48 results about "Subsurface sediments" patented technology

A method of determination of fluid pressures in a subsurface region of the earth uses seismic velocities and calibrations relating the seismic velocities to the effective stress on the subsurface sediments. The seismic velocities may be keyed to defined seismic horizons and may be obtained from many methods, including velocity spectra, post-stack inversion, pre-stack inversion, VSP or tomography. Overburden stresses may be obtained from density logs, relations between density and velocity, or from inversion of potential fields data. The seismic data may be P-P, P-S, or S-S data. The calibrations may be predetermined or may be derived from well information including well logs and well pressure measurements. The calibrations may also include the effect of unloading. The determined pressures may be used in the analysis of fluid flow in reservoirs, basin and prospect modeling and in fault integrity analysis.

This invention relates to systems and methods for converting biomass into highly inert carbon. Specifically, some embodiments densify the carbon into anthracite-style carbon aggregations and store it in geologically stable underground deposits. The use of certain embodiments yield a net effect of removing atmospheric carbon via the process of photosynthesis and converting it into hard coal, which can be stored in underground beds that mimic existing coal deposits which are known to be stable for thousands of years.

Hydrocarbons are extracted from a target formation, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil and petroleum reservoirs, by apparatus and methods which cause fracturing of the containment rock and liquification or volatization of the hydrocarbons by microwave energy directed by a radiating antenna in the target formation.

Hydrocarbons are extracted from a target formation, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil and petroleum reservoirs, by apparatus and methods which cause fracturing of the containment rock and liquification or volatization of the hydrocarbons by microwave energy directed by a radiating antenna in the target formation.

A method for processing magnetotelluric signals to identify subterranean deposits is provided for. The methods comprise obtaining magnetotelluric data from an area of interest. The magnetotelluric data comprises the amplitude of magnetotelluric signals recorded over time at one or more defined locations in the area of interest. The data for each location then is filtered through a set of frequency filters. The frequency filters correspond to subterranean depths over a range of interest. Amplitude peaks in the filtered data then are identified and analyzed to determine a value correlated to the resistance of the earth at each frequency and location. The resistance values are indicative of the presence or absence of deposits at the corresponding subterranean depth. Preferably, the amplitude data is power normalized across all locations in the survey, a gain factor is applied to the resistance values to scale the values for depth variation, and the resistance values are displayed as a depth-location plot for interpretation.

According to one embodiment, a system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes a well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, and a well bore pattern connected to the junction and operable to drain fluid from a region of the subterranean zone to the junction.

According to one embodiment, a system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes a well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, and a well bore pattern connected to the junction and operable to drain fluid from a region of the subterranean zone to the junction.

According to one embodiment, a system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes a well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, and a well bore pattern connected to the junction and operable to drain fluid from a region of the subterranean zone to the junction.

According to one embodiment, a system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes a well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, and a well bore pattern connected to the junction and operable to drain fluid from a region of the subterranean zone to the junction.

According to one embodiment, a system for accessing a subterranean zone from the surface includes a well bore extending from the surface to the subterranean zone, and a well bore pattern connected to the junction and operable to drain fluid from a region of the subterranean zone to the junction.

A biodegradable and environmentally friendly oil external emulsion for the removal of asphaltenes, paraffin's, and / or scales which accumulate in the well bores and walls of the pipes used to bring the oil up from the underground deposits, and methods of using and formulating the composition are disclosed. The emulsion comprises oil extracted from orange peels as the external continuous phase and acid as the internal phase. The emulsion has a particular utility in cleaning asphaltenes and paraffin residues from the well formation surface, well cuttings, and down hole and surface oil well drilling and production equipment.

Improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with a drainage pattern that intersects a horizontal cavity well. The drainage patterns provide access to a large subterranean area from the surface while the vertical cavity well allows entrained water, hydrocarbons, and other deposits to be efficiently removed and / or produced.

Improved An improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with a drainage pattern that intersects a horizontal cavity well. The drainage patterns provide access to a large subterranean area from the surface while the vertical cavity well allows entrained water, hydrocarbons, and other deposits to be efficiently removed and / or produced.

A method and device evaluate simultaneously, with the same equipment, physical parameters such as the absolute permeability and the porosity of fragments taken from a fragmented natural or artificial porous medium. The porosity of the fragments is measured by means of helium pressure tests according to a protocol known in the art. The chamber (1) containing the fragments is communicated with a tank (11) whose volume is also known and containing helium at a known pressure. At pressure balance, the value of the solid volume can be deduced. The rock envelope volume and the fragments mass are also measured. Combining these measurements allows to determine the porosity of the samples and the density of the rock. Their permeability is then measured by immersing them in a viscous fluid and by communicating the chamber with viscous fluid at a determined pressure contained in a vessel (9) so as to compress the gas trapped in the pores of the rock, according to two different protocols. The values of the physical parameters are determined by modelling the evolution of the pressure or of the volume in the chamber and by means of an iterative adjustment.

