Reservoir-Derived Tracer Particles for Stable Water-Flow Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracer particles used in petroleum reservoirs are unstable and less transportable under high temperature and salinity conditions, requiring complex processing and multiple steps for analysis.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing precursor particles isolated from petroleum reservoirs, labeled with tags to form tracer particles, which are more stable and transportable, allowing for simpler methods to determine water-filled pore volumes and track water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synthetic tracer particles are used, then the tracer particles can be manufactured with controlled properties, but they are unstable and less transportable under high temperature and salinity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter of tracer particles from synthetic materials to naturally occurring precursor particles isolated from petroleum reservoirs. This parameter change enables the tracer particles to be stable and transportable under high temperature and salinity conditions while simplifying the manufacturing process, as the precursor particles are directly obtained from the reservoir environment rather than requiring complex synthetic manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes naturally occurring precursor particles that are isolated from the petroleum reservoir itself, effectively using the reservoir's own materials as the tracer medium. This approach eliminates the need for expensive and complex synthetic tracer particle manufacturing, while the particles are designed to be consumed or transformed during their function in the reservoir.
2Measurement precision
If complex processing methods are used to prepare and analyze tracer particles, then measurement precision can be improved, but the number of processing steps and time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs precursor particles that are naturally isolated from the petroleum reservoir environment, allowing them to serve their own function as tracers without requiring extensive external processing. The particles are directly obtained from the reservoir through filtration or separation processes, eliminating the need for complex synthetic manufacturing and multiple analysis steps, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and isolates precursor particles directly from the petroleum reservoir using filtration or separation methods. This extraction approach simplifies the overall process by obtaining the tracer material directly from the environment where it will be used, rather than requiring complex manufacturing and multiple processing steps for preparation and analysis.
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 tracer particles provide stable and efficient tracking of water flow and pore volumes with fewer processing steps, enabling accurate reservoir analysis under harsh conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The precursor particle is isolated from produced water from a petroleum reservoir by ultrafiltration or cross-flow filtration.
Implementation Method 2
The precursor particle is isolated from produced water from a petroleum reservoir by ultrafiltration or cross-flow filtration.
Implementation Method 3
The surface of the tracer particle comprises at least one member selected from a polyethylene glycol (PEG), an antibody, a peptide, an organic dye, a paramagnetic functional group, and a super magnetic functional group.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to compositions and methods that include tracer particles that include precursor particles isolated from a petroleum reservoir and a plurality of tags. The tracer particles can be used for different hydrocarbon reservoir applications, including determining the volume of water-filled pores between wells in a petroleum reservoir and tracking water flow through a petroleum reservoir.