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Ignition procedure and process for in situ retorting of oil shale
406
New Patents
442~65 THERMALLY ENERGIZED PACKER CUP Donald Payton assigned to Sperry Corporation
pressure within the well formation so as to pack the decomposition gases into the formation and to maintain the raised pressure until the formation is fractured.
4424444 METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF BOREHOLE AND FORMATION NEUTRON LIFETIMES Harry D Smith, Dan Arnold assigned to Halliburton Company
In a geothermal production well, oil well or gas well, a thermally energized packer cup having a tapered elastomer body and a reinforcing element fabricated from a shape memory alloy seals the well casing when the packer cup is heated to the transformation temperature of the shape memory alloy.
4425967 IGNITION PROCEDURE AND PROCESS FOR IN SITU RETORTING OF OIL SHALE Gerald B Hoekstra assigned to Standard Oil Company (Indiana)
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The present invention concerns methods for measuring simultaneously the formation and borehole components of thermal neutron lifetime as decay time. The borehole and formation are irradiated with pulsed 14 MEV neutrons. During the interval between neutron pulses the capture gamma radiation is measured in at least four, non-overlapping, contiguous time gates. A background radiation measurement is also periodically made. The background corrected capture gamma radiation measurements are combined to derive simultaneously, the formation and borehole neutron lifetime components which are then recorded as a function of borehole depth.
An in situ process and ignition procedure are provided to retort oil shale which increases product yield and enhances uniformity of the flame front in an underground retort. In the process, a
407
N e w Patents
portion of the rubblized mass of oil shale is preheated with steam, nitrogen or some other inert gas, to at least the minimum oil shale ignition temperature and preferably retorted. Thereafter, the preheated oil shale is ignited with hot excess air or some other oxygen-containing gas above the maximum desired retorting temperature to establish a generally uniform flame front across the retort. In the preferred form, the preheating gas and oxygen-containing, gas are introduced into the retort at different times from the same specially configured downhole burner.
4426849 GRAVITY HEAD REHEAT METHOD Hugh Matthews assigned to Sperry Corporation
ses through equipment for homogenizing the mixture with at least one isokinetic sampling device arranged to remove portions of the homogenized fluid mixture, with the portions then being passed through testing equipment. Preferably, geothermal fluid is homogenized and samples are withdrawn by the isokinetic sampling device and tested for various properties of the fluid, particularly the formation of scale. The testing apparatus is adapted for on-site operation.
4427495 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UPGRADING LOW PRESSURE STEAM BRINES AND THE LIKE Kenneth J Masero ~inu
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In a gravity head geothermal energy conversion system, downwardly flowing working fluid is supplied to a downwell turbine pump in heat transfer relationship to the upwardly flowing geothermal brine. The working fluid which is used to drive the downwell turbine pump is reheated by conveying the working fluid upward in heat transfer relationship with the geothermal brine to a predetermined point.
4426880 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID SAMPLING AND TESTING John P Walters, Radomi Petrovich, Gregory C Daley, Donald C Harban assigned to Phillips Petroleum Company
An apparatus for preparing and' testing fluid samples in which a two-phase fluid mixture pas-
Apparatus and a method for upgrading low pressure steam or brine, such as from a geothermal well, to prepare the steam or brine for any one of a number of uses, such as for conversion to pure, high pressure, high temperature steam for driving turbines. The system operates in a degasification phase in which a small amount of superheated steam is applied to the brine to scrub the same to cause the removal of concentrated gases therefrom. The degasified product is then pumped to a high pressure, heated countercurrently, and directed through a demineralized phase to remove the salts and solids in a liquid phase and convert the bulk of the water into pure, high pressure saturated steam. The steam output from the demineralizing phase can then be used to produce useful work, such as driving a turbine. In addition to forming saturated steam from geothermal brine, the system can be used to form pure saturated steam from impure water from any suitable source. The system can be used to produce clear, potable hot water from sea water and other water having contaminants therein. For dry steam from geothermal wells, the gascontaminated steam is converted to brine without loss of temperature or pressure by adding pure hot water so that the resulting mix-
New Patents
442~65 THERMALLY ENERGIZED PACKER CUP Donald Payton assigned to Sperry Corporation
pressure within the well formation so as to pack the decomposition gases into the formation and to maintain the raised pressure until the formation is fractured.
