Abstract: A computer-implemented method for analyzing geophysical data is disclosed. Interpretation of geophysical data, such as seismic data, can be performed in multiple stages, such as at an information extraction stage and an information analysis stage. Typically, the information analysis stage is performed by geologists or interpreters, which may be laborious and inconsistent. The disclosed method includes using an information extractor that extracts information indicative of geo-features in a subsurface and an inference engine that analyzes the information indicative of geo-features in a subsurface to generate an output, with the information extractor and the inference engine being integrated and acting in combination. For example, the information extractor may generate summaries of the geo-features or answers to questions.

Abstract: Methods and systems for removing moisture from a refrigerant can utilize a desiccant-based system. The methods and systems can be employed in conjunction with a liquid natural gas (LNG) refrigeration circuit in either an online mode or an offline mode. For example, a system for removing moisture from a refrigerant can include: a refrigerant source; a moisture removal unit containing desiccant; and a refrigeration circuit comprising a refrigerant compressor, a refrigerant condenser, and a heat exchanger that are fluidly connected in a loop, wherein the refrigerant source is fluidly coupled to the moisture removal unit to supply a refrigerant from the refrigerant source to the moisture removal unit, and the moisture removal unit is fluidly coupled to the refrigeration circuit to supply the refrigerant from the moisture removal unit to the refrigeration circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing geological reasoning, A method includes: obtaining subsurface data for a subsurface region; obtaining a knowledge model; extracting a structured representation from the subsurface data using the knowledge model; and performing geological reasoning with a graph network based on the knowledge model and the structured representation. A method includes performing geological reasoning with a knowledge model that includes a set of geoscience rules or a geoscience ontology. A method includes performing geological reasoning with a structured representation that includes a graph. A method includes performing geological reasoning by one or more of the following: question answering; decision making; assigning ranking; and assessing probability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing a structured representation of a subsurface region. A method includes obtaining subsurface data for the subsurface region; and extracting the structured representation from the seismic data by: identifying geologic and fluid objects in the seismic images, wherein each object corresponds to a node of the structured representation; and identifying relationships among the identified geologic and fluid objects, wherein each relationship corresponds to an edge of the structured representation. A method further includes determining object attributes, edge attributes, and/or global attributes from the subsurface data. A method further includes inferring information from the structured representation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for removing contaminants, such as water and/or carbon dioxide, from a gas stream, such as a natural gas stream or a flue gas stream. One or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers are employed to chill the gas stream to a temperature at which the contaminants solidify. The solidified contaminants may then be separated and removed from the gas stream. In one or more aspects, the one or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers may include a scraped heat exchanger.

Abstract: A waveform energy generation system, the system including at least one joint of production casing, and one or more energy generators residing along the joint of production casing. The energy generators are configured to be in substantial mechanical contact with a subsurface formation within a wellbore. The energy generators may include either explosive devices or a piezo-electric material. The system also includes a signal transmission system. The signal transmission system is used to send control signals from the surface down to the energy generators for activation at the formation's resonant frequency. Methods of enhancing the permeability of a rock matrix within a subsurface formation using the wellbore as an energy generator are also provided.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon well includes a wellbore with a surface casing string that couples the wellbore to a wellhead located at the surface and a production casing string that extends through a reservoir within the subsurface. A fluid column is present within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon well also includes a high-frequency tube wave generator that is hydraulically coupled to the wellbore and is configured to generate high-frequency tube waves that propagate within the fluid column. The high-frequency tube waves include a selected waveform containing a specific bandwidth of high-frequency components. The hydrocarbon well further includes a receiver that is hydraulically coupled to the wellbore and is configured to record data corresponding to the generated and reflected high-frequency tube waves propagating within the fluid column, wherein the recorded data relate to characteristics of the wellbore. Moreover, such techniques may also be applied to a pipeline.

Abstract: A method of predicting hydrocarbon production from one or more artificial lift wells is disclosed. Test data is obtained from the artificial lift well. A decline curve model, representing well performance, is generated for one or more fluids in the artificial lift well. Measurement values are obtained from an artificial lift operation. For each of the obtained measurement values, a measurement model is generated that correlates the measurement values to the decline curve. A Kalman filter is used to predict production outputs of at least one of oil, gas, and water for the well, and to generate an uncertainty range for the predicted production outputs. The Kalman filter uses the decline curves to predict the production outputs, and uses the measurement models to correct and/or update the predicted production outputs. Hydrocarbon production activities are modified using the corrected and/or updated predicted production outputs.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) monitoring system is described herein. The ESP monitoring system includes a base monitoring unit and a discharge monitoring unit that are communicably coupled via a ground path. The discharge monitoring unit is hydraulically coupled to the pump discharge and is configured to measure a discharge parameter relating to the pump discharge and transmit data corresponding to the discharge parameter to the base monitoring unit via the ground path. The base monitoring unit is electrically connected to the motor of the ESP system and is configured to measure a base parameter relating to the motor and/or the pump intake, receive the transmitted data corresponding to the discharge parameter from the discharge monitoring unit, combine the data corresponding to the discharge parameter and the data corresponding to the base parameter, and transmit the combined data to an ESP surface unit via an ESP power cable.

Abstract: A self-adjusting gas lift system and corresponding self-adjusting gas lift valve (GLV) are described herein. The self-adjusting gas lift system includes a number of self-adjusting GLVs that fluidically couple an annulus of a well to an interior of a production tubing of the well. Each of the self-adjusting GLVs is configured to open to allow a compressed gas to flow from the annulus to the interior of the production tubing when a pressure differential between an injection pressure of the compressed gas within the annulus and a production pressure of fluids within the production tubing is within an engineered range. Each of the self-adjusting GLVs is also configured to close when the pressure differential is outside the engineered range.

