An in situ process for treating an oil containing formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

In situ thermal processing of an oil reservoir formation

In an embodiment, a method of treating a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to at least a portion of the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heat sources to a part of the formation. In some embodiments, at least a portion of liquid hydrocarbons in the part may be mobilized. At least a portion of kerogen in the part may be pyrolyzed. In certain embodiments, a pressure within at least a part of the formation may be controlled. The pressure may be controlled to be at least about 2.0 bars absolute. A mixture may be produced from the formation.

In situ recovery from a kerogen and liquid hydrocarbon containing formation

A process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of a subsurface formation. Heat may transfer from one or more heaters to a part of a formation. In some embodiments, heat from the one or more heat sources may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons in a part of a subsurface formation. Hydrocarbons and/or other products may be produced from a subsurface formation. Certain embodiments describe apparatus, methods, and/or processes used in treating a subsurface or hydrocarbon containing formation.

Thermal processes for subsurface formations

An in situ process for treating a tar sands formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

In situ thermal processing of a tar sands formation

A method for treating a coal formation to alter properties of coal in the formation is provided. In one embodiment, heat from one or more heaters may be provided to at least a portion of the formation. Heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation. In certain embodiments, the heat from the one or more heaters may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons within the part of the formation. The method may include producing a fluid from the formation. In some embodiments, the produced fluid may include at least some pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from the formation. In an embodiment, after at least some coal has been treated at least a portion of such coal may be produced from the formation.

Upgrading and mining of coal

The present invention includes a method of treating solid earthen material having volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile contaminants that utilizes electrical energy. A plurality of electrodes are inserted into a region of earthen material to be treated in a selected geometric pattern. Varying phase and voltages configurations are applied to corresponding electrodes to achieve heating, physical phase changes, and the placement of substances within the treatment region. Additionally, treatment mediums can be added to either treat the contamination within the soil or to restrict their mobility.

Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity

This study supports the Hanford Groundwater/Vadose integration project objectives to better understand the risk of groundwater contamination and potential risk to the public via groundwater flow paths. The primary objective of this study was to refine the conceptual groundwater flow model for the 200-East Area and vicinity.

/pdf/revised-hydrogeology-for-the-suprabasalt-aquifer-system-200-1nqbf1si36.pdf

Revised Hydrogeology for the Suprabasalt Aquifer System, 200-East Area and Vicinity, Hanford Site, Washington

The present invention specifically permits purging and/or sampling of a well but only removing, at most, about 25% of the fluid volume compared to conventional methods and, at a minimum, removing none of the fluid volume from the well. The invention is an isolation assembly that is inserted into the well. The isolation assembly is designed so that only a volume of fluid between the outside diameter of the isolation assembly and the inside diameter of the well over a fluid column height from the bottom of the well to the top of the active portion (lower annulus) is removed. A seal may be positioned above the active portion thereby sealing the well and preventing any mixing or contamination of inlet fluid with fluid above the packer. Purged well fluid is stored in a riser above the packer. Ports in the wall of the isolation assembly permit purging and sampling of the lower annulus along the height of the active portion.

Well fluid isolation and sample apparatus and method

Four state-of-the-art ground water sampling systems were analyzed to determine their reliability in providing representative samples of the volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) from a simulated monitoring well. The sampling systems studied represent four commonly used devices, including a stainless steel and Teflon® piston pump, a Teflon bailer, a Teflon bladder pump, and a PVC air-lift pump.



Controlled laboratory sampling experiments were conducted in a tank and well test chamber designed to approximate field conditions. A well purging and sampling procedure was used in the test apparatus to determine the accuracy and precision of each device for detecting low concentrations of the compounds in ground water. The compounds selected are some of the most ubiquitous hazardous contaminants found in shallow aquifers near hazardous waste sites throughout the United States.



No significant statistical difference was found among the four sampling systems in detecting the compounds.

The Sensitivity of Four Monitoring Well Sampling Systems to Low Concentrations of Three Volatile Organics

The present invention specifically permits purging and/or sampling of a well but only removing, at most, about 25% of the fluid volume compared to conventional methods and, at a minimum, removing none of the fluid volume from the well. The invention is an isolation assembly with a packer, pump and exhaust, that is inserted into the well. The isolation assembly is designed so that only a volume of fluid between the outside diameter of the isolation assembly and the inside diameter of the well over a fluid column height from the bottom of the well to the top of the active portion (lower annulus) is removed. The packer is positioned above the active portion thereby sealing the well and preventing any mixing or contamination of inlet fluid with fluid above the packer. Ports in the wall of the isolation assembly permit purging and sampling of the lower annulus along the height of the active portion.

Ronald Schalla

Papers

Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity

Revised Hydrogeology for the Suprabasalt Aquifer System, 200-East Area and Vicinity, Hanford Site, Washington

Well fluid isolation and sample apparatus and method

The Sensitivity of Four Monitoring Well Sampling Systems to Low Concentrations of Three Volatile Organics

Well purge and sample apparatus and method