AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
GEOLOGY OF PROJECT WAGQN WHEEL NUCLEAR STIMULATION PROJECT

Wagon Wheel is a project planned to stimulate gas reservoirs of the Pinedaie Anticline by means of nuclear explosives. The Pinedale Field, located in the northern portion of the Green River basin of southwest Wyoming, is potentially productive from nearly 10,000 feet of lower Fort Union, Lance-Lewis, and Mesaverde equivalent sandstones. Attempts to produce the field conventionally have proved uneconomical due to low permeability. The first nuclear stimulation experiment was Cuasbuggy, in northwest New Mexico, detonated in 1967 using a 29 kiloton explosive. Technical questions answered by Gasbuggy resulted in the program at Wagon Wheel, which is an actual attempt at economic use of nuclear energy.

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GEOLOGIC OVERVIEW, COAL, AND COALBED REGION, COLORADO,AND NEW MEXICO

The Raton Mesa region occupies approximately 2,200 square miles in southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. Original in-place coal reserves for minable coalbeds (at least 14 inches thick with less than 3,000 feet of overburden) were estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be more than 17 billion tons. More recent geological mapping and new subsurface information show this estimate to be conservative. Test results from the desorption of methane gas from coal cores indicate gas contents ranging from 25 to 490 cubic feet per ton of coal. These test results, used in conjunction with coal resource estimates, indicate that there is at least 8.0 and possibly 18.4 trillion cubic feet of coalbed methane gas present in the Raton Mesa region.

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The Utilization of the Microflora Indigenous to and Present in Oil-Bearing Formations to Selectively Plug the More Porous Zones Thereby Increasing Oil Recovery During Waterflooding

This project is a field demonstration of the ability of in-situ indigenous microorganisms in the North Blowhorn Creek Oil Field to reduce the flow of injection water in the more permeable zones thereby diverting flow to other areas of the reservoir and thus increase the efficiency of the waterflooding operation. This effect is to be accomplished by adding inorganic nutrients in the form of potassium nitrate and orthophosphate, to the injection water. Work on the project is divided into three phases, Planning and Analysis (9 months), Implementation (45 months), and Technology Transfer (12 months). In Phase I, which has been completed, the following results were obtained. Two new wells were drilled in the field and live cores were recovered. Analyses of the cores proved that viable microorganisms were present and since no sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were found, the area in which the wells were drilled, probably had not been impacted by injection water, since SRB were prevalent in fluids from most wells in the field. Laboratory waterflooding tests using live cores demonstrated that the rate of flow of simulated production water through the core increased with time when used alone while the rate of flow decreased when nitrate and phosphate salts were added to the simulated production water. Since there is only a small amount of pressure on the influent, the simulated production water was not forced to sweep other areas of the core (as would be expected in the reservoir since the water is injected under pressure). The field demonstration (Phase II) involves adding nutrients to four injector wells and monitoring the surrounding producers. The exact kind and amounts of nutrients to be employed and the schedule for their injection were formulated on the basis of the information obtained in the laboratory waterflooding tests conducted using the live cores from the field. Results  obtained in these tests will not only be compared to historical data for the wells but also to four injectors and their corresponding producers (control) which were chosen for their similarity to the four test patterns. A preliminary geological and petrophysical characterization of the reservoir has been made and baseline chemical and microbiological data obtained on all of the test and control wells in the first test pattern (two injector wells and nine producing wells). Injection of nutrients began in the first test well on November 21, 1994.

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Geologic Characterization and Assessment of In-Place Resources, Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary Low Permeability Gas-Bearing Strata, Wind River Basin, Wyoming

Prior to this study, very little work had been done on the tight gas accumulation in the Wind River Basin. In fact, so little was known that although identified, it was not assessed in the 1995 National Assessment (Gautier and others, 1995). The Wind River Basin is sparsely drilled when compared to other Rocky Mountain basins such as the Piceance, San Juan and Greater Green River basins, making it difficult to define the limits of the basin-centered accumulation. This paper summarizes the extensive work recently completed on this tight gas accumulation. For the complete results of the study please see Johnson and others (1996a; 1996b,212 ); and Nuccio and others (1996). The objectives of our investigations are to characterize the geology of the tight gas resources of the Wind River Basin, Wyoming and to assess in-place resources. These in-place numbers are used by the U.S. Geological Survey and other assessment groups to estimate recoverable resources using various economic and technological assumptions. Estimating recoverable resources is greatly aided by the detailed geologic investigations summarized here and presented in more detail in the publications mentioned above.

