# US 12,111,305 B2 · Method for determining subsurface hydrocarbon fluid properties of reservoired hydrocarbons

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- Number: US 12,111,305 B2
- Document ID: US12111305B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/611,349
- Filed: 2020-06-12
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-13
- Assignees: Shell USA, Inc.
- Applicants: Shell Oil Company
- Inventors: Leslie Owuraku Baksmaty; Ram Ratan Ratnakar; Birol Dindoruk
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111305B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/241: {for hydrocarbon content}
- G01N 33/2823: {Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures}
- E21B 49/00: Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
- E21B 49/08: Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
- G01V 1/3808: {Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises constructing a phase envelope from the sample of hydrocarbons.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is isobaric.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein gas and oil samples are independently collected, and the gas and oil samples are recombined based on gas and oil volumetric flow rates prior to determining the fluid properties.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sample comprises oil, gas and combinations thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two compositions comprises at least two temporally spaced isotopic compositions selected from the group consisting of isotopologues of methane, ethane, propane, butane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is analysed to measure a fluid property selected from the group consisting of viscosity, gas:oil ratio, dew point, bubble point, molecular composition, isotopic composition, API gravity, density and combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a formation volume factor for oil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step c) is determined in-situ, remotely or a combination thereof.