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US 12,111,305 B2Granted
Method for determining subsurface hydrocarbon fluid properties of reservoired hydrocarbons
AssigneeShell USA, Inc.
InventorsLeslie Owuraku Baksmaty, Ram Ratan Ratnakar, Birol Dindoruk
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Abstract
A method for determining subsurface hydrocarbon fluid properties of reservoired hydrocarbons having a hydrocarbon seep involves locating a hydrocarbon seep at a seabed location where hydrocarbon is actively flowing out of the seabed. A sample of hydrocarbons is collected from the hydrocarbon seep. Physical, transport and/or thermodynamic fluid properties of reservoired hydrocarbons are determined from the sample of hydrocarbons.
Claims9
A method for determining the fluid properties of subsurface reservoired hydrocarbons having a hydrocarbon seep, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) locating a hydrocarbon seep at a seabed location where hydrocarbons are actively flowing out of the seabed;
- b) collecting a sample of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon seep;
- c) determining the fluid properties of subsurface reservoired hydrocarbons from the sample of hydrocarbons, the fluid properties selected from the group consisting of physical, transport and thermodynamic properties;
- and
- d) determining whether the seep is at a steady state, indicative of reservoired hydrocarbons, by
- (i) determining at least two temporally spaced compositions of the hydrocarbon seep, the at least temporally spaced compositions selected from the group consisting of isotopic compositions, molecular compositions, and combinations thereof,
- (ii) determining a temporal variance between the at least two temporally spaced compositions;
- and
- (iii) when the temporal variance falls with a predetermined temporal tolerance classifying the hydrocarbon seep as being indicative of the presence of reservoired hydrocarbons.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.