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THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL RESERVOIR CHARECTERIZATION CONFERENCE

Quantification of the spatial distribution of properties is important for many reservoir engineering applications. But, before applying any reservoir-characterization technique, the type of problem to be tackled and the information available should be analyzed. This is important because difficulties arise in reservoirs where production records are the only information for analysis. This paper presents the results of a practical technique to determine preferential flow trends in a reservoir. The technique is a combination of reservoir geology, tracer data, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient analysis. The Spearman analysis, in particular, will prove to be important because it appears to be insightful and uses injection/production data that are prevalent in circumstances where other data are nonexistent. The technique is applied to the North Buck Draw field, Campbell County, Wyoming. This work provides guidelines to assess information about reservoir continuity in interwell regions from widely available measurements of production and injection rates at existing wells. The information gained from the application of this technique can contribute to both the daily reservoir management and the future design, control, and interpretation of subsequent projects in the reservoir, without the need for additional data.

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ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF OFFSHORE AND COASTAL DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS ON PRESENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

The high potential costs of compliance associated with new effluent guidelines for offshore and coastal oil and gas operations could significantly affect the economics of finding, developing, and producing oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico. This report characterizes the potential economic impacts of alternative treatment and discharge regulations for produced water on reserves and production in Gulf of Mexico coastal, territorial and outer continental shelf (OCS) waters, quantifying the impacts of both recent regulatory changes and possible more stringent requirements. The treatment technologies capable of meeting these requirements are characterized in terms of cost, performance, and applicability to coastal and offshore situations. As part of this analysis, an extensive database was constructed that includes oil and gas production forecasts by field, data on existing platforms, and the current treatment methods in place for produced water treatment and disposal on offshore facilities. This work provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of alternative regulatory requirements for produced water management and disposal in coastal and offshore areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

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Increased Oil Production and Reserves from Improved Completion Techniques in the Bluebell Field, Uinta Basin, Utah

The Bluebell field produces from the Tertiary lower Green River and Wasatch Formations of the Uinta Basin, Utah. The productive interval consists of thousands of feet of interbedded fractured clastic and carbonate beds deposited in a fluvial dominated deltaic lacustrine environment. Wells in the Bluebell field are typically completed by perforating 40 or more beds over 1,000 to 3,000 vertical feet (300-900 m), then applying an acid-fracture stimulation treatment to the entire interval. This completion technique is believed to leave many potentially productive beds damaged and/or untreated, while allowing water-bearing and low-pressure (thief) zones to communicate with the wellbore. Geologic and engineering characterization has been used to define improved completion techniques.

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Greater Green River Basin Production Improvement Project

Several tight, naturally-fractured, gas-productive formations in the Greater Green River Basin (GGRB) in Wyoming have been exploited using conventional vertical well technology Typically, hydraulic fracture treatments must be performed in completing these wells to increase gas production rates to economic levels. However, with the maturation of horizontal drilling technology hydraulic fracture treatments may not be the most effective method for improving gas production from these tight reservoirs. Horizontal drilling technology may be particularly well suited to reservoirs where hydraulic fracturing is inefficient either because hydraulic fractures are parallel to natural fracture strike and/or because these natural fractures are poor stress barriers to limit excessive hydraulic fracture height growth.

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Slurry Phase Iron Catalysts for Indirect Coal Liquefaction

The objectives of this project are to study factors that control the attrition resistance of slurry phase Fe catalysts, and to synthesize novel precipitated catalysts that overcome some of the limitations of current generation catalysts. A second objective is to study catalyst-binder interactions using model catalysts. This report covers the first six months of this three year grant under the University Coal Research program.

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2.20 INTEGRATED REAL -TIME FRACTURE-DIAGNOSTICS INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEM

The use of an integrated, real-time fracture-diagnostic instrumentation system for the control of the fracturing treatment during massive hydraulic fracturing is proposed. The use of an integrated, real-time fracture-diagnostics instrumentation system for the control of the fracturing treatment during massive hydraulic fracturing is proposed. The proposed system consists of four subsystems: an internal fracture- pressure measurement system, a fluid-flow measurement system, a borehole seismic system, and a surface-e1ectricpotential measurement system. This use of borehole seismic and surface-electric potential measurements, which are essentially away-from-the-wellbore measurements  in conjunction with the use of the more commonly used types of measurements, i.e., at-the-well bore pressure and fluid flow measurements, is a distinctive feature of the composite real-time diagnostics system. Currently, the real-time capabilities of the individual subsystems are being developed, and the problems associated with their integration into a complete, computer-linked instrumentation system are being addressed.