Hydrocarbons are extracted from a target formation, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil and petroleum reservoirs, by apparatus and methods which cause fracturing of the containment rock and liquification or volatization of the hydrocarbons by microwave energy directed by a radiating antenna in the target formation.

A control system for use in extracting hydrocarbons from an underground deposit is disclosed that comprises an electromagnetic heating system and a processor. The electromagnetic heating system is configured to heat the underground deposit to facilitate fluid flow of a resource for extraction from the underground deposit. The processor is configured to control the electromagnetic heating system in response to temperature data and pressure data for the underground deposit. The processor correlates the temperature data and pressure data with predetermined water phase characteristics to control the electromagnetic heating system so that substantially all water in the underground deposit is maintained in a liquid state. The control system may also generate voxel data corresponding to spatial characteristics of the underground deposit. The spatial characteristics may be presented as a map on a display.

A method for forming a model simulating production, by an underground reservoir subject to depletion, of hydrocarbons comprising notably relatively high-viscosity oils. From laboratory measurements of the respective volumes of oil and gas produced by rock samples from the reservoir subject to depletion, and the relative permeabilities (Kr) of rock samples to hydrocarbons, a model of the formation and flow of the gas fraction is used to determine a volume transfer coefficient (hv) by means of an empirical function representing the distribution of nuclei that can be activated at a pressure P (function N(P)) which is calibrated with reference to the previous measurements. Considering that the nuclei distribution N(P) in the reservoir rocks is the same as the distribution measured in the laboratory, the numerical transfer coefficient corresponding thereto in the reservoir at selected depletion rates is determined using the gas fraction formation and flow model, which allows predicting the relative permeabilities in the reservoir and the production thereof which is useful for reservoir engineering. Method for forming a model allowing to simulate the production, by an underground reservoir subjected to depletion, of hydrocarbons comprising notably relatively high-viscosity oils. From laboratory measurements of the respective volumes of oil and gas produced by rock samples from the reservoir and subjected to depletion, and the relative permeabilities (Kr) of rock samples to hydrocarbons, a model of the formation and flow of the gas fraction is used to determine a volume transfer coefficient (hv) by means of an empirical function representing the distribution of nuclei that can be activated at a pressure P (function N(P)) which is calibrated with reference to the previous measurements. Considering that the nuclei distribution N(P) in the reservoir rocks is the same as the distribution measured in the laboratory, the numerical transfer coefficient corresponding thereto in the reservoir at selected depletion rates is determined using the gas fraction formation and flow model, which allows to predict the relative permeabilities in the reservoir and the production thereof. Applications notably reservoir engineering.

The invention relates to a method for exploiting (EXP) a subsurface deposit comprising at least one outcrop, the exploitation (EXP) of the deposit is based on a geological model (MOD) formed from a photogrammetry. The method reconstructs the geological outcrops in three dimensions (R3D) from photographs (PHO), and interprets the geological elements thereof, such as the sedimentary surfaces, the geological facies, the fault lines and the fractures, the inclination of the beds, etc. to construct a geological model of the deposit (MOD).

This invention relates to systems and methods for converting biomass into highly inert carbon. Specifically, some embodiments densify the carbon into anthracite-style carbon aggregations and store it in geologically stable underground deposits. The use of certain embodiments yield a net effect of removing atmospheric carbon via the process of photosynthesis and converting it into hard coal, which can be stored in underground beds that mimic existing coal deposits which are known to be stable for thousands of years.

A method for extracting bitumen and / or extra-heavy oil from an underground deposit is provided. The energy for producing the steam and for the electric heating is generated in situ, for which purpose part of the extracted bitumen and / or extra-heavy oil is burned in an industrial turbine with a downstream generator coupled to the turbine. The industrial turbine may be a gas turbine or a steam turbine. In particular the industrial turbine with downstream generator is assigned a waste heat recovery steam generator which serves for generating the steam and accordingly takes the form of a boiler. Through intermediate storage of the bitumen and / or ultra-heavy oil produced it is possible to implement a self-contained closed circuit which operates autonomously, independently of any external energy supply, using approx. 20% of the extracted bitumen and / or extra-heavy oil for the purposes of extraction.

A method of geologic exploration for subsurface deposits includes the steps of: emitting energy below a surface of the earth; sensing a plurality of reactive electro-magnetic waves resulting from the emitted energy; outputting signals from a plurality of sensors to a vehicle corresponding to the sensed reactive electro-magnetic waves; determining position data for the plurality of sensors; generating position marked data corresponding to the outputted signals and the position data; uploading the position marked data from the vehicle to a satellite; and relaying the position marked data from the satellite to a remote analyzing station.

