SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MEASURE AND TRACK FLUID MOVEMENT IN A RESERVOIR USING ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSMISSION
First Claim
1. A method for tracking migration of a target fluid media contained in a fluid reservoir within a formation layer at a given subsurface depth of at least five hundred feet relative to a terrain surface, the method comprising:
- from multiple positions on or below the terrain surface, transmitting immediately in the far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals that combine to cover a target area of the formation layer containing the fluid reservoir;
receiving reflections from the target area in response to the transmitted pulsed energy beam signals impinging thereon, the reflections being characteristic of particular media located within the target area being impinged upon by the transmitted far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals;
correlating the received reflections from said target area over a given time interval to determine relative changes in intensities of reflections over said target area; and
determining relative movement of said target fluid media according to said determined relative changes in intensities of said reflections over said target area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of enhancing crude oil recovery include radiating electromagnetic energy in the form of focused electromagnetic pulses into a permeable formation containing the crude oil and/or fluid via an array of antennae transmitting immediately in the far field. The electromagnetic pulses are focused at the depth of the fluid reservoir. Pulses will be reflected by the fluid according to the fluid material (e.g. oil vs. water) and/or the strata (e.g. rock, sand, etc.). An array of receiver antennae may be used to initially establish a reference of the reflected electromagnetic pattern, and then operated in conjunction with the transmit array to monitor the relative horizontal movement of oil and/or water within the subterranean reservoir.
33 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for tracking migration of a target fluid media contained in a fluid reservoir within a formation layer at a given subsurface depth of at least five hundred feet relative to a terrain surface, the method comprising:
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from multiple positions on or below the terrain surface, transmitting immediately in the far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals that combine to cover a target area of the formation layer containing the fluid reservoir; receiving reflections from the target area in response to the transmitted pulsed energy beam signals impinging thereon, the reflections being characteristic of particular media located within the target area being impinged upon by the transmitted far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals; correlating the received reflections from said target area over a given time interval to determine relative changes in intensities of reflections over said target area; and determining relative movement of said target fluid media according to said determined relative changes in intensities of said reflections over said target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for tracking migration of a target fluid media contained in a fluid reservoir within a formation layer at a given subsurface depth of at least five hundred feet relative to a terrain surface, the system comprising:
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an array of transmit antennae positioned at different locations on or below the terrain surface, the transmit antennae adapted to transmit immediately in the far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals, the transmit antennae configured such that the pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals combine to cover a target area of the formation layer containing the fluid reservoir; an array of receiver antennae positioned relative to the transmit antennae adapted to receive reflections from the target area in response to the transmitted pulsed energy beam signals impinging thereon, the reflections being characteristic of particular media located within the target area being impinged upon by the transmitted far field pulsed electromagnetic energy beam signals; a signal processor coupled to the receiver and adapted to correlate the received reflections from said target area over a given time interval to determine relative changes in intensities of reflections over said target area and determine relative movement of said target fluid media according to said determined relative changes in intensities of said reflections over said target area; and a controller for modifying one or more of frequency, focus depth, power, directivity and transmit duration parameters associated with said immediate far field transmissions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification