Slurry Injection Well Control for Contained Waste Disposal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The management of massive waste streams generated by oil and gas production, as well as other industries, poses challenges in safe and cost-effective disposal, particularly in ensuring optimal injection into subsurface formations without breaching containment boundaries or causing environmental harm.
Innovation Solution
A combination of data-mining, engineering, and software for computerized subsurface simulation is used to optimize slurrification and disposal by pressure pumping, incorporating real-time feedback and automated equipment control to ensure safe and efficient injection into targeted zones, utilizing a Well Management System for real-time data analysis and facility automation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressure pumping is used to dispose of waste into subsurface formations, then disposal capacity and productivity are improved, but the risk of breaching containment boundaries and causing environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system using sensors to monitor injection pressure, flow rate, and formation characteristics in real-time. This feedback is fed into a control system that automatically adjusts injection parameters to maintain safe operating conditions while maximizing disposal capacity. The feedback mechanism enables continuous optimization of the injection process to balance productivity with containment safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs automated control algorithms that self-regulate the injection process based on real-time data from sensors and subsurface models. The control system automatically adjusts pump rates, pressure parameters, and injection schedules without human intervention, enabling the system to self-optimize for both maximum disposal capacity and minimum environmental risk.
2Reliability
If real-time monitoring and automated control systems are implemented, then safety and containment reliability are improved, but device complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to perform multiple functions: monitoring injection parameters, predicting subsurface conditions, optimizing injection schedules, and adjusting pump operations. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single integrated system, the patent reduces overall complexity while maintaining high containment reliability through comprehensive real-time control.
3Productivity
If subsurface simulation and data analysis are used to optimize injection parameters, then disposal efficiency and productivity are improved, but the time required for analysis and decision-making increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary subsurface modeling and simulation before actual injection operations begin. Pre-injection analyses establish baseline parameters, predict formation responses, and optimize injection schedules in advance. This preliminary action reduces the need for time-consuming real-time analysis during injection operations, thereby maintaining high productivity while minimizing analysis time.
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
This approach enables safe, cost-effective, and optimized disposal of waste by ensuring containment within targeted zones, minimizing environmental risk and maximizing disposal capacity through real-time data-driven adjustments and automated facility operations.
Implementation Method 1
disposal of waste by pressure pumping into a subsurface formation
Data Source
AI summary
A computerized method for management of a slurry injection well and the associated surface facility. The method utilizes real time and historical data of injection and slurry parameters in conjunction with computer simulations on a computer-modelled reservoir to predict well behavior during one or a series of injection events. The system determines optimized injection operation schedules, recommends and implements changes to an injection operation, including while in process such as through automated equipment control.