Abstract: A method and system are described for creating and using a subsurface model. In this method, selected subregion are morphed to adjacent subregions to create a morphed surface and solid elements are created based on the selected subregion and the morphed surfaces. The resulting subsurface model may be used in simulations and hydrocarbon operations.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are geologic modeling methods and systems employing function-based representations of horizons intersected by partial faults. An illustrative method embodiment includes: (a) obtaining a seismic image volume; (b) identifying a horizon within the seismic image volume, said horizon being intersected by a partial fault; (c) deriving a function-based representation of the horizon, the representation being continuous except across the partial fault; (e) constructing a watertight subsurface model using the function-based representation; (f) assigning petrophysical parameter values to compartments of the watertight subsurface model; and, optionally, (g) storing or displaying the watertight subsurface model.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and techniques for utilizing a multiple metal isotope signature as an internal tracers for hydrocarbon source, alteration, and mixing. The multiple metal isotope signature may comprise a ratio of a at least two isotopes of a first metal, a ratio of at least two isotopes of a second metal, and a ratio of at least two isotopes of a third metal from a sample. The isotope ratios of the first, second, and third metal may be integrated to form the multiple metal isotope signature.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies and methods of providing gas lift in a hydrocarbon well. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation and downhole tubing that extends within the wellbore. The hydrocarbon wells also include a lift gas supply system configured to provide a lift gas stream to a lift gas supply conduit of the wellbore, a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies, a valve power supply system, and a controller. The methods include measuring a respective pressure differential between a lift gas supply conduit and a production conduit of the hydrocarbon well at each electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly in a plurality of electrically actuated gas lift valve assemblies of the hydrocarbon well. The methods also include selectively opening a selected electrically actuated gas lift valve assembly based on the respective pressure differential.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve performing a startup mode process prior to beginning a normal operation mode process to remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream. The startup mode process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as TSA and/or PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve performing a startup mode process prior to beginning a normal operation mode process to remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream. The startup mode process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as TSA and/or PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

Abstract: Methods of mitigating lost circulation while drilling a wellbore. The methods include circulating a drilling mud to a downhole end of the wellbore via a drill string and, during the circulating, drilling the wellbore with a drill bit of the drill string. The methods also include detecting lost circulation within the wellbore while drilling the wellbore and include providing a monomer solution to the wellbore. The methods further include providing a catalyst to the wellbore responsive to detecting the lost circulation event and combining the monomer solution and the catalyst to polymerize a monomer from the monomer solution, within the wellbore, and forming a viscous plug within the wellbore. Subsequent to the combining, the methods include flowing at least a portion of the viscous plug within the wellbore and into a zone of lost circulation that extends within a subsurface region.

Abstract: A method of reducing erosional peak velocity includes arranging a sand control screen assembly in an open hole section of a wellbore, the sand control screen assembly including a base pipe defining a plurality of flow ports, a sand screen arranged about the base pipe, and a wellbore isolation device deployed within an annulus defined between the sand control screen assembly and an inner wall of the wellbore. A fluid from a surrounding subterranean formation is circulated within the annulus, and the fluid within the annulus is diverted through the sand screen and into the base pipe upon approaching the wellbore isolation device. A peak velocity of the fluid flowing through the sand screen is reduced with a peak flux reducing assembly arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device.

Abstract: A method for characterizing damage to bits or bottom hole assemblies can include identifying, via a supervised learning model, a location, an extent, a type, a consistency, or any combination thereof of damage to a bit or a bottom hole assembly from an image of the bit or the bottom hole assembly. A graphical output is generated based on the damage to the at least one component of the bit or the bottom hole assembly.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for treating petroleum in a container are disclosed herein. The method includes electrically heating a portion of the container to generate heat sufficient to create convection currents in the petroleum. The method also includes stopping heating after the petroleum cools below a threshold temperature. The systems, methods, and apparatuses mitigate yield stress in petroleum susceptible to gelling.

Abstract: Described herein are mooring systems for floating structures and methods for manufacturing and installing such mooring systems. The mooring system may comprise a line having a first end operatively connected to the floating structure and a second end operatively connected to an anchor underwater or to a seabed, wherein the line comprises at least two substantially rigid links joined together; and a watertight sheath surrounding the line and extending at least along a length of the line from a position below the waterline to a position above the waterline.

