Method and apparatus for generating seismic waves
AssigneesSchlumberger Technology Corporation, The Institute for Dynamics of Geospheres, Russian Academy of Sciences
InventorsVladimir Nikolaevich Kostyuchenko, Gevorg Grantovich Kocharyan, Igor Stepanovich Svintsov
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Abstract
A method of generating seismic waves in a rock mass surrounding a well comprises the steps of: (a) providing a packer and a fluid withdrawal line within the well, wherein the packer is located below the weathering zone and defines the upper limit of a working volume within the well, and the fluid withdrawal line is adapted to withdraw fluid from the working volume; and (b) providing and detonating an air-fuel mixture in the working volume to generate seismic waves, combustion products of the detonation being withdrawn from the working volume via the fluid withdrawal line.
Claims22
A method of generating seismic waves in a rock mass surrounding a well, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a packer, a fluid withdrawal line, and a detonation transmission line, wherein the packer is located below a weathering zone and defines an upper limit of a working volume within the well, the fluid withdrawal line is adapted to withdraw fluid from the working volume, and the detonation transmission line terminates at one end in the working volume;
- and
- (b) providing an air-fuel mixture in the working volume, and causing a priming detonation at a second end of the transmission line to detonate the air-fuel mixture in the working volume and thereby generate seismic waves, combustion products of the detonation of the air-fuel mixture being withdrawn from the working volume via the fluid withdrawal line.
An apparatus for generating seismic waves in a rock mass surrounding a well, the apparatus comprising:
- a packer which is locatable in the well below a weathering zone to define an upper limit of a working volume within the well;
- a fuel line which is locatable in the well to supply fuel for an air-fuel mixture in the working volume;
- a detonation transmission line which is locatable in the well to terminate at one end in the working volume whereby a priming detonation at a second end of the detonation transmission line causes the air-fuel mixture in the working volume to detonate;
- and
- a fluid withdrawal line which is locatable in the well to withdraw fluid from the working volume, whereby combustion products of the detonation of the air-fuel mixture are withdrawable via the fluid withdrawal line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.