US2011277996A1PendingUtilityA1

Subterranean flow barriers containing tracers

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 11, 2010Filed: May 11, 2010Published: Nov 17, 2011
Est. expiryMay 11, 2030(~3.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Alvin Stanley CullickLeldon Mark FarabeeNorm WarpinskiRobert F. ShelleyStewart A. Levin
E21B 47/11E21B 33/138E21B 43/16
35
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure include monitoring fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir. In some implementations, a sealant mixture is injected into a subterranean reservoir to form a flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir. The sealant mixture includes a sealant material and a tracer. The tracer may be stored in the flow barrier, and the tracer may be displaced from the flow barrier, for example, by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir. The displaced tracer may be detected, for example, in fluid produced into a well bore in the subterranean reservoir. Fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir may be analyzed based on detection of the tracer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for monitoring fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 injecting a sealant mixture into a subterranean reservoir to form a flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir, the sealant mixture comprising a sealant material and a tracer; and   detecting the tracer displaced from the flow barrier by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the tracer comprises detecting the tracer in fluids received into a well bore in the subterranean reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fluids comprise a treatment fluid injected into the subterranean reservoir through a different well bore. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting a chemical tracer mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting a radioactive tracer mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting a noble gas tracer mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting an active radio frequency tracer device mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting a water-soluble tracer mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting a hydrocarbon-soluble tracer mixed with the sealant material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the sealant mixture comprises injecting the sealant mixed with a tracer that includes a coating adapted to dissolve when contacted by a particular fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant in the subterranean reservoir reduces fluid flow through the flow barrier. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant in the subterranean reservoir prevents fluid flow through the flow barrier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant mixture comprises a first sealant mixture comprising a first tracer, the method further comprising:
 injecting a second sealant mixture into the subterranean reservoir to form a second flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir, the second sealant mixture comprising the sealant material and a second tracer; and   detecting the second tracer displaced from the second flow barrier by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant mixture comprises a first sealant mixture comprising a first tracer, and the first sealant mixture forms a first portion of the flow barrier, the method further comprising:
 injecting a second sealant mixture into the subterranean reservoir to form a second portion of the flow barrier, the second sealant mixture comprising the sealant material and a second tracer; and   detecting the second tracer displaced from the flow barrier by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir.   
     
     
         15 . A system for monitoring fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir, the system comprising:
 a treatment well that injects treatment fluid into a subterranean reservoir to displace hydrocarbon fluid in the subterranean reservoir, the subterranean reservoir comprising a flow barrier that stores a tracer; and   a detector adapted to detect the tracer displaced from the flow barrier in at least one of the hydrocarbon fluid or the treatment fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a down hole detector installed in the well bore and adapted to detect the tracer released from the flow barrier. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a detector located exterior the well bore and adapted to detect the tracer released from the flow barrier. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a computing subsystem that analyzes fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir based on data provided by the detector. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the treatment fluid comprises water and the hydrocarbon fluid comprises oil. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tracer comprises a salt stored in the barrier and detecting the tracer comprises detecting a change of resistivity of at least one of the hydrocarbon fluid or the treatment fluid. 
     
     
         21 . A method for analyzing fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
 forming a flow barrier in a subterranean reservoir, the flow barrier comprising a tracer; and   analyzing fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir based on detecting the tracer in fluids received into a well bore from the subterranean reservoir.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein analyzing fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir comprises identifying that the fluids contacted the flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein analyzing fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir comprises identifying locations in the subterranean reservoir where the fluids contacted the flow barrier. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein analyzing fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir comprises identifying a breach in the flow barrier. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein forming the non-conductive barrier comprises injecting the tracer and a sealant material into the subterranean reservoir.

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