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US 12,680,994 B2Granted
Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios to identify source rocks
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorFeng Hu Lu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure relates to methods for identifying desirable (e.g., the best) depth intervals in a formation using carbon and/or oxygen isotope ratio information. The desirable depth intervals in the formation correspond to regions in the formation with source rocks and relatively high (e.g., the highest) total organic carbon (TOC).
Claims20
A method of determining a depth of source rocks within a formation, the method comprising:
- measuring a carbon isotope ratio and an oxygen isotope ratio from samples taken from a formation at a plurality of depths within the formation;
- generating a data set comprising:
- i) the measured carbon isotope ratio versus the depth of the formation;
- and ii) the measured oxygen isotope ratio versus the depth of the formation;
- and
- using the data set to determine a depth of the source rocks within the formation;
- wherein using the data set to determine the depth of the source rocks in the formation comprises:
- identifying a positive shift in the measured carbon isotope ratio followed by a local maximum value in the measured carbon isotope ratio as the depth decreases,
- wherein the local maximum value in the measured carbon isotope ratio as the depth decreases corresponds to the depth of the source rocks.
6 more elements
A method of determining a depth of source rocks within a formation, the method comprising:
- measuring a carbon isotope ratio from samples taken at a plurality of depths from a formation;
- generating a data set comprising the carbon isotope ratio versus depth;
- and
- using the data set to determine a depth of the source rocks within the formation;
- wherein using the data set to determine the depth of the source rocks within the formation comprises:
- identifying a positive shift in the measured carbon isotope ratio followed by a local maximum value in the measured carbon isotope ratio as the depth decreases,
- wherein the local maximum value in the measured carbon isotope ratio as the depth decreases corresponds to the depth of the source rocks.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.