Abstract: A method for liquefying a feed gas stream. A refrigerant stream is cooled and expanded to produce an expanded, cooled refrigerant stream. Part or all of the expanded, cooled refrigerant stream is mixed with a make-up refrigerant stream in a separator, thereby condensing heavy hydrocarbon components from the make-up refrigerant stream and forming a gaseous expanded, cooled refrigerant stream. The gaseous expanded, cooled refrigerant stream passes through a heat exchanger zone to form a warm refrigerant stream. The feed gas stream is passed through the heat exchanger zone to cool at least part of the feed gas stream by indirect heat exchange with the expanded, cooled refrigerant stream, thereby forming a liquefied gas stream. The warm refrigerant stream is compressed to produce the compressed refrigerant stream.

Abstract: A self-destructible frac ball is described herein. The self-destructible frac ball is configured to seal a hydraulic flow path through a fluid conduit of a frac plug when engaged on a ball seat of the frac plug. The self-destructible frac ball includes an activation mechanism configured to activate a destructive medium in response to the satisfaction of at least one predetermined condition. The self-destructible frac ball also includes the destructive medium, which is configured to destroy the self-destructible frac ball and a corresponding destructible ball retainer when activated by the activation mechanism. The destruction of the self-destructible frac ball and the corresponding destructible ball retainer reestablishes the hydraulic flow path through the fluid conduit of the frac plug.

Abstract: Geologic modeling methods and systems disclosed herein employ an improved simulation gridding technique. For example, an illustrative geologic modeling method may comprise: obtaining a geologic model representing a faulted subsurface region in physical space; mapping the physical space geologic model to a design space model representing an unfaulted subsurface region; gridding the design space model to obtain a design space mesh; partitioning cells in the design space mesh with faults mapped from the physical space geologic model, thereby obtaining a partitioned design space mesh; mapping the partitioned design space mesh to the physical space to obtain a physical space simulation mesh; and outputting the physical space simulation mesh.

Abstract: A method of conveying a production fluid from an offshore subsea well to an offshore vessel includes deploying an inflatable bladder from the offshore vessel, the inflatable bladder including a bladder valve, and fluidly connecting the inflatable bladder to an offloading port positioned at a seafloor, wherein the offloading port includes a port valve and is in fluid communication with one or more subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formations. The method further includes opening the bladder and port valves to discharge the production fluid from the offloading port into the inflatable bladder, and thereby resulting in a substantially filled bladder, closing the bladder and port valves, and fluidly disconnecting the substantially filled bladder from the offloading port.

Abstract: Methods of completing a hydrocarbon well. The methods include establishing a first fluid seal with an isolation device, forming a first perforation with a perforation device, and fracturing a first zone of a subsurface region with a pressurizing fluid stream. The methods also include moving the isolation device and the perforation device in an uphole direction within a tubular conduit of a downhole tubular that extends within a wellbore of the hydrocarbon well. Subsequent to the moving, the methods further include repeating the establishing to establish a second fluid seal, repeating the forming to form a second perforation with the perforation device, and repeating the fracturing to fracture a second zone of the subsurface region.

Abstract: A system for melting contaminant-laden solids that have been separated from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor stream in a hydrocarbon distillation tower, comprising at least one plate positioned where the solids form within the hydrocarbon distillation tower, hollow tubing forming an integral part of each of the at least one plate, and a heating medium disposed to flow through the hollow tubing at a higher temperature than a temperature of the solids to at least partially melt the solids.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling operations. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods for drilling wells utilizing drilling equipment, more particularly drill string assemblies, and making adjustments to drilling parameters during the drilling operation based on analysis of the drilling data. Included are methods for the selection of modified drilling parameters to mitigate torsional vibration dysfunction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing liquefied natural gas. A pretreated natural gas stream is compressed in at least two serially arranged compressors to a pressure of at least 1,500 psia and cooled. The resultant cooled compressed natural gas stream is expanded in at least one work producing natural gas expander to a pressure less than 2,000 psia and no greater than the pressure to which natural gas stream has been compressed, thereby forming a chilled natural gas stream that is separated into a refrigerant stream and a non-refrigerant stream. The refrigerant stream is warmed in a heat exchanger through heat exchange with one or more process streams associated with pretreating the natural gas stream, thereby generating a warmed refrigerant stream. The warmed refrigerant stream and the non-refrigerant stream are then liquefied.

Abstract: A method for recovering sulfur within a gas processing system is described herein. The method includes contacting a natural gas stream including an acid gas with a solvent stream within a co-current contacting system to produce a sweetened natural gas stream and a rich solvent stream including an absorbed acid gas. The method also includes removing the absorbed acid gas from the rich solvent stream within a regenerator to produce a concentrated acid gas stream and a lean solvent stream. The method further includes recovering elemental sulfur from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) within the concentrated acid gas stream via a sulfur recovery unit.

Abstract: Accordingly, there are disclosed herein geologic modeling methods and systems employing reference-based inversion of seismic image volumes. An illustrative method embodiment includes: (a) obtaining a measured seismic image volume; (b) determining a reference seismic image volume based on a reference model; (c) deriving a synthesized seismic image volume from a geologic model; (d) detecting at least one geologic model region where the synthesized seismic image volume and the measured seismic image volume are mismatched; (e) finding a reference model region where the reference seismic image volume best matches the measured seismic image volume; (f) replacing content of the at least one geologic model region with content of the reference model region to obtain an improved geologic model; and (g) outputting the improved geologic model.