Characterization of organic contaminants and assessment of remediation performance in subsurface formations
First Claim
1. A method for determining a three dimensional distribution of nonaqueous phase liquid located in a subsurface formation, comprising:
- (A) introducing one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers into one or more injection points located in the subsurface formation;
(B) withdrawing the one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers from one or more sampling points located in the subsurface formation;
wherein the introducing occurs at two or more depths or the withdrawing occurs at two or more depths or wherein both the withdrawing and the introducing occur at two or more depths; and
(C) measuring separation between the one or more non-partitioning tracers and the one or more partitioning tracers from the one or more sampling points to determine the three dimensional distribution of the nonaqueous phase liquid in the subsurface formation.
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Abstract
Characterization of organic contaminants in subsurface formation is performed by methods for detecting the presence of nonaqueous phase liquid in a subsurface formation, and for determining the composition and for determining the volume of nonaqueous phase liquids. Generally the methods comprise introducing one or more partitioning tracers and one or more non-partitioning tracers at one or more injection points located in the subsurface formation and measuring separation between the one or more partitioning tracers and the one or more non-partitioning tracers from one or more sampling points located in the subsurface formation to determine presence, composition and/or volume of nonaqueous phase liquid in the subsurface formation. In addition, the methods can be used to assess the performance of an attempted remediation.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for determining a three dimensional distribution of nonaqueous phase liquid located in a subsurface formation, comprising:
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(A) introducing one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers into one or more injection points located in the subsurface formation; (B) withdrawing the one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers from one or more sampling points located in the subsurface formation; wherein the introducing occurs at two or more depths or the withdrawing occurs at two or more depths or wherein both the withdrawing and the introducing occur at two or more depths; and (C) measuring separation between the one or more non-partitioning tracers and the one or more partitioning tracers from the one or more sampling points to determine the three dimensional distribution of the nonaqueous phase liquid in the subsurface formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for determining a three dimensional distribution of nonaqueous phase liquid located in a subsurface formation
(A) introducing one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers into one or more injection points located in the subsurface formation in which the presence or absence of nonaqueous phase liquid is unknown; - and
(B) withdrawing the one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers from one or more sampling points located in the subsurface formation; wherein the introducing occurs at two or more depths or the withdrawing occurs at two or more depths or wherein both the withdrawing and the introducing occur at two or more depths; and (C) measuring separation between the one or more non-partitioning tracers and the one or more partitioning tracers from the one or more sampling points to determine the three dimensional distribution of the nonaqueous phase liquid in the subsurface formation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for determining a three dimensional distribution of dense nonaqueous phase liquid located in a subsurface formation
(A) introducing one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers into one or more injection points located in the subsurface formation in which the presence or absence of nonaqueous phase liquid is unknown; - and
(B) withdrawing the one or more non-partitioning tracers and one or more partitioning tracers from one or more sampling points located in the subsurface formation; wherein the introducing occurs at two or more depths or the withdrawing occurs at two or more depths or wherein both the withdrawing and the introducing occur at two or more depths; and (C) measuring separation between the one or more non-partitioning tracers and the one or more partitioning tracers from the one or more sampling points to determine the three dimensional distribution of the nonaqueous phase liquid in the subsurface formation. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification