Characterizing geologic areas based on comparative compositional analysis
The invention disclosed herein provides methods for analyzing oil production properties of an oil well. Methods comprise comparing characteristics of one or more samples of solid material (e.g., petroleum cuttings) or fluids with a produced fluid. Comparative analyses can occur between samples collected within a single well or across two or more wells. Select compounds, such as hydrocarbons, and select relationship(s) between compounds such as ratios of directly measured compounds or, e.g., classes thereof, are typically used in the methods; select methods (e.g., gentle volatiles extraction) are typically used to derive the compounds; or both. In a first exemplary application, methods herein are used to identify locations of relatively higher likelihood of petroleum productivity within a well. In a second exemplary application, methods are used to identify the likelihood of shared source locations (provenance) between oil samples.
1 . A method of evaluating the oil-producing capability of at least one part of a geologic unit comprising:
(a) analyzing the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds in a first fluid material sample from a fluid sample location in the geologic unit, the analysis comprising subjecting the first fluid material sample to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample;
(b) analyzing the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds in a second solid material sample from a solid sample location that is (1) in an oil well in the geologic unit or (2) from a location within the geologic unit that is not in an oil well but is in fluid communication with the fluid sample location, each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the second solid material sample being identified as corresponding to one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by (A) having the same composition and structure as one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample or (B) being a compound that differs from the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample but has a carbon atom content that differs from one of the organic compounds of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by 0, 1, or 2 carbon atoms, comprising subjecting the second solid material sample to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the second solid material sample;
(c) comparing the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample to the amount of the corresponding 1-9 organic compound in the second solid material sample;
(d) determining from the comparison performed in step (c) whether at least 50% of the first fluid material sample originates from the solid sample location, and if at least 50% of the first fluid material sample originates from the solid sample location, using the comparison of step (c) to evaluate the oil-producing capability of the solid sample location:
(e) if the result of the determination of step (d) is that less than 50% of the first fluid material sample originates from the solid sample location, analyzing the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds in each of one or more additional solid material samples from one or more additional solid sample locations that are (1) in an oil well in the geologic unit or (2) from one or more locations that are not in an oil well of the geologic unit but are in fluid communication with the fluid sample location, each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the one or more additional solid material samples being identified as corresponding to one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by (A) having the same composition and structure as one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample or (B) being a compound that differs from the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample but has a carbon atom content that differs from a corresponding organic compound of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by 0, 1, or 2 carbon atoms, by subjecting each of the one or more additional solid material samples to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in each of the one or more additional solid material samples; and
(f) if step (e) of the method is performed, evaluating the oil-producing capability of the one or more additional solid sample locations by comparing the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample to the amount of each of the corresponding 1-9 organic compounds in the one or more additional solid material samples.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
(h) at least 95% of the first fluid material sample is composed of a fluid originating from an oil well in the geologic unit or from a location that has been in contact with at least one part of the geologic unit within which the well has been placed under conditions permitting the flow of a quantifiable amount of oil-associated compounds into the first fluid material sample; and
(i) (1) determining the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the second solid material sample collected by a process that comprises subjecting the second solid material sample to a negative pressure of 1×10 −2 millibars or less applied at about room temperature for about 3 minutes to about 30 minutes or (2) determining the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the one or more additional solid material samples by a process that comprises subjecting the one or more additional solid material samples to a negative pressure of 1×10 −2 millibars or less applied at about room temperature for about 3 minutes to about 30 minutes.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of evaluating the oil-producing capability of the solid sample location or one or more additional solid sample locations comprises analyzing the amount of each of 2-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample as well as in the second solid material sample or any of the one or more additional solid material samples.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the method comprises determining the amount of each of the 2-9 organic compounds in each sample of two or more additional solid material samples, wherein each of the two or more additional solid material samples is collected from a separate location from among two or more locations in the geologic unit, wherein the two or more locations are separated by no more than 120 feet.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first fluid material sample is collected from an oil well, and the two or more additional solid material samples are collected from locations spanning most of the full length of the oil well.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of (1) calculating a ratio of the amounts of at least 2 organic compounds of the 2-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample and (2) (A) calculating a ratio of the amounts of the corresponding at least 2 organic compounds of the 2-9 organic compounds in the second solid material sample or (B) calculating a ratio of the amounts of the corresponding at least 2 organic compounds of the 2-9 organic compounds in the one or more additional solid material samples, and (3) comparing the calculated ratios derived from the first fluid material sample to the calculated ratios derived from the second solid material sample or the one or more additional solid material samples to estimate the oil producing capabilities of one or more locations from which the second solid material sample or the one or more additional solid material samples were collected.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first fluid material sample is a produced oil and the second solid material sample consists of drill cuttings and, if applicable, at least most of the one or more additional solid material samples consist of drill cuttings.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first fluid material sample, the second solid material sample, and the one or more additional solid material samples, if applicable, are collected from a single oil well within the geologic unit.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the method comprises (a) dividing the oil well from which the first fluid material sample and the one or more additional solid material samples, if applicable, are collected into zones and (b) providing a scaling factor for each of the solid material samples analyzed according to the zone's spatial contribution to the overall length of the oil well from which the solid material samples were collected.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein only zones associated with locations of the oil well open to an influx of fluid are considered in determining the relative contributions of each zone of the oil well.
