Abstract: Production equipment and methods which reduce “gray” or off-specification production and improve central processing facility (CPF) efficiency. The process is a combination of unit operations (heat exchange, pumping, and separation) to produce an on-spec gas product, an on-spec condensate product, and/or on-spec oil product. It does so by placing the feed under pressure and heating it to the point that it can be vaporized and separated. The blended components are modulated dependent upon the composition of the produced fluids, produced gas, and off-specification fluid to efficiently produce on-specification products.

Abstract: Method of plugging a hydrocarbon well by a through-tubing technique are described. The method allows the tubing to be left in place. Only a short (<2 m) section is cut, milled, perforated, ruptured and expanded, or combinations thereof. A blocking device is sent downhole to block a bottom of the plug section, and bismuth alloy pellets dropped onto the blocking device. A heater is deployed to melt the bismuth alloy pellets. Next, the alloy liquid is allowed to cool and solidify. During solidification, the alloy expands and fills the section of well to be plugged or a portion thereof. Once primary and secondary barriers are in place, the well can be closed and the Christmas tree removed. A rock-to-rock plug can be set by removing or partially removing the tubular and outer casing, or just inner casing/tubulars can be removed if the exterior cement and casing are of sufficient quality.

Abstract: Pressure sensing plugs are used to check pressure in various void or cavities of a wellhead or Xmas tree of an active hydrocarbon well. Pressure sensing plugs (51) are provided at various points in the wellhead or Xmas tree (50). Each plug incudes a pressure transducer (39) and associated electronics allowing the pressure to be read by a hand held reader device. Alternatively, the plugs may include a radio transmitter for transmitting sensed data to a monitoring system via a wifi network or similar to a central control room on a hydrocarbon producing platform. In this way, the pressure at the various points in the wellhead/Xmas tree may be checked without exposing the cavity or void.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of conducting a perf wash cement (“P/W/C”) abandonment job in an offshore oil or gas well annulus, in particular the washing or cementing operation using a rotating head with nozzles dispensing wash fluid or cement at pressure. A new design of bottom hole assembly is proposed in which the cementing tool has a relatively large diameter in order to optimize pressure whilst the wash tool has a relatively small diameter. The wash process, for a number of reasons, appears to be less sensitive to tool diameter and making the wash tool smaller reduces the overall risk of stuck pipe.

Abstract: A plug for Plug and Abandonment (P&A) operations. The plug is a two-part plug of bismuth-based alloy and resin, allowing for sealing of an oil well using two different mechanisms with a shorter plug. The sealing can be rock-to-rock and/or cast-in-place.

Abstract: A method for installing a dual/multiple lateral well where the overburden casing is relatively narrow includes drilling a single diameter bore for the first lateral and employing a tapered liner. The liner has a narrow production section (109) and a larger diameter proximal section (104). A hollow whipstock (113) is run into the well and a window is milled in the proximal section (104) of the tapered liner, allowing a branched lateral B (115) to be drilled and then a liner (116) run through it.

Abstract: The invention relates to the dissolution of amorphous dithiazine (a-DTZ) or polythioformaldehyde or other polymeric by-products of the treatment of hydrocarbon products (a-DZT) to remove them from surfaces. These are solids that build up on surfaces of processing plant and are resistant to most chemical treatment. The treatment requires treating the surface with an effective amount of a mercaptan or an amine. Surfactants to keep the dissolved a-DTZ or other components from redepositing elsewhere are also described, as is the use of hydrogen sulfide to add in removal by mercaptans.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a device and method of sealing perforations on a well casing inside a subterranean well. The device comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve having an open top and a closed bottom; a heater located inside the sleeve, the heater comprising a thermite mixture; an ignition mechanism that ignites the thermite mixture upon actuation; and a string connected to the heater ignition and detachably engages the sleeve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cementing tool (1) and method for setting a cement plug. Instead of the conventional “balanced plug”, the technique involves pumping cement whilst pulling and rotating the tool. The cementing tool (1) includes nozzles (9) for jetting cement which are located in a relatively narrow region (8) of the tool and a larger diameter choke region (5) proximal of the nozzles (9). The end of the tool (11) is closed off and tapered. The tool is passed down the well to a location where it is desired to set a plug, then cement is injected whilst rotating and withdrawing the tool. The jets of cement help displace existing fluid in the well thereby reducing mixing of the existing fluid with the cement, The choke region (5) increases the flow energy, whilst the tapered end (11) helps prevent disruption to the cement as the tool is withdrawn.