A method for forming a model simulating production, by an underground reservoir subject to depletion, of hydrocarbons comprising notably relatively high-viscosity oils. From laboratory measurements of the respective volumes of oil and gas produced by rock samples from the reservoir subject to depletion, and the relative permeabilities (Kr) of rock samples to hydrocarbons, a model of the formation and flow of the gas fraction is used to determine a volume transfer coefficient (hv) by means of an empirical function representing the distribution of nuclei that can be activated at a pressure P (function N(P)) which is calibrated with reference to the previous measurements. Considering that the nuclei distribution N(P) in the reservoir rocks is the same as the distribution measured in the laboratory, the numerical transfer coefficient corresponding thereto in the reservoir at selected depletion rates is determined using the gas fraction formation and flow model, which allows predicting the relative permeabilities in the reservoir and the production thereof which is useful for reservoir engineering.

An installation for the in-situ extraction of a substance including hydrocarbons from an underground deposit is provided. The conductor and return conductor of the inductor lines are guided essentially vertically in the capping to the bottom of the deposit, at a small maximum lateral distance of 10 m compared to the length of the lines, but especially less than 5 m. Preferably, the inductor lines are guided horizontally in the deposit and are at different distances in certain areas. Furthermore, the electrical conductors and return conductors perpendicularly extending in the capping preferably combine to form a conductor pair. In this way, the conductor pair can be introduced into a single borehole which reaches into the reservoir and splits only once it has arrived in the reservoir.

Elemental sulfur is combined with either liquid anhydrous ammonia, liquid sulfur dioxide, or both to form a solution or slurry which is transportable through pipelines or other transport vessels without a risk of clogging due to the environmental temperature drops that these vessels typically encounter. This unusual behavior and the advantages it offers arise from the discovery of unexpected solubility vs. temperature relationships of elemental sulfur in each of these two carriers. Among the advantages are significant improvements in the economics of many industrial chemical processes that involve the presence of sulfur either in elemental or chemically combined form, including natural gas or tar sands production and processing, hydrogen sulfide abatement, hydrogen production without carbon dioxide emissions, and sulfur extraction from ores, subterranean deposits, depositories, or fouled impaired industrial facilities. Large-scale ramifications for energy and fertilizer mineral resource utilization, greenhouse gas abatement, hydrogen economy, and nitrogen fertilizer production are taught.

Method and device for determining the formation factor of underground zones from drill cuttings. The device comprises a cell (1) associated with a device for measuring the electrical conductivity of the cell with the content thereof. The cell containing the drill cuttings is filled with a first electrolyte solution (A) of known conductivity (σA). After saturation of the drill cuttings by first solution (A), the global electrical conductivity (σ*A) of the cell with the content thereof is determined. After discharging first solution (A), the cell containing the drill cuttings is filled with a second electrolyte solution (B) of known conductivity (σB), and the global electrical conductivity (σ*B) of the cell containing the second solution and the cuttings saturated with the first solution is determined. The cuttings formation factor (FF) is deduced therefrom by combination of the measurements.

An apparatus is provided for delivering a substance containing hydrocarbons from a reservoir. The reservoir can be subjected to thermal energy in order to reduce the viscosity of the substance. The apparatus includes at least one conductor loop for inductively applying current as an electric / electromagnetic heater. A conductor of the conductor loop is surrounded in at least one section by a liquid-carrying conduit. The liquid-carrying conduit is perforated such that when a liquid is supplied the liquid penetrates into the reservoir from the liquid-carrying conduit via a perforation.

A system and method for cracking, hydrogenating and extracting oil from underground deposits is presented. A system includes a gasifier, an injection well and a production well. The gasifier creates high pressure, high temperature syngas. The pressurized syngas flows through an injection well into a deposit of oil under the ground to crack and hydrogenate the oil to produce upgraded oil with a reduced density and viscosity. The production well of the system receives the reduced density and viscosity oil, transports it above the ground where it may be further separated into a portion that may be sold and a portion that can be gasified in the gasifier.

A control system for use in extracting hydrocarbons from an underground deposit is disclosed that comprises an electromagnetic heating system and a processor. The electromagnetic heating system is configured to heat the underground deposit to facilitate fluid flow of a resource for extraction from the underground deposit. The processor is configured to control the electromagnetic heating system in response to temperature data and pressure data for the underground deposit. The processor correlates the temperature data and pressure data with predetermined water phase characteristics to control the electromagnetic heating system so that substantially all water in the underground deposit is maintained in a liquid state. The control system may also generate voxel data corresponding to spatial characteristics of the underground deposit. The spatial characteristics may be presented as a map on a display.

The present invention pertains to a mineral exploitation method and, more specifically, to a method for extracting potassium salts from underground deposits. In the method according to the present invention, an intermediary stage is carried out between the primary mining and secondary mining stages, and in this intermediary stage sinks (8) are created that receive the water-immiscible fluid (9) used in the primary mining stage, exposing an amount of potassium chloride remaining on the cavern ceiling, at the end of the primary mining stage, which will be dissolved by a second solvent during the secondary mining stage.