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Understanding Coal Gasification

Recent literature, mainly post 1990, on the fundamental processes and mechanisms of coal gasification is reviewed. Six main sections cover fundamental reactions, pyrolysis, high temperature gasification, gasification catalysts, and pollutant formation. The section on fundamental reactions reviews the mechanisms and intrinsic kinetics of the fundamental gasification reactions, and the various mechanistic and kinetic models suggested. The section of pyrolysis covers the physical and chemical mechanisms, modeling, weight loss behavior, volatile products, and char. High temperature gasification is reviewed in terms of char reactivity and parameters such as particle temperature, partial and total pressure, gasifying atmosphere, coal rank, surface area, and porosity. Furthermore, the structural models for char gasification are reviewed in this section. The section on gasification catalysts reviews the inherent catalysts for oxidative gasification and their influence on coal reactivity.  Recent developments in the behavior of sulphur, nitrogen, and trace elements during gasification are reviewed in the last main section. It is concluded that whilst better understanding of the process of gasification may lead to development of empirical models for specific sets of conditions, the sheer complexity of the process makes it unlikely that there can be a fundamental, universal model of all coal gasification processes. Directions for further research are identified.

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Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas

The objective of this project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through strategic placement of infill wells and geologically based field development. Project objectives are divided into two major phases. The objectives of the reservoir characterization phase of the project are to provide a detailed understanding of the architecture and heterogeneity of two fields, the Ford Geraldine unit and Ford West field, which produce from the Bell Canyon and Cherry Canyon Formations, respectively, of the Delaware Mountain Group and to compare Bell Canyon and Cherry Canyon reservoirs. Reservoir characterization will utilize 3-D seismic data, high resolution sequence stratigraphy, subsurface field studies, outcrop characterization, and other techniques. Once the reservoir-characterization study of both fields is completed, a pilot area of approximately 1 mi squared in one of the fields will be chosen for reservoir simulation.

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Ranking of Texas Reservoirs for Application of Carbon Dioxide Miscible Displacement

Injection of  carbon dioxide into oil fields containing high-viscosity crude is one of the more successful enhanced oil recovery techniques recently applied. CO2 is injected into an oil field under high pressure to form a miscible bank of gases that decreases the viscosity of the oil.  The process uses a concurrent, alternating or subsequent injection of water to sweep the oil toward producing wells.

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Design and Implementation of a co2 Flood Utilizing Advanced Reservoir Characterization and Horizontal Injection Wells in a Shallow Shelf Carbonate Approaching Waterflood Depletion

The first objective is to utilize reservoir characterization and advanced technologies to optimize the design of a C02 project for the South Cowden Unit (SCU) located in Ector County, Texas. The SCU is a mature, relatively small, shallow shelf carbonate unit nearing waterflood depletion. The second objective is to demonstrate the performance and economic viability of the project in the field. This report includes work on the reservoir characterization and project design objective. In addition, the initiation of the demonstration project objective includes work done in November and December, 1995.

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FEASIBILITY STUDY OF HEAVY OIL RECOVERY IN THE UNITED STATES

A study was initiated in 1990 to evaluate the potential of increasing U.S. heavy oil production to lessen the U.S. domestic oil production decline. In California, heavy oil production was increased in the 1960s as light oil production declined to meet the petroleum demand, suggesting that similar trends are possible elsewhere. Changes in refining were made in accordance with the production trends. This study researches the U.S. petroleum industry to determine if it could undergo similar modifications. The U.S. heavy oil resource, production characteristics, and existing refining capacity were evaluated. The resource was comprised of a total 1,025 heavy oil reservoirs; 535 were characterized in more detail. Reliable information was not available for the other 490 reservoirs which include Alaskan heavy oil reservoirs. Heavy oil remaining in the 535 heavy oil reservoirs characterized was estimated to be 68.3 billion bbl. As much as 18% of the 68 billion bbl, or 12 billion bbl may be recoverable using current technology. At the current oil price (projected flat price of $18/bbl for WTI), heavy oil production rates are expected to decline through the year 2010. An incentive of $2.90/bbl U.S. heavy oil would be needed to increase production over current levels by 300,00O/day in the year 2010. U.S. refining capacity will need to be expanded to process the increased heavy oil production.

