Rock volatile geologic liquid pressure quantification methods and related technology

Abstract

Methods of quantifying geologic unit fluid pressure based on the amount of one or more pressure quantifying rock volatiles (PQRVs) in materials of the geologic unit and correlating the quantity of the PQRVs to geologic unit fluid pressure in accordance with a correlative/quantitative model are provided. The PQRV quantitative data can be combined with certain pressure measure affective factor quantitative data (PMAFQD), e.g., to reflect the impact of PQRV concentration, and thereby improve the reliability of the pressure measurements or fit of the data to the model. In aspects, additional PMAFQD are also factored into the model, the data inputs to the model are modified to improve the fit of the data to the model, or both. The PQRV can be a type of rock volatile carbon dioxide (e.g., easily extracted CO2). PMAFQD input to the model can include rock volatile water and rock volatile sulfate or sulfate/SO (proxy) data.

1 . A method of determining fluid pressure in a geologic unit comprising (1) measuring the quantity of one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles in rock material located in or obtained from one or more specific locations of the geologic unit, (2) selecting or generating a quantitative analytical model that relates the quantity of the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles to a quantity of geologic unit fluid pressure, and (3) applying the quantity of the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles to the quantitative analytical model to generate an output from the model and (4) using the output to determine the quantity of geologic unit fluid pressure in the geologic unit. 
     
     
         2 . The method of claim  24 , wherein the method comprises generating a ratio of the quantity of geologic unit fluid pressure determined in step (4) to a quantity of rock volatile water measured in the one or more specific locations and using the ratio as an input to the model. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method comprises collecting one or more pressure data associated with the one or more specific locations and comparing the output generated in step (3) of the method to the one or more pressure data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises improving reliability of a fit correlation of the quantity of pressure-quantitative rock volatiles to the model by selectively removing one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements from the data set based on one or more factors that indicate that such one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements originate from rock material that is not as reliably correlated to geologic unit fluid pressure by the model. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises improving the measurement of geologic unit fluid pressure by factoring quantitative data for one or more secondary pressure measurement-adjusting factors into the model. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the model is a linear regression model. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method comprises collecting rock material samples from two or more specific locations, extracting the pressure-quantitative rock volatiles from the samples, measuring the quantity of one or more extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles, and quantifying the amount of the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles associated with each specific location based on the quantity of the extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method comprises collecting rock material samples from 20 or more specific locations, extracting the pressure-quantitative rock volatiles from the 20 or more samples, measuring the quantity of one or more extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles for each of the 20 or more samples, and quantifying the amount of the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles associated with each specific location based on the quantity of the extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles from each of the 20 or more samples. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method comprises applying a gentle vacuum to the samples to extract the pressure-quantitative rock volatiles and performing cryogenic trap-and-release mass spectrometry to quantify the extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the 20 or more samples comprise samples taken from a tight formation, samples taken from a horizontal borehole, or both. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the 20 or more samples are collected from two or more separated zones or geologic subunits within the geologic unit, and the method comprises evaluating the geologic unit fluid pressure of the two or more separated zones or geologic subunits. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the 20 or more samples are collected at different times, wherein the different times vary by a period of one or more years, and wherein the method comprises evaluating changes in fluid pressure in the geologic unit over the time period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method comprises using the changes in fluid pressure in the geologic unit over the time period to predict what the fluid pressure in the geologic unit will be at a future time point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the geologic unit fluid pressure determined by the quantity of the extracted pressure-quantitative rock volatiles are provided as data used to guide one or more decisions regarding geologic resource utilization in the geologic unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more decisions regarding geologic resource utilization comprise one or more decisions relating to high-energy hydrocarbon exploration, production, or both. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more decisions relating to high-energy hydrocarbon exploration, production, or both comprise one or more decisions regarding the application of enhanced oil recovery methods to a portion of the geologic unit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more decisions regarding geologic resource utilization comprise one or more decisions concerning the use of at least a portion of the geologic unit as a carbon sequestration site. 
     
     
         18 . A computer system comprising a computer processor that is programmed to receive and recognize pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantitative data and pressure measurement-adjusting quantitative data and that is further programmed or configured to perform steps (2), (3), and (4) of the method of claim  24 . 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the computer processor is further programmed or configured to perform the steps of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer processor is further programmed or configured to perform the steps of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the computer system comprises an artificial intelligence component that aids in the performance of or carries out the performance of steps (2), (3), and (4) of the method of claim  24 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of generating and utilizing a model for correlating pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantity to geologic liquid pressure comprising (1) obtaining two or more direct pressure measurements in a geologic unit from two or more specific locations of the geologic unit, (2) obtaining two or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantity measurements from the two or more specific locations, (3) inputting the two or more direct pressure measurements and the two or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantity measurements into a mathematical model, (4) determining the correlation between the two or more direct pressure measurements and the two or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantity measurements, and (5) if the correlation of the two or more direct pressure measurements and the two or more pressure quantifying rock volatile-quantitative measurements indicates the model is a reliable model, then using the model to quantify geologic fluid pressure measurements from one or more other specific locations in the geologic unit based on one or more other pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantities measured in or from the one or more other specific locations. 
     
     
         23 . A method of determining geologic fluid pressure in a geologic unit comprising (1) a step for collecting one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantities from one or more specific locations of a geologic unit, (2) a step for correlating the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantities with a model that is capable of quantifying the liquid pressure at a geologic unit location based on at least some pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements to determine if the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements are a good fit for the model, and (3) if there is a reliable correlation with the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements and model, quantifying the fluid pressure at the one or more specific locations based on the one or more pressure-quantitative rock volatile quantities. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises measuring the quantity of two or more pressure-quantitative rock volatiles to form a data set of the pressure-quantitative rock volatile measurements.