In-situ landfill gas well perforation method and apparatus

• US 7,387,163 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Waste Management Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Waste Management Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyer, Steve, Seegers, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US10/973,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20070062701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 166/297, 166/298, 166/55, 166/55.1, 166/55.2
• US Class Current: 166/298
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/08 Cutting or deforming pipes to control fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/11 Perforators; Permeators

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for perforating a landfill gas well in situ. The invention allows for improved recovery of gas from a gas well without the danger of explosion.

Claims

1. A method for in-situ perforation of a landfill gas well, comprising the steps of:

(a) lowering a perforating device into a gas well until the perforating device is adjacent to a portion of the gas well located at a first predetermined depth from a landfill surface;

(b) activating the perforating device at the first predetermined depth and perforating the portion of the gas well adjacent to the perforating device; and

(c) maintaining an amount of methane gas inside the gas well outside of methane gas explosivity range of 5-15%.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating step (b) at a plurality of predetermined depths.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising removing the perforating device from the gas well after the gas well is perforated at all the predetermined depths.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of removing is accomplished by attaching a cable to the perforating device and keeping the second end of the cable on the landfill surface and then removing the perforating device from the gas well by coiling the cable at the landfill surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the effective diameter of the gas well is from about 6 to about 12 inches.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the effective diameter of the gas well is about 8 inches.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of lowering is accomplished manually with a cable attached to the perforating device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of lowering is accomplished automatically with a cable attached to the perforating device.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the cable is graduated.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cable is selected from a hydraulic hose or a metal cable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of perforating is accomplished by the perforating device selected from a group consisting of a hydraulic drilling system or a pneumatic drilling system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) monitoring the amount of methane gas in the gas well,

(e) perforating the gas well when the amount of methane gas is outside of the explosivity range, and

(f) removing the perforator from the gas well when the amount of methane gas is within the explosivity range.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring the percent of methane gas with a gas well sensing device connected to a sample tube.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the gas well sensor remains at a landfill surface and the sample tube is extended from the landfill surface to the predetermined depth of the gas well.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sample tube is mounted next to the perforating device at the predetermined depth.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the amount methane gas outside the explosivity range is accomplished by adding an inert gas to the gas well.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing steps (a), (b), and (c) in a gas well which contains water at the predetermined depth.