11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first fluid material sample is collected from an oil well in the geologic unit, and the second solid material sample and any of the one or more additional solid material samples, if applicable, are collected from one or more other locations within the geologic unit that are in fluid communication with the oil well.
12 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample comprise one or more C4-C11 hydrocarbons, the 1-9 organic compounds in the second solid material sample comprise one or more corresponding C4-C11 hydrocarbons, and, if applicable, the 1-9 organic compounds present in the one or more additional solid material samples comprise one or more corresponding C4-C11 hydrocarbons.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample comprise one or more C5-C10 hydrocarbons, the 1-9 organic compounds in the second solid material sample comprise one or more corresponding C5-C10 hydrocarbons, and if applicable, the 1-9 organic compounds in the one or more additional solid material samples comprise one or more corresponding C5-C10 hydrocarbons.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein at least 50% of the C5-C10 hydrocarbons in the 1-9 organic compounds consist of alkane or cycloalkyl compounds.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid material sample is collected from an oil well, and wherein the method comprises calculating one or more ratios of the amount of one or more alkane compounds to the sum of the alkane compounds and one or more cycloalkane compounds in (1) the first fluid material sample and (2) the second solid material sample, or, if applicable, any of the one or more additional solid material samples, wherein more similarity between the calculated ratios of the amount of alkane compounds to the sum of the amount of alkane compounds and the amount of cycloalkane compounds in the first fluid material sample and the ratio of the amount of alkane compounds to the sum of the amount of alkane compounds and the amount of cycloalkane compounds in, as applicable, (a) the second solid material sample or (b) any of the one or more additional solid material samples is indicative of fluid associated with the fluid sample originating from the solid sample location from which the solid material sample having the more similar ratio was collected.
16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method comprises using the evaluation step of the method to select one or more locations for (a) drilling a new lateral or vertical well, (b) directing drilling operations on an existing lateral or vertical well, (c) fracking an existing well, or (d) performing any combination of (a)-(c).
17 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second solid material sample and any of the one or more additional solid material samples are subjected to an analysis that identifies an amount of each of 2-9 organic compounds of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the first fluid material sample wherein (a) each of the 2-9 organic compounds have the same number of carbon atoms as one another; (b) each of the 2-9 organic compounds have at least five covalently-bonded carbon atoms; (c) the difference in the number of carbon atoms between any of the 2-9 organic compounds is no greater than 2; or (d) any combination of some or all of (a)-(c) is true.
18 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first fluid material sample comprises a produced condensate.
19 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the determination in step (d) of the method comprises determining whether at least 75% of the first fluid material sample originates from the solid sample location and steps (e) and (f) of the method are only performed in the event the result of the evaluation in step (c) does not indicate that at least 75% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second solid material sample was collected.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the determination in step (d) of the method comprises determining whether at least 95% of the first fluid material sample originates from the solid sample location and steps (e) and (f) of the method are only performed in the event the result of the evaluation in step (c) does not indicate that at least 95% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second solid material sample was collected.