Abstract: A method for inversion of 4D seismic data, including: determining time shift between baseline and monitor geophysical datasets; determining time strain from the time shift; iteratively repeating until a stopping criteria is satisfied, performing an iterative elastic AVO inversion with a 4D difference providing an update, from an initial model including the time strain, to generate an updated time strain and an updated physical property model, wherein the stopping criteria is a misfit between synthetic data generated from the updated physical property model and the 4D difference being within a predetermined noise level generating final values for the physical property model; and converting, with a rock physics model or a reservoir simulation model, the final values to saturation and/or pressure changes for a subsurface region.

Abstract: Systems and a method for efficient downhole separation of gas and liquids while providing well access are provided. An exemplary system provides a downhole gas separator for an artificial lift system. The downhole gas separator includes an outer casing joined to production tubing at one end and comprising a fitting for a plug at an opposite end from the production line. The outer casing comprises openings through the outer casing. A dip tube extends through the interior of the outer casing, wherein the dip tube is fluidically coupled to the production tubing at one end, and is open to the outer casing at an opposite end, wherein the opposite end is proximate to the fitting for the plug. The plug is disposed in the fitting, and comprises a retrieval bar configured to allow the plug to be pulled through the production tubing to the surface.

Abstract: Shaped charge slitting devices for control line disruption in a hydrocarbon well and related methods for sealing the hydrocarbon well. The shaped charge slitting devices include a plurality of shaped charges. Each shaped charge is configured to, upon actuation, transform a corresponding liner into a high-speed sheet portion, which is configured to form a circumferential slit within production tubing, and a low-speed slug portion, which is configured to at least partially seal the circumferential slit. The methods include positioning a shaped charge slitting device within a selected region of a tubing conduit, actuating the shaped charge slitting device to form a plurality of circumferential slits within the production tubing and also to sever a control line, pumping a sealing material into an annular space via a sealing material injection opening that extends between the tubing conduit and the annular space, and curing the sealing material to form a fluid seal.

Abstract: Thermal recovery methods for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. The thermal recovery methods include performing a plurality of injection cycles. Each injection cycle in the plurality of injection cycles includes injecting a heated solvent vapor stream into a heated chamber that extends within the subterranean formation and fluidly contacting the viscous hydrocarbons with the heated solvent vapor stream to generate mobilized viscous hydrocarbons. Each injection cycle also includes injecting a steam stream into the heated chamber. The thermal recovery methods further include producing a chamber liquid and/or mobilized viscous hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.

Abstract: A method of separating impurities from a natural gas stream. The natural gas stream is cooled through heat exchange with one or more process streams to produce a chilled gas stream, which is contacted with a lean solvent stream in a contactor to separate hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from the chilled gas stream, thereby producing a rich solvent stream and a partially-treated gas stream. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and H2S are separated from the partially-treated gas stream in a membrane separation system, thereby creating a fully-treated gas stream and a permeate gas stream, the permeate gas stream being comprised primarily of H2S and CO2, and the fully-treated gas stream being comprised primarily of natural gas. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream are at a lower temperature than the partially-treated gas stream. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream comprise the one or more process streams.

Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of a feed gas stream. First and second co-current contacting systems are located in-line within a pipe. The first co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. Each co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor and a separation system. Each co-current contactor includes a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid and disperses the droplets into a gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.

Abstract: A method for examining uncertainty and risk associated with the development of a hydrocarbon resource by rapidly generating and analyzing variations of reservoir models realized from scenarios. The method and system may include instantiating realizations for objects based on the selected parameter ranges; and combining instantiated realizations of the objects into a reservoir model.

Abstract: A method including: storing, in a computer memory, geophysical data obtained from a survey of a subsurface region; and extracting, with a computer, a subsurface physical property model by processing the geophysical data with one or more convolutional neural networks, which are trained to relate the geophysical data to at least one subsurface physical property consistent with geological prior information.

Abstract: A method for loading liquefied nitrogen (LIN) into a cryogenic storage tank initially containing liquid natural gas (LNG) and a vapor space above the LNG. First and second nitrogen gas streams are provided. The first nitrogen stream has a lower temperature than the second nitrogen gas stream. While the LNG is offloaded from the storage tank, the first nitrogen gas stream is injected into the vapor space. The storage tank is then purged by injecting the second nitrogen gas stream into the storage tank to thereby reduce a natural gas content of the vapor space to less than 5 mol %. After purging the storage tank, the storage tank is loaded with LIN.