848 results about "Formation fluid" patented technology

A hydrocarbon containing formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H.sub.2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. A heating rate to a selected volume of the formation may be controlled by altering an amount of heating energy per day that is provided to the selected volume.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for high resolution spectroscopy (approximately 10 picometer wavelength resolution) using a tunable optical filter (TOF) for analyzing a formation fluid sample downhole and at the surface to determine formation fluid parameters. The analysis comprises determination of gas oil ratio, API gravity and various other fluid parameters which can be estimated after developing correlations to a training set of samples using a neural network or a chemometric equation.

An arrangement for restricting the inflow of formation water from an underground formation to a hydrocarbon producing well, where, between the underground formation and a production tubing (38) located in the well, there is disposed at least one flow chamber (3, 33) connected to the production tubing (38), the flow chamber (3, 33), preferably via a filter (2) in one portion, being open to inflow of formation fluid and in communication with the production tubing (38) via at least one opening (7, 32), and where the flow chamber (3, 33) is provided with at least one free-floating body (4, 34) with approximately the same density as the formation water, the at least one body (4, 34) being designed by means of the closing of at least one opening (32) or choking, to reduce the inflow of formation water to the production tubing (38).

Devices and methods for control flow of formation fluids respect to one or more selected parameter relating to the wellbore fluid. In one embodiment, a flow control device for controlling fluid flow into the production tubular uses a flow restriction member that is actuated by a character change of the formation fluid, such as liquid to gas or oil to water. The flow restriction member can be sensitive to a change in density of the formation fluid. The flow restriction member is passive, self-regulating and does not need any power source or control signal to control fluid flow. In one embodiment, the flow control device automatically rotates into a predetermined orientation upon being positioned in the wellbore. A seal disposed on the flow control devices expands into sealing engagement with an enclosure after the flow control device assumed the desired predetermined position.

A system is provided that monitors at the wellsite injection of additives into formation fluids recovered through wellbores and controls the supply of such additives from remote locations. A pump supplies the selected additive from a source at the wellsite into the wellbore via a suitable supply line. A flow meter in the supply line measures the flow rate of the additive through the supply line and generates signals representative of the flow rate. A controller at the wellsite determines the flow rate from the flow meter signals and in response thereto controls the pump to control the flow rate of the additive to the well. The wellsite controller interfaces with a suitable two-way communication link and transmits signals and data representative of the flow rate, and other parameters to a second remote controller. The remote controller transmits command signals to the wellsite controller representative of any change desired for the flow rate. The wellsite controller is microprocessor based and may be programmed at the wellsite or by the remote controller to adjust the flow rate. The system of the present invention may be configured for multiple wells, with each well having a separate wellsite controller or a common wellsite controller.

Certain embodiments provide a method for treating a subsurface formation. The method includes using heaters to form a heated portion of the subsurface formation. A production conduit is used to direct formation fluid in a vapor phase from the heated portion of the subsurface formation towards a surface of the subsurface formation. Condensate of the vapor phase formation fluid is formed in or near the production conduit. Condensate of the vapor phase formation fluid is diverted to a desired location.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determination of the quality of a formation fluid sample including monitoring permeability and mobililty versus time to determine a filtrate contamination level, single phase state without gas and solids in the formation fluid, as it existed in the formation and the determination of laminar flow from the formation. The present invention also enables determination of an optimal pumping rate to match the ability of a subsurface formation to produce a single phase formation fluid sample in minimum time. The method and apparatus also detect pumping problems such as sanding and loss of seal with borehole.

The present invention contemplates implementation of transitory downhole video imaging and/or spectral imaging for the characterization of formation fluid samples in situ, as well as during flow through production tubing, including subsea flow lines, for permanent and/or long term installations. The present invention contemplates various methods and apparatus that facilitate one-time or ongoing downhole fluid characterization by video analysis in real time. The methods and systems may be particularly well suited to permanent and periodic intervention-based operations.

A well fluid sampling tool is provided. The sampling tool includes at least one insulated sample chamber mounted in a tool collar. The tool collar may be coupled with a drill string such that, when the tool collar is deployed in a well bore, selected sample chambers may receive a fluid sample from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore (e.g., during measurement while drilling or logging while drilling operations). A heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers is disposed to selectively heat the sample chambers in thermal communication therewith. The sampling tool may be particularly useful for acquiring and preserving substantially pristine formation fluid samples.

Method and apparatus for providing real-time data indicative of the isotopic composition of formation fluids during drilling. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a reference fluid having a known isotopic composition in a reference cell; (b) capturing a sample of formation; (c) providing at least one laser beam; (e) passing a beam through the reference fluid, measuring the reference-measurement beam before and after it passes through the reference fluid; (f) and passing a beam through the sample, measuring the beam before and after it passes through the sample, and calculating a first isotope concentration from those measurements. The measurements can provide information relating to the carbon isotopic composition of individual compounds in hydrocarbon gas mixtures, with the individual compounds including methane, ethane, propane, iso- or normal butane, or iso- or normal pentane.

The disclosure, in one aspect, provides a method for estimating a property of a fluid that includes: pumping an ultraviolet (UV) light into a fluid withdrawn from a formation downhole at a wavelength that produces light due to the Raman effect at wavelengths that are shorter than the substantial wavelengths of fluorescent light produced from the fluid; detecting a spectrum corresponding to the Raman effect light (“Raman spectrum”); and processing the detected Raman spectrum at one or more selected wavelengths to estimate a property of the fluid. In another aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes a laser that induces UV light at a selected wavelength into a fluid in a chamber, a detector that detects Raman scattered light at wavelengths shorter than the wavelengths of the fluorescent light scattered by the fluid, and a processor that analyzes a spectrum corresponding the Raman scattered light at a selected wavelength to estimate a property of the fluid.