Borehole Filter Assembly for Contaminant Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
During hydrocarbon extraction and fracking, contaminants and greenhouse gases escape through gaps in the cement annulus of boreholes, contaminating water supplies and releasing gases into the atmosphere, as existing sealing methods are ineffective in preventing leaks below the surface.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an outer casing and a production pipe with a filter assembly that includes a lower solids filtering stage and an upper fluids filtering stage, configured to capture contaminants before they enter a water permeable layer or are released into the atmosphere, utilizing perforated and non-perforated filter modules with chemical or physical media like zeolite and activated carbon, and a sealing mechanism to prevent uncontrolled leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cement is placed in the annulus between the casing and the surrounding rock to seal the borehole, then contamination of water supplies and release of greenhouse gases is prevented, but the cement may deteriorate over time causing gaps to form and sealing to fail
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple functional segments: an inner seal assembly that interfaces with the production pipe, an outer seal assembly that interfaces with the casing, and a bridging element that connects them. This segmentation allows each component to address specific sealing challenges independently, with the inner seal preventing contaminant migration at the pipe interface and the outer seal maintaining cement integrity at the casing interface.
Solution Approach 2:
A bridging element is introduced as an intermediary component between the inner and outer seal assemblies. This mediator transfers and distributes sealing forces across the annular space, ensuring that sealing pressure is applied uniformly to both the inner and outer seals while maintaining their relative positions and preventing gap formation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the casing and cement are used to seal the borehole, then contaminants are contained, but it is difficult or impossible to fix leaks that occur below the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly incorporates movable and adjustable components that can be dynamically positioned and maintained. The inner and outer seal assemblies can be adjusted relative to each other through the bridging element, allowing for compensation of settling, expansion, and other dynamic borehole conditions that may cause leaks, thereby maintaining sealing effectiveness without requiring surface intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system is designed to be self-regulating and self-maintaining through its mechanical configuration. The bridging element automatically distributes sealing forces and maintains contact between seal components and their interfaces, enabling the system to compensate for minor displacements and maintain sealing integrity without external intervention or repair.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a filter assembly is added to capture contaminants, then water contamination and atmospheric gas release are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is merged with the seal assembly, combining the sealing function and contaminant capture function into a single integrated structure. The inner and outer seal assemblies serve dual purposes: maintaining the seal while simultaneously providing filtration surfaces. This merging eliminates the need for separate filter components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining both sealing and filtration effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively captures solid and fluid contaminants, reducing the risk of water contamination and atmospheric gas release, enhancing the extraction efficiency by purifying gases before they reach the surface and storing them for further processing.
Implementation Method 1
a lower solids filtering stage configured to filter solid contaminants
Implementation Method 2
an upper fluids filtering stage configured to filter fluid contaminants migrating from the production zone through the lower solids filtering stage
Implementation Method 3
utilizing perforated and non-perforated filter modules with chemical or physical media like zeolite and activated carbon
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for contaminant extraction in a borehole extending from a surface of the Earth through a water permeable layer and into an underlying production zone, the system comprising: an outer casing located within the borehole and extending through the water permeable layer; a production pipe located within the casing and extending towards the production zone; a filter assembly occupying at least part of an intermediate zone between the outer casing and the production pipe, wherein the filter assembly is configured to capture contaminants before they enter the water permeable layer and/or before they are released into the atmosphere, the filter assembly comprising: a lower solids filtering stage configured to filter solid contaminants; and an upper fluids filtering stage configured to filter fluid contaminants migrating from the production zone through the lower solids filtering stage; and sealing means for preventing the uncontrolled leakage of contaminants from the intermediate zone. Methods for contaminant extraction, a contaminant filtration system and solid and fluid filter modules are also disclosed.