US3714811A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Marine mud hydrocarbon surveying
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1970-06-22
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Granted: 1973-02-06
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Expires: 1990-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A process for exploring a water-covered region is improved by jetting water into soft bottom sediments, forming a slurry of the sediments in water, extracting gas from the slurry and measuring the concentration with location of a mobile reservoir fluid that was entrapped within the bottom sediments.
Inventors
- 👤 E Daigle
- 👤 R Luke
- 👤 J Turner
- 👤 H Wise
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:29
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B7/00; E21B7/18; E21B7/185; E21B49/00; E21B49/001; G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/24; G01N33/241; G01V; G01V9/00; G01V9/007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
In a process for surveying a water-covered region by measuring concentrations of at least one mobile reservoir fluid in water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formations at known areal locations, an improved procedure that provides a measurement of the concentrations with depth within the formations, comprising: jetting a stream of water into contact with a water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formation at increasingly deeper depths within the formation to form a pumpable slurry of the sedimentary material in water; flowing said slurry to a surface location; coordinating the rate at which said water is jetted, the rate at which the depth at which said slurry is formed is advanced deeper within the earth formation and the rate at which said slurry is flowed to a surface location in order to maintain a substantially constant slurry consistency; measuring a quantity related to the depth within said sedimentary earth formation at which said slurry is formed; and extracting gas from said slurry and measuring a quantity related to the concentration with depth within said sedimentary earth formation of at least one mobile subterranean reservoir fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a process for surveying a water-covered region by measuring concentrations of at least one mobile reservoir fluid in water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formations at known areal locations, an improved procedure that provides a measurement of the concentrations with depth within the formations, comprising: jetting a stream of water into contact with a water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formation at increasingly deeper depths within the formation to form a pumpable slurry of the sedimentary material in water; flowing said slurry to a surface location; coordinating the rate at which said water is jetted, the rate at which the depth at which said slurry is formed is advanced deeper within the earth formation and the rate at which said slurry is flowed to a surface location in order to maintain a substantially constant slurry consistency; measuring a quantity related to the depth within said sedimentary earth formation at which said slurry is formed; and extracting gas from said slurry and measuring a quantity related to the concentration with depth within said sedimentary earth formation of at least one mobile subterranean reservoir fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a process for surveying a water-covered region by measuring concentrations of at least one mobile reservoir fluid in water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formations at known areal locations, an improved procedure that provides a measurement of the concentrations with depth within the formations, comprising: jetting a stream of water into contact with a water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formation at increasingly deeper depths within the formation to form a pumpable slurry of the sedimentary material in water; flowing said slurry to a surface location; coordinating the rate at which said water is jetted, the rate at which the depth at which said slurry is formed is advanced deeper within the earth formation and the rate at which said slurry is flowed to a surface location in order to maintain a substantially constant slurry consistency; measuring a quantity related to the depth within said sedimentary earth formation at which said slurry is formed; and extracting gas from said slurry and measuring a quantity related to the concentration with depth within said sedimentary earth formation of at least one mobile subterranean reservoir fluid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a process for surveying a water-covered region by measuring concentrations of at least one mobile reservoir fluid in water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formations at known areal locations, an improved procedure that provides a measurement of the concentrations with depth within the formations, comprising: jetting a stream of water into contact with a water-covered unconsolidated sedimentary earth formation at increasingly deeper depths within the formation to form a pumpable slurry of the sedimentary material in water; flowing said slurry to a surface location; coordinating the rate at which said water is jetted, the rate at which the depth at which said slurry is formed is advanced deeper within the earth formation and the rate at which said slurry is flowed to a surface location in order to maintain a substantially constant slurry consistency; measuring a quantity related to the depth within said sedimentary earth formation at which said slurry is formed; and extracting gas from said slurry and measuring a quantity related to the concentration with depth within said sedimentary earth formation of at least one mobile subterranean reservoir fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
The process of claim 1 including: measuring the magnitude with areal location of (a) at least one geophysical property responsive to subterranean earth formations and (b) the concentration of said at least one mobile subterranean reservoir fluid; with said measurements being conducted in a rEgion in which the water is substantially devoid of said mobile subterranean reservoir fluid but said measured geophysical properties of the subterranean earth formations are indicative of the presence of a subterranean adapted to be a reservoir.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 2 in which said geophysical property is the reflection of seismic energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 3 in which said mobile subterranean reservoir fluid is a hydrocarbon higher than methane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 including measuring the concentration of at least one hydrocarbon higher than methane and at least one inorganic gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 including measuring maximum concentration of said mobile fluid that is extracted within a selected depth interval within said sedimentary earth formation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 including measuring the average concentration of said mobile fluid that is extracted within a selected depth interval in said sedimentary earth formation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-06 | 1976-08-07 | 1977-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-06 | 1980-08-07 | 1981-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-06 | 1984-08-07 | 1985-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |