Abstract: A method for modeling a reservoir response in a subsurface system is provided. The subsurface system has at least one subsurface feature. Preferably, the subsurface system comprises a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method includes defining physical boundaries for the subsurface system, and locating the at least one subsurface feature within the physical boundaries. The method also includes creating a finite element mesh within the physical boundaries. The finite element mesh may have elements that cross the at least one subsurface feature such that the subsurface feature intersects elements in the mesh. A computer-based numerical simulation is then performed wherein the effects of the subsurface feature are recognized in the response. The reservoir response may be, for example, pore pressure or displacement at a given location within the physical boundaries.

Abstract: A method for controlling fluid injection parameters to improve well interactions and control hydrofracture geometries is provided. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection of pressurized fluids.

Abstract: A product comprising at least one densified biomass particulate of a given mass having no added binder and comprised of a plurality of lignin-coated plant biomass fibers is provided, wherein the at least one densified biomass particulate has an intrinsic density substantially equivalent to a binder-containing densified biomass particulate of the same given mass and h a substantially smooth, non-flakey outer surface. Methods for using and making the product are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for making decisions related to the operation of a hydrocarbon well include 1) characterizing effective production capacity of a reservoir over space and time based at least in part on a reservoir potential and a near-well capacity; 2) determining an optimized well potential over space and time relative to the characterized effective production capacity using a well model of a simulated well accessing the reservoir; and 3) determining at least one well operating plan component that can be incorporated into a well operating plan to provide the optimized well potential in a well accessing the reservoir. The optimized well potential may be determined based at least in part on an objective function that considers at least one of a plurality of decision-making factors, such as one or more of operations costs, operational risks, and modeled production rates over the life of the well.

Abstract: Flow control systems and methods for use in hydrocarbon well operations include a tubular and a flow control apparatus. The tubular defines a well annulus and includes an outer member defining a flow conduit. Fluid communication between the well annulus and the flow conduit is provided by permeable portion(s) of the outer member. The flow control apparatus is disposed within the flow conduit and comprises conduit-defining and chamber-defining structural members. The conduit-defining structural member(s) is configured to divide the flow conduit into at least two flow control conduits. The chamber-defining structural member(s) is configured to divide at least one of the at least two flow control conduits into at least two flow control chambers. Each of the flow control chambers has at least one inlet and one outlet, each of which is adapted to allow fluid flow therethrough and to retain particles larger than a predetermined size.

Abstract: A Building Automation System (BAS) includes at least one Direct Digital Control (DDC) controller operating as a BACnet MS/TP master considered to be an “Anchor”. The Anchor operates an algorithm or method which automatically assigns BACnet Protocol MS/TP Media Access Control (MAC) addresses to other BAS components (considered Nomads) being installed into the network. The Anchor gathers MAC addresses existing on the MS/TP network, and issues an available MAC Pool Announcement. Each Nomad randomly picks a temporary MAC address. When the Anchor verifies singular communication at the temporary MAC address, the Anchor assigns a permanent MAC address to the Nomad, which can later be locked into flash memory. Using the preferred algorithm and method, Nomad devices are automatically assigned unused MAC addresses to join the MS/TP network in a non-conflicting, orderly way, with all communications occurring within the confines of BACnet MS/TP Protocol.

Abstract: Methods for injecting a fluid into a subsurface formation are provided. Each of the methods includes the obtaining data, including formation parameters and operational variables, related to an injection well. A regime of operation for the injection well is determined. The regime of operation is determined using a heuristic model. In one aspect, one or more operational variables, including completion design, reservoir development procedures, and/or injection procedures, is designed based at least in part on the determined regime of operation. Water or other fluid may then be injected into the subsurface formation. The step of determining the regime of operation for the injection well may use a full physics computational simulation to construct a mathematical model that can estimate the operating regime for the water injection well. Alternatively or in addition, field data may be used.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining a reservoir property distinct from a near-wellbore/completion characteristic. The methods include obtaining non-transient well data regarding a measurable characteristic of a well that is used to establish a functional relationship between a reservoir property, a near-wellbore/completion characteristic, and the measurable characteristic of the well. A model that relates the reservoir property and the near-wellbore/completion characteristic is used to generate a modeled near-wellbore/completion characteristic value from an input reservoir property value, or vice versa. The input value and the modeled value are then tested against the well data using the functional relationship. The model is used repeatedly with different input values until a validated reservoir property value and a validated near-wellbore/completion characteristic value are identified that at least substantially satisfy the functional relationship.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of biomass to render structural carbohydrates more accessible and/or digestible using concentrated ammonium hydroxide with or without anhydrous ammonia addition, is described. The process preferably uses steam to strip ammonia from the biomass for recycling. The process yields of monosaccharides from the structural carbohydrates are good, particularly as measured by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the structural carbohydrates. The monosaccharides are used as animal feeds and energy sources for ethanol production.

