Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plant for extracting hydrocarbons contained in an underground formation including: hydrocarbon tapping; at least one generator; at least one electromagnetic heating well in the underground formation, including an electromagnetic heating device connected to the generator; wherein the electromagnetic heating device includes a radiating coaxial line. The disclosure also relates to a method for extracting hydrocarbons from an underground formation able to be implemented using the plant.

Abstract: An isolating valve includes a body having a canal for the passage of fluid, which is intended to be shut off by upstream and downstream spherical plugs, that can be actuated independently of one another between positions allowing the passage of fluid through the canal and positions of shutting off the canal, and a sealing checker, opening into the canal and between the two spherical plugs. The upstream plug is equipped with an upstream seat of the “simple piston effect” type and has no downstream seat. The downstream plug is equipped with an upstream seat of the “simple piston effect” type and with a downstream seat of the “double piston effect” type.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for extracting hydrocarbons from a tank including providing a facility having an injection well including at least one tube for steam injection, a production well including at least one hydrocarbon extraction tube, a set of measuring sensors, at least one hydrocarbon extracting pump in the production well, an automaton for controlling and monitoring the running of the facility; rejecting the steam into the injection well; extracting the hydrocarbons with the pump of the production well; and controlling speed of the pump depending on the difference between the measured temperature at the pump input and the evaporation temperature calculated on the basis of the measured pressure at the input of the pump. The method enables an increase in hydrocarbon production.

Abstract: A device is proposed for fracturing a geological hydrocarbon reservoir, including two packers defining a confined space therebetween in a well drilled in the reservoir, an apparatus for regulating the temperature of a fluid in the confined space, a pair of two electrodes arranged in the confined space, and an electric circuit to generate an electric arc between the two electrodes. The circuit includes at least one voltage source connected to the electrodes and an inductor coil between the voltage source and one of the two electrodes. This allows improved fracturing of the reservoir.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for purifying a gaseous mixture containing acidic gases, such as a natural gas, including contacting the gaseous mixture with an absorbent solution including: from 35% to 45% by weight of at least one tertiary amine relative to the total weight of the absorbent solution; from 4% to 12% by weight of at least one activator relative to the total weight of the absorbent solution selected from the primary amines and the secondary amines, the total content of tertiary amine and activator being from 38% to 50% by weight relative to the total weight of the absorbent solution, and the total concentration of tertiary amine and activator being between 3.8 and 4.2 mol/L; from 17% to 25% by weight of at least one C2 to C4 thioalkanol relative to the total weight of the absorbent solution; and the remainder being water to reach 100% by weight.

Abstract: A method for sampling a sulphur-containing solid product including supplying a gas flow comprising hydrogen sulphide, bringing the gas flow into contact with a solid reagent and reacting the solid reagent with the hydrogen sulphide contained in the gas flow, the reaction fixing the sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide by forming a sulphur-containing solid product which is different in color from the solid reagent, and recovering the sulphur-containing solid product. The invention also relates to a device suitable for the implementation of this method.

Abstract: A bit for drilling wells has a front face with radial blades having cutting elements distributed around the front face. A space for forming a core is situated at the center of the front face. A cavity is provided for evacuating the core towards a periphery of the bit. At least a portion of the cavity is situated between adjacent blades. The cavity is delimited by two lateral surfaces and a clearance surface set back with respect to the front face, and the cavity is open in a direction opposite the clearance surface. The bit may be used in methods for drilling wells and makes it possible to rapidly drill wells of great depth in all types of rock without the risk of clogging.

Abstract: A method for determining the amount of hydrocarbons in a composition including hydrocarbons and water is provided. The method includes adding a chemical agent to the composition in order to form an emulsion of water and hydrocarbons, taking a sample of the emulsion and dissolving this sample in a common solvent for water and hydrocarbons in order to form a solution, and measuring the amount of hydrocarbons in the solution. An installation suitable for implementing this method is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for characterising the evolution of a reservoir over a time lapse comprising the steps of: providing a base and a plurality of monitor surveys of the reservoir, each having a set of seismic traces at different times; deriving an optimal regularization weight-map from a combination of at least three surveys; and using the optimal regularization weights to invert and obtain an improved time lapse seismic image between pairs of seismic surveys.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for surveying a subsurface formation containing hydrocarbons, comprising: injecting at least one tracer compound into the subsurface formation; recovering a fluid derived from the subsurface formation; detecting the tracer compound in the fluid by liquid chromatography analysis coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis, the liquid chromatography analysis being conducted with a stationary phase composed of particles having a mean size equal to or less than 2.1 ?m.

