Acceleware, a leading developer of technologies targeting low-cost and clean extraction of heavy oil and bitumen, including enabling the development of low-carbon bitumen beyond combustion initiatives, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted patent No. 10,760,392, Apparatus and Methods for Electromagnetic Heating of Hydrocarbon Formations. The Patent’s claims protect the fundamental design and operational elements that are key to delivering the numerous benefits of RF XL, including higher efficiencies, lower capital and operating costs, and cleaner extraction when compared to other oil sands and heavy oil production methods. Receipt of the Patent is an important milestone in Acceleware’s drive to successfully commercialize its revolutionary RF XL technology.   

The Patent’s claims protect numerous aspects of the RF XL system, including the concept of an underground lossy transmission line as the method of delivering electromagnetic energy into the geological formation in an efficient and scalable manner. The simplicity of the resulting heating and recovery system is not only expected to be far less capital intensive to build and operate than a steam-assisted gravity drainage (“SAGD”) scheme, but is also expected to have significant environmental benefits. The Patent’s claims outline a system that requires no external water, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with production to almost zero (depending on electricity source), and does not require the use of solvents.  

“This Patent represents the cornerstone of Acceleware’s portfolio of intellectual property (“IP”) related to our RF XL technology and  we are very pleased to have it granted while we work to complete our commercial pilot at Marwayne,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Acceleware. “In addition, we continue to generate new IP and file additional patent applications to further protect RF XL and other technologies that can support our long- term vision of Acceleware playing a meaningful role in the world’s transition to a prosperous, energy-rich and low-carbon future.” 

Key claims in the Patent that differentiate RF XL from other RF technologies developed or tested to date include: 

• RF XL uses an open (lossy)transmission line instead of asingle well dipole antenna; 
• The open transmission line design allows thedelivery of high levels of RF power,resulting in economic recovery of resources without added solvents; 
• The open transmission line allows for low frequency operation which results in materially lower transmission losses compared to high frequency (dipole) systems;
• Lower frequency operation allows for the use of solid-state silicon carbide transistors in the RF generation electronics, further increasing efficiency and reducing capital costs; 
• The open transmission line eliminates the need for complex, expensive, failure-prone and lossy chokes and matching circuits that are common to dipole antenna-based designs; and 
• The RF XL transmission line concept supports long heating well length (500mto2000m) with attractive conformance levels, compared with uneven heating and lower length limits for dipole-based systems. 

The commercial implications of these design elements are significant and pave the way for efficient electrification of thermal enhanced oil recovery, while opening the door for heavy oil to potentially expand into low-carbon production of hydrogen, carbon fibre, and other “bitumen beyond combustion” uses. The Patent, along with others that have been granted to the Company or are pending, is expected to provide broad protection for the RF XL design as well as design improvements which increase the system’s efficiency and extend its reach into different markets and applications.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Acceleware