4424444 METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF BOREHOLE AND FORMATION NEUTRON LIFETIMES Harry D Smith, Dan Arnold assigned to Halliburton Company
In a geothermal production well, oil well or gas well, a thermally energized packer cup having a tapered elastomer body and a reinforcing element fabricated from a shape memory alloy seals the well casing when the packer cup is heated to the transformation temperature of the shape memory alloy.
4425967 IGNITION PROCEDURE AND PROCESS FOR IN SITU RETORTING OF OIL SHALE Gerald B Hoekstra assigned to Standard Oil Company (Indiana)
i
~Q
c,
ico~
The present invention concerns methods for measuring simultaneously the formation and borehole components of thermal neutron lifetime as decay time. The borehole and formation are irradiated with pulsed 14 MEV neutrons. During the interval between neutron pulses the capture gamma radiation is measured in at least four, non-overlapping, contiguous time gates. A background radiation measurement is also periodically made. The background corrected capture gamma radiation measurements are combined to derive simultaneously, the formation and borehole neutron lifetime components which are then recorded as a function of borehole depth.
An in situ process and ignition procedure are provided to retort oil shale which increases product yield and enhances uniformity of the flame front in an underground retort. In the process, a
407
N e w Patents
portion of the rubblized mass of oil shale is preheated with steam, nitrogen or some other inert gas, to at least the minimum oil shale ignition temperature and preferably retorted. Thereafter, the preheated oil shale is ignited with hot excess air or some other oxygen-containing gas above the maximum desired retorting temperature to establish a generally uniform flame front across the retort. In the preferred form, the preheating gas and oxygen-containing, gas are introduced into the retort at different times from the same specially configured downhole burner.
4426849 GRAVITY HEAD REHEAT METHOD Hugh Matthews assigned to Sperry Corporation
ses through equipment for homogenizing the mixture with at least one isokinetic sampling device arranged to remove portions of the homogenized fluid mixture, with the portions then being passed through testing equipment. Preferably, geothermal fluid is homogenized and samples are withdrawn by the isokinetic sampling device and tested for various properties of the fluid, particularly the formation of scale. The testing apparatus is adapted for on-site operation.
4427495 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UPGRADING LOW PRESSURE STEAM BRINES AND THE LIKE Kenneth J Masero ~inu
:Z3--
r66
,
72
~
76-
Z'(
~-x~
--¢
~kgkS[iI[L I
/
~/
/
In a gravity head geothermal energy conversion system, downwardly flowing working fluid is supplied to a downwell turbine pump in heat transfer relationship to the upwardly flowing geothermal brine. The working fluid which is used to drive the downwell turbine pump is reheated by conveying the working fluid upward in heat transfer relationship with the geothermal brine to a predetermined point.
4426880 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID SAMPLING AND TESTING John P Walters, Radomi Petrovich, Gregory C Daley, Donald C Harban assigned to Phillips Petroleum Company
An apparatus for preparing and' testing fluid samples in which a two-phase fluid mixture pas-
Apparatus and a method for upgrading low pressure steam or brine, such as from a geothermal well, to prepare the steam or brine for any one of a number of uses, such as for conversion to pure, high pressure, high temperature steam for driving turbines. The system operates in a degasification phase in which a small amount of superheated steam is applied to the brine to scrub the same to cause the removal of concentrated gases therefrom. The degasified product is then pumped to a high pressure, heated countercurrently, and directed through a demineralized phase to remove the salts and solids in a liquid phase and convert the bulk of the water into pure, high pressure saturated steam. The steam output from the demineralizing phase can then be used to produce useful work, such as driving a turbine. In addition to forming saturated steam from geothermal brine, the system can be used to form pure saturated steam from impure water from any suitable source. The system can be used to produce clear, potable hot water from sea water and other water having contaminants therein. For dry steam from geothermal wells, the gascontaminated steam is converted to brine without loss of temperature or pressure by adding pure hot water so that the resulting mix-