System for Extracting Hydrocarbons From Underground Geological Formations and Methods Thereof

Abstract

An ultrasonic fracking system and methods of using the same to extract hydrocarbons from underground geological formations (e.g., oil shale, coal beds, etc.) are disclosed. The system includes piezoelectric devices that are used to produce ultrasonic mechanical vibrations and induce fractures in the geological formations. In one embodiment, a system for extracting underground hydrocarbons comprises a plurality of piezoelectric devices capable of producing mechanical waves sufficient to fracture oil shale and other geological formations, a system of delivery for innocuous proppants to create a path of least resistance for enhanced hydrocarbon flow, and a vacuum pump connected to the fractures created by the piezoelectric devices to assist in removing the hydrocarbons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fracturing system, comprising:
 a) one or more piezoelectric devices capable of insertion into a well in an underground geological formation and configured to produce and/or detect a range of vibrational frequencies;   b) an apparatus configured to receive and interpret electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric devices; and   c) an apparatus configured to induce vibrations of varying frequencies in the one or more piezoelectric devices.   
     
     
         2 . The fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus configured to receive and/or interpret electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric devices determines resonant vibrational frequencies of the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         3 . The fracturing system of  claim 2 , wherein the induced vibrations have a same range of frequencies as the resonant vibrational frequencies. 
     
     
         4 . The fracturing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum-pump apparatus configured to reduce a pressure in the one or more wells. 
     
     
         5 . The fracturing system of  claim 3 , wherein the vacuum-pump apparatus is also configured to pump a proppant into the well. 
     
     
         6 . The fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus configured to receive and interpret electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric devices comprises an amplification system configured to increase the power of the electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric devices. 
     
     
         7 . The fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus configured to induce vibrations of varying frequencies in the one or more piezoelectric devices comprises an amplification system configured to increase the amplitude of the vibrations in the one or more piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
         8 . The fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric devices comprises one or more piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
         9 . The fracturing system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric transducers comprises a piezoelectric material. 
     
     
         10 . The fracturing system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric transducers is tuned to a range of ultrasonic vibrational frequencies. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fracking system is configured to extract one or more hydrocarbons, said hydrocarbon(s) comprising natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, or butane. 
     
     
         12 . The fracturing system of  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus configured to receive and interpret electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric devices is further configured to monitor changes in the resonant vibrational frequencies in the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         13 . The fracturing system of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus configured to induce vibrations of varying frequencies in the one or more piezoelectric devices is further configured to adjust the frequencies of the induced vibrations in response to the changes in the resonant vibrational frequencies in the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         14 . A method of vibrational fracturing, comprising:
 a) placing one or more piezoelectric devices capable of producing mechanical vibrations in a well exposing an underground geological formation;   b) producing mechanical vibrations with the piezoelectric devices to fracture the underground geological formation; and   c) collecting one or more hydrocarbons released from the underground geological formation.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising detecting vibrations reflected by the underground formation to determine one or more resonant frequencies in the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the produced mechanical vibrations are in the range of resonant frequencies in the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the resonant frequencies in the underground geological formation change while fracturing the underground geological formation, and the method further comprises adjusting the mechanical vibrations to match the changed resonant frequencies in the underground geological formation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more hydrocarbons comprise one or more of natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, and butane. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the produced mechanical vibrations are comprise ultrasonic waves. 
     
     
         20 . A system for extracting one or more hydrocarbons from an underground geological formation, comprising:
 a) a plurality of piezoelectric devices, each of the plurality of piezoelectric devices configured to be placed into one of a plurality of wells in the underground geological formation, and to produce and detect a range of vibrational frequencies;   b) an apparatus configured to receive and interpret data from the piezoelectric devices;   c) an apparatus configured to induce vibrations of variable frequencies in the one or more piezoelectric devices;   d) an apparatus configured to pump a proppant fluid into the plurality of wells; and   e) an apparatus configured to extract the hydrocarbon(s) from the wells.