Abstract: Methods of regulating flow in a hydrocarbon well include identifying at least two dissimilar zones in an interval of a well, perforating a well completion in the interval according to a limited-entry perforation strategy, and re-perforating the well completion in the interval according to a re-perforating strategy. The limited-entry perforation strategy is adapted to produce a plurality of limited-entry perforations. The limited-entry perforation strategy varies the perforations within the interval based at least in part on dissimilarities between the at least two dissimilar zones. The re-perforation strategy produces a plurality of re-perforations and is based at least in part on the limited-entry perforation strategy. The re-perforation strategy is adapted to at least substantially align a portion of the re-perforations with a portion of the limited-entry perforations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a tubular member having a central opening within an internal portion of the tubular member, wherein the central opening allows hydrocarbons to flow through the tubular member. Also, the tubular member includes openings between the central opening and a region external to the tubular member. In addition to the tubular member, at least two adjacent wire segments are disposed around the tubular member. The at least two adjacent wire segments create at least two flow paths to the central opening. Also, the at least two adjacent wire segments form at least two openings configured to prevent particles greater than a specific size from entering the openings in the tubular member.

Abstract: Flow control systems and methods for use in hydrocarbon well operations include a tubular and a flow control apparatus. The tubular defines a well annulus and includes an outer member defining a flow conduit. Fluid communication between the well annulus and the flow conduit is provided by permeable portion(s) of the outer member. The flow control apparatus is disposed within the flow conduit and comprises conduit-defining and chamber-defining structural members. The conduit-defining structural member(s) is configured to divide the flow conduit into at least two flow control conduits. The chamber-defining structural member(s) is configured to divide at least one of the at least two flow control conduits into at least two flow control chambers. Each of the flow control chambers has at least one inlet and one outlet, each of which is adapted to allow fluid flow therethrough and to retain particles larger than a predetermined size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons is described. In the method, a failure mode for a well completion is identified. A numerical engineering model to describe an event that results in the failure mode is constructed. The numerical engineering model is converted into a response surface. Then, the response surface is associated with a user tool configured to provide the response surface for analysis of another well.

Abstract: A method for producing a microbial growth stimulant (MGS) from a plant biomass is described. In one embodiment, an ammonium hydroxide solution is used to extract a solution of proteins and ammonia from the biomass. Some of the proteins and ammonia are separated from the extracted solution to provide the MGS solution. The removed ammonia can be recycled and the proteins are useful as animal feeds. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting solubles from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass with a cellulase enzyme-producing growth medium (such T. reesei) in the presence of water and an aqueous extract.

Abstract: Methods for installing tubulars into a highly deviated wellbore may include a) drilling the well to the planned total depth of the interval, b) placing a first fluid into the wellbore below a prescribed measured depth in the high-angle portion of the wellbore, c) placing a second fluid into the wellbore above the prescribed measured depth, d) plugging the distal port ion of the tubular with a lower plug and an upper plug, e) as the tubular is run into the wellbore, placing a lightweight fluid into the plugged section of tubular and a heavy fluid above the plugged section of tubular, and f) running the tubular into the wellbore to the planned total depth. The first fluid has a density that causes the portion of the tubular that extends into the first fluid to become substantially neutrally buoyant, and the second fluid has a density less than the first fluid.

Abstract: Flow control systems and methods for use in injection wells and in the production of hydrocarbons utilize a particulate material disposed in an external flow area of a flow control chamber having an internal flow channel and an external flow area separated at least by a permeable region. The particulate material transitions from a first accumulated condition to a free or released condition when a triggering condition is satisfied without requiring user or operator intervention. The released particles accumulate without user or operator intervention, to control the flow of production fluids through a flow control chamber by at least substantially blocking the permeable region between the external flow area and the internal flow channel.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that may be utilized to make completion design an integral part of the well planning process by enabling the rapid evaluation of completion performance. This integration may include an earth model and may specify wellpath parameters, completion parameters, and other parameters in a simulation of operations using the earth model. The simulation generates well performance measures, which may be optimized depending on well performance technical limits. The optimization may be used to maximize an objective function. The system may include multiple users at the same or different locations (e.g. over a network) interacting through graphic user interfaces (GUI's).

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons are described. The method includes disposing a plurality of sand control devices having a primary flow path and a secondary flowpath within a wellbore adjacent to a subsurface reservoir. A packer having primary and secondary flow paths is then coupled between two of the sand control devices such that the primary and secondary flow paths of the packer are in fluid flow communication with the primary and secondary flowpaths of the sand control devices. The packer is then set within an interval, which may be an open-hole section of the wellbore. With the packer set, gravel packing of the sand control devices in different intervals may be performed. The interval above the packer may be packed before the interval below the packer. A treatment fluid may then be injected into the wellbore via the secondary flow paths of the packer and sand control devices.

Abstract: A method for controlling fluid injection parameters to improve well interactions and control hydrofracture geometries is provided. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection of pressurized fluids.

Abstract: A method of completing a well is described. The well may be a producing well or an injection well. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying technical issues associated with a well; selecting a technology to address each technical issue; defining criteria for each selected technology to determine when to deploy the selected technology in the well, wherein each selected technology remains dormant until the criteria are met; and integrating the technologies into a well completion profile stored in. memory and utilized in the deployment of the technologies into the well. The method provides the ability to proactively address technical issues to reduce workovers and interventions for a well.