21 . A method of identifying a highly contributing source of produced hydrocarbon liquid samples comprising:
(a) analyzing the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds present in a first fluid material sample by subjecting the first fluid material sample to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample;
(b) analyzing the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds present in a second fluid material sample, wherein each of the 1-9 organic compounds analyzed in the second fluid material sample are identified as corresponding to one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by (1) having the same composition and structure as one of the 1-9 organic compounds analyzed in the first fluid material sample or (2) being carbon-compositionally similar and structurally similar to one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample, by subjecting the second fluid material sample to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the second fluid material sample;
(c) comparing the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample to the amount of each of the corresponding 1-9 organic compounds in the second fluid material sample, wherein a greater amount of each of the corresponding 1-9 organic compounds in the second fluid material sample with respect to the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample increases the likelihood that the first fluid material sample and the second fluid material sample originate from the same source:
(d) determining from the comparison performed in step (c) whether at least 50% of the first fluid material sample originates from a source from which the second fluid material sample was collected;
(e) if the result of the evaluation in step (c) does not indicate that at least 50% of the first fluid material sample originates from the same source as the second fluid material sample, determining the amount of each of 1-9 organic compounds in one or more additional fluid material samples, each of the 1-9 organic compounds in each of the one or more additional fluid material samples identified as corresponding to an organic compound of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample by (1) having the same composition and structure as one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample or (2) being carbon-compositionally similar and structurally similar to one of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample, by subjecting the one or more additional fluid material samples to a process that determines the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the one or more additional fluid material samples;
(f) if step (e) of the method is performed, evaluating a likelihood of the first fluid material sample and the one or more additional fluid material samples originating from a same source by comparing the amount of each of the 1-9 organic compounds in the first fluid material sample to the amount of each of the corresponding 1-9 organic compounds in the one or more additional fluid material samples; and
(g) providing a direction to perform oil drilling operations, fracking operations, or both, at one or more locations associated with the second fluid material sample or the one or more additional fluid material samples, and which are identified by the other steps of the method as having contributed an amount of the 1-9 organic compounds to the first fluid material sample.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method comprises calculating one or more ratios of the amount of one or more alkane compounds to the sum of the amount of the alkane compounds and the amount of one or more cycloalkane compounds in (1) the first fluid material sample and (2) (A) the second fluid material sample or (B) the one or more additional fluid material samples, wherein more similarity between the one or more calculated ratios of the amount of the alkane compounds to the sum of the amount of the alkane compounds and the cycloalkane compounds in the first fluid material sample and the ratio of the amount of the alkane compounds to the sum of the amount of the alkane compounds and the cycloalkane compounds in (a) the second fluid material sample or the one or more additional fluid material samples is indicative of fluid associated with the more similar ratio originating from the same source as the first fluid material sample.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method comprises using the amounts of organic compounds measured in the method to select one or more locations for (a) drilling a new lateral or vertical oil well, (b) directing drilling operations on an existing lateral or vertical oil well, (c) fracking an existing oil well, or (d) performing any combination of (a)-(c).
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises (1) calculating a ratio of the amounts of at least 2 organic compounds of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the first fluid material sample, (2) (A) calculating a ratio of the amounts of at least 2 corresponding organic compounds in the second fluid material sample or (B) calculating a ratio of the amounts of at least 2 corresponding organic compounds of the 1-9 organic compounds present in any of the one or more additional fluid material samples, and (3) comparing the calculated ratios of the at least 2 organic compounds derived from the first fluid material sample to the calculated ratios of the at least 2 organic compounds derived from (A) the second fluid material sample or (B) any of the one or more additional fluid material samples.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
(h) each of the 1-9 organic compounds present in the first fluid material sample is selected from a group of less than 120 possible organic compounds; and
(i) (1) at least 95% of the second fluid material sample is composed of a fluid originating from a location known to be or known to have been in contact with at least one part of the geologic unit within which the oil well has been placed under conditions permitting the flow of a quantifiable amount of oil-associated compounds into the second fluid material sample
or (2) at least 95% of any of the one or more additional fluid material samples is composed of a fluid originating from one or more locations that are or have been in contact with at least one part of the geologic unit within which the oil well has been placed under conditions permitting the flow of a quantifiable amount of oil-associated compounds into the one or more additional fluid material samples.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the first fluid material sample comprises a produced condensate.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the steps of the method comprises subjecting all of the fluid material samples analyzed in the method to a process that determines the amount of at least one organic compound in all of the fluid material samples, the process comprising subjecting all the fluid material samples to a negative pressure of 1×10 −2 millibars or less applied at about room temperature for about 3 minutes to about 30 minutes.
28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the determination in step (d) of the method comprises determining whether at least 75% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second fluid material sample was collected and steps (e) and (f) of the method are only performed in the event the result of the evaluation in step (c) does not indicate that at least 75% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second fluid material sample was collected.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the determination in step (d) of the method comprises determining whether at least 95% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second fluid material sample was collected and steps (e) and (f) of the method are only performed in the event the result of the evaluation in step (c) does not indicate that at least 95% of the first fluid material sample originates from the source from which the second fluid material sample was collected.