Abstract: An isolating valve includes a body having a canal for the passage of fluid, which is intended to be shut off by upstream and downstream spherical plugs, that can be actuated independently of one another between positions allowing the passage of fluid through the canal and positions of shutting off the canal, and a sealing checker, opening into the canal and between the two spherical plugs. The upstream plug is equipped with an upstream seat of the “simple piston effect” type and has no downstream seat. The downstream plug is equipped with an upstream seat of the “simple piston effect” type and with a downstream seat of the “double piston effect” type.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for treating a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, including the following steps: deacidificating the gas mixture by bringing the gas mixture into contact with a first lean absorbent solution stream, delivering a deacidified gas mixture, and a first rich absorbent solution stream; regenerating the first rich absorbent solution stream, delivering the first lean absorbent solution stream and a sour gas stream; distillating the sour gas stream, delivering a first carbon-dioxide-rich stream and a hydrogen-sulphide-rich stream; purifying the first carbon-dioxide-rich stream by bringing the first carbon-dioxide-rich stream into contact with a second lean absorbent solution stream, delivering a second carbon-dioxide-rich stream and a second rich absorbent solution stream, the molar concentration of carbon dioxide in the second carbon-dioxide-rich stream being greater than the molar concentration of carbon dioxide in the first carbon-dioxide-rich stream.

Abstract: The gas-liquid contact column comprises at least an upper tray 10 and a lower tray 10, as well as a downcomer 2 for sending the liquid from the upper tray to the lower tray. The trays comprise gas ports. A packing 11 is arranged between the upper tray and the lower tray. The upper tray comprises means 12 for withdrawing liquid from the upper tray, the liquid withdrawn being distributed over the packing. The gas-liquid contact column is particularly well suited for absorption of the CO2 and of the H2S contained in a natural gas or in a syngas, and for capture of the CO2 contained in combustion fumes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the purification of crude and apparatus for its implementation. This process comprises a separation into gas and degassed emulsion and separation of the degassed emulsion into water and oil. The invention also relates to a process of separating a hydrocarbon emulsion and apparatus for implementing this. This process comprises washing of the emulsion at an oil/water interface.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a heavy-oil-based hydrocarbons effluent production installation for the production of hydrocarbons from at least one well. The installation includes an effluent-lightening fluid injection system at the bottom of the well, an effluent-evacuation pump, a plurality of sensors that measure physical units relating to the installation, and an automated device suitable for optimizing the lightening-fluid injection flow-rate and for regulating the pump speed. The automated device regulates the pump speed according to the physical units and a predetermined target production value. The speed of the pump and the physical units are within a predetermined range of values. some embodiments include a hydrocarbons production method in such an installation. Some embodiments make it possible to ensure a minimum consumption of lightening fluid, while ensuring good operation of the pump and good productivity of the well.

Abstract: A steam generation device and a method for generating steam using the device are disclosed. The device includes a fluid circulation pipe containing electrically and thermally conductive material, and at least one inductive cable made from an electrically conductive material wound around the pipe. The device and method allow for improved steam generation.

Abstract: A surfactant composition includes an alkaryl sulphonate compound (a) and an alkaryl sulphonate compound (b). The difference between the optimum salinity of compound (a) and the optimum salinity of compound (b) is greater than or equal to 3 g/L. The surfactant composition can easily be adapted to various operating conditions, and in particular to various conditions of salinity, in order to provide optimum enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for characterising the evolution of a reservoir that comprises non-horizontal layers, by analyzing the changes of at least the seismic amplitudes of seismic reflections. The process comprises the steps of providing a base survey of the reservoir with a set of seismic traces at a first time and providing a monitor survey of the reservoir, taken at a second time, with a set of seismic traces associated to the same positions as in the base survey. The sets of seismic traces from the base and monitor surveys are then inverted to obtain an estimate of the changes having occurred in the time interval between base and monitor surveys, the inversion being performed using seismic traces for which allowance is made for the actual propagation paths through the non-horizontal layers of the reservoir.

Abstract: A cell for high temperature electrochemical reactions is provided. The cell includes a container, at least a portion of the container acting as a first electrode. An extension tube has a first end and a second end, the extension tube coupled to the container at the second end forming a conduit from the container to said first end. A second electrode is positioned in the container and extends out of the container via the conduit. A seal is positioned proximate the first end of the extension tube, for sealing the cell.

Abstract: A method for sampling a sulphur-containing solid product including supplying a gas flow comprising hydrogen sulphide, bringing the gas flow into contact with a solid reagent and reacting the solid reagent with the hydrogen sulphide contained in the gas flow, the reaction fixing the sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide by forming a sulphur-containing solid product which is different in colour from the solid reagent, and recovering the sulphur-containing solid product. The invention also relates to a device suitable for the implementation of this method.