Abstract: The invention relates to various nonlimiting embodiments that include methods, apparatuses or systems for processing natural gas comprising a heavies removal column processing natural gas and light oil reflux. The overhead stream goes to heavies treated natural gas storage. The heavies removal column reboiler bottoms stream product is input to a debutanizer column. The debutanizer column overhead lights are input to a flash drum where the bottoms is pumped through a heat exchanger as a light oil reflux input to the heavies removal column, while the debutanizer reboiler bottoms product is stored as stabilized condensate. Alternatively, debutanizer column overhead lights are sent to heavies treated gas storage and the bottoms stream product goes to a depentanizer column, the overhead lights are pumped through a heat exchanger as a light oil reflux input to the heavies removal column, while the depentanizer reboiler bottoms product is stabilized condensate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for liquefying natural gas using environmentally-friendly low combustibility refrigerants are provided. Methods of liquefaction include cooling a fluid in an LNG facility via indirect heat exchange with an environmentally-friendly low combustibility refrigerants that are propane, ethane and methane mixed with small amounts of fluorinated olefin, but still within close proximity to the boiling points of the pure refrigerants such that the mixed refrigerants can still be used in an optimized cascade process.

Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a feed gas is received and partially condensed into a two-phase stream by expanding the feed gas. A liquid containing fouling components is removed from the two-phase stream. A vapor generated from the two-phase stream is compressed into a compressed feed gas. The compressed feed gas is directed into a feed chiller heat exchanger. The compressed feed gas is free of the fouling components.

Abstract: The invention relates to the cleaning of a wellbore including a reservoir liner 3 and an upper portion 2 of the wellbore, by running in only one string into the wellbore and performing a reservoir liner cementing operation, displacing the cement 7 with completion fluid 8, followed using the same string to circulate mud in the upper completion, perform an inflow test on the reservoir liner 3, wash the upper completion and displace it to completion fluid 8.

Abstract: A kinetic modeling method to describe/model the petroleum fluid evolution with respect to its bulk compositions and the isotope compositions. The bulk compositions are detailed to individual n-alkanes, while the isotope compositions are detailed to individual isotopomer within in each isotopologue of a given n-alkane. This provides a systematic solution to assess fluid maturity and to elucidate the charge history of a reservoir, based on the distribution of n-alkanes and detailed isotope composition of each n-alkanes.

Abstract: The disclosure provides novel method for removal of H2S from natural gas or other fluid in an oil and gas production facility by the use of a loop line method whereby the fluid passes through a looped pipeline containing H2S scavenger thereby increasing the contact time of the H2S scavenger with the gas and thus increasing the efficiency of the removal of H2S from the gas. The loop line can be added to a facility with an existing H2S scavenger direct injection line and can also be a standalone H2S scavenger method.

Abstract: A uniform oleophobic or oleo- and hydrophobic film is applied to equipment used in the petroleum industry. The methods can be applied to new equipment or equipment pulled from service, with the application process being performed in a controlled environment or the field. Applicator tools for efficient delivery and application of cleaners, solvents, and films used in the coating process are also described.

Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to a system that utilized deep learning and neural networks to estimate/predict an amount of natural resource production in a well given a set of parameters indicative of physical changes to the well. In one aspect, a virtual flow meter includes memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to receive one or more input parameters indicative of physical changes to at least one well; apply the one or more input parameters to a trained neural network architecture; and determine one or more outputs of the trained neural network architecture, the one or more outputs corresponding to predicted fluid output of the at least one well.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting subsurface karst features includes receiving surface mapping data. A potential surface pad location can be identified in view of the surface mapping data. A resistivity survey for the potential surface pad location can be designed. The resistivity survey can include at least one long line extending through a surface hole for each of one or more wellbores in the potential surface pad location, and a short line extending through the surface hole of one of the one or more wellbores, each short line intersecting the long line substantially at the surface hole of one of the one or more wellbores. High resistivity areas exceeding approximately 150 Ohm per meter can be identified as sub surface karst features within the resistivity survey.

Abstract: Method of detecting malware in a computer storage medium is described. The method involves connecting the computer storage medium to an air-gapped anti-malware device. Scanning the computer storage medium for malware.

Abstract: A method for producing heavy oil, the method including testing a plurality of samples either from a reservoir play or simulating a reservoir play in a temperature and pressure controlled gravity drainage experiment. Test injection fluids are injected into the samples at a reservoir temperature and pressure and Cumulative Oil Production (COP) or Recovery Factor (RF) or similar feature measured over time. An injection profile is obtained by selecting n injection fluids based on a best COP or RF at a given time Tn, wherein n is a number of fluid injection stages and switching to an n+1 injection fluid when a rate of change (ROC) in the COP or RF drops at least 25%-75%, but preferably 40-60% or 50%. The injection profile is then implemented in the reservoir to produce heavy oil. Optimized injection profiles for certain reservoirs are also provided.