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PROGRESS IN THE ADVANCED SYNTHETIC-DIAMOND DRILL BIT PROGRAM

Cooperative research is currently underway among five drill bit companies and Sandia National Laboratories to improve synthetic diamond drill bits for hard-rock applications. This work, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the individual bit companies, is aimed at improving performance and bit life in harder rock than has previously been possible to drill effectively with synthetic-diamond drill bits. The goal is to extend to harder rocks the economic advantages seen in using synthetic-diamond drill bits in soft and medium rock formations. Four projects are being conducted under this research program. Each project is investigating a different area of synthetic-diamond bit technology that builds on the current technology base and market interests of the individual companies involved. These projects include: optimization of the PDC claw cutter; optimization of the Track-Set PDC bit; advanced TSP bit development; and optimization of impregnated-diamond drill bits. This paper describes the progress made in each of these projects to date.

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West Hackberry Tertiary Project

The West Hackberry Tertiary Project is a field test of the idea that air injection can be combined with the Double Displacement Process to produce a low cost tertiary recovery process which is economic at current oil prices. The Double Displacement Process is the gas displacement of a water invaded oil column for the purpose of recovering tertiary oil by gravity drainage. The Double Displacement Process is based upon the concept that in fields such as West Hackberry waterdrive recoveries are typically 50%-60% of the original oil in place while gravity drainage recoveries average 80%-90% of the original oil in place. Therefore, by injecting a gas into a watered out reservoir, a gas cap will form and additional oil can be recovered due to gravity drainage. Although the Double Displacement Process has been shown to be successful in recovering tertiary oil in other fields, this project will be the first to utilize air injection in the Double Displacement Process. The use of air injection in this process combines the benefits of air's low cost and universal accessibility with the potential for accelerated oil recovery due to the combustion process. If successful, this project will demonstrate that the use of air injection in the Double Displacement Process will result in an economically viable tertiary process in reservoirs where tertiary oil recovery is presently uneconomical.

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Improved Efficiency of Miscible CO2 Floods and Enhanced Prospects for CO2 Flooding Heterogeneous Reservoirs

The objective of this work consists of an experimental research effort aimed at  improving the effectiveness of CO2 flooding in heterogeneous reservoirs.  The intent is to investigate  new concepts that can be applied by field operators in two to five years.   The proposed activities consists of experimental research in three closely related areas: 1) exploring further the applicability of selective mobility reduction (SMR) in the use of foam flooding, 2) exploring the possibility of higher economic viability of floods at slightly reduced CO2 injection pressures, and 3) taking advantage of gravitational forces during low interfacial tension (IFT), CO2 flooding in tight, vertically fractured reservoirs.

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FRACTURE DETECTION, MAPPING, AND ANALYSIS OF NATURALLY FRACTURED GAS RESERVOIRS USING SEISMIC TECHNOLOGY

Many basins in the Rocky Mountains contain naturally fractured gas reservoirs. Production from these reservoirs is controlled primarily by the shape, orientation, and concentration of these natural fractures.  The detection of gas filled fractures prior to drilling can, therefore, greatly benefit the field development of the reservoirs. The objective of this project was to test and verify specific seismic methods to detect and characterize fractures in a naturally fractured reservoir. The Upper Green River tight gas reservoir in the Uinta Basin, Northeast Utah was chosen for the project as a suitable reservoir to test the seismic technologies.

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Coal Liquefaction and Gas Conversion

For the foreseeable future, liquid hydrocarbon fuels will play a significant role in the transportation sector of both the United States and the world. Factors favoring these fuels include convenience, high energy density, and the vast existing infrastructure for their production and use. At present, the U.S. consumes about 26% of the world supply of petroleum, but this situation is expected to change because of declining domestic production and increasing competition for imports from countries with developing economies. A scenario and time frame are developed in which declining world resources will generate a shortfall in petroleum supply that can be alleviated in part by utilizing the abundant domestic coal resource base. One option is direst coal conversion to liquid transportation fuels. Continued R&D in coal conversion technology will result in improved technical readiness that can significantly reduce costs so that synfuels can compete economically in a time frame to address the shortfall.

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IMPROVED EFFICIENCY OF MISCIBLE CO2 FLOODS AND ENHANCED PROSPECTS FOR CO2 FLOODING HETEROGENEOUS RESERVOIRS

The objective of this experimental research is to improve the effectiveness of CO2 flooding in heterogeneous reservoirs. Activities are being conducted in three closely related areas: 1) exploring further the applicability of selective mobility reduction (SMR.) in the use of foam flooding, 2) exploring the possibility of higher economic viability of floods at slightly reduced CO2 injection pressures, and 3) taking advantage of gravitational forces during low interfacial tension (IF!), CO2 flooding in tight, vertically fractured reservoirs.

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