value to determine whether or not to energize the EHT circuit.

An apparatus and method for electromagnetic heating of a hydrocarbon formation. The method involves providing a producer well, which defines a longitudinal axis, between at least a first and second transmission line conductor. At a reference location along the length of the longitudinal axis, the first and second transmission line conductors are laterally spaced from the producer well by a first and second reference distance, respectively. At a second location, the first and second transmission line conductors are laterally spaced from the producer well by a third and fourth distance, respectively. At least one of the third and fourth distances are greater than the first and second reference distances, respectively. Excitation of the transmission line conductors generates an electromagnetic field having a reference shape and a reference position at the reference location and at least one of a more elongated shape and a different position at the second location.

A vaporizer device and associated methodology for providing accurate sampling through substantially efficient, complete and uniform single pass vaporization of a liquid sample by avoiding liquid pre-vaporization and downtime attributable to system damage from incomplete vaporization, particularly in the distribution, transportation, and custody transfer of natural gas. The vaporizer device includes at least one input port for receiving a liquid sample, a channel for directing the liquid to a vaporizer core and a heating assembly within the vaporizer core configured to flash vaporize the liquid sample. The vaporized sample can then be passed to an outlet for sample analysis.

An apparatus and method for electromagnetic heating of a hydrocarbon formation. The method involves providing a producer well, which defines a longitudinal axis, between at least a first and second transmission line conductor. At a reference location along the length of the longitudinal axis, the first and second transmission line conductors are laterally spaced from the producer well by a first and second reference distance, respectively. At a second location, the first and second transmission line conductors are laterally spaced from the producer well by a third and fourth distance, respectively. At least one of the third and fourth distances are greater than the first and second reference distances, respectively. Excitation of the transmission line conductors generates an electromagnetic field having a reference shape and a reference position at the reference location and at least one of a more elongated shape and a different position at the second location.

A subsea installation for heating a multiphase effluent circulating inside a subsea shell, includes at least one pipeline section disposed along a vertical direction and has an inner tube, an outer tube disposed around the inner tube while being coaxial therewith, a thermal insulation layer, and a system for heating by induction the outer tube. The outer tube has at a lower end an intake aperture to allow circulation of the multiphase effluent from bottom to top in an annular space delimited between the outer tube and the inner tube. The inner tube opening is at an upper end inside the outer tube and emerges at a lower end towards a discharge outlet for the multiphase effluent to allow counter-current circulation of the multiphase effluent from top to bottom inside the inner tube.

A subsea direct electric heating system has a subsea pipeline which has an electrically conducting pipeline material, and a first piggyback cable extending along a portion of the subsea pipeline, electrically connected in series with the subsea pipeline. The system further comprises a topside AC power supply and a power feeder cable which extends from the topside AC power supply to a subsea location. The power feeder cable feeds electric power to the first piggyback cable and the pipeline, resulting in a heating of the pipeline. In order to improve power conditions in the system, the arrangement for reducing the reactive component of the power comprises the power feeder cable, the power feeder cable having a distributed capacitance which is sufficient, in the absence of a capacitor, to result in a power factor of an electric circuit comprising the power feeder cable, the subsea pipeline and the piggyback cable in the range 0.9 to 1.0.