Online monitoring of production processes using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
AssigneeMicrosilicon, Inc.
InventorsOmar Kulbrandstad, Aydin Babakhani, Manuel Godoy, John Lovell
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Abstract
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for closed-loop control of a system using one or more electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) sensors located on-site. With such EPR sensors, a change can be applied to the system, the EPR sensors can measure the effect(s) of the change, and then adjustments can be made in real-time. This feedback process may be repeated continuously to control the system.
Claims38
A system for extracting hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir via a wellbore, comprising:
- an injector configured to inject fluid into the subterranean reservoir or the wellbore;
- a wellhead to control flow of produced fluid from the wellbore;
- a sensor configured to measure a property of a chemical species within or conveyed by the produced fluid;
- and
- at least one controller configured to analyze the property of the chemical species and to control the injector or the injected fluid based on the property of the chemical species.
A system for extracting hydrocarbon from a subterranean reservoir via a wellbore, comprising:
- means for injecting fluid into the subterranean reservoir or the wellbore;
- means for controlling flow of produced fluid from the wellbore;
- means for measuring a property of a chemical species within or conveyed by the produced fluid;
- means for analyzing the property of the chemical species;
- and
- means for controlling the means for injecting fluid based on the property of the chemical species.
A method for extracting hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir via a wellbore, comprising:
- measuring, with a sensor, a baseline value of a property of a chemical species within or conveyed by a fluid in a flowing system;
- injecting an injection fluid into the subterranean reservoir or the wellbore;
- measuring a change in the property of the chemical species from the baseline value of the property after injecting the injection fluid;
- and
- adjusting a parameter of the flowing system based on the change in the property of the chemical species.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.