METHOD FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF FRONT OF IN-SITU COMBUSTION IN OIL DEPOSITS Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC E21B43/243 G01V11/00 

FIELD: oil and gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: method involves initiation of in-situ combustion at least in one injection well, pumping and measurement of air flow rate and advancing of combustion front from the well inside the formation under action of pumped air; arrangement of a number of sensors on the surface or at small depth under the ground around injection well; recording of sensors readings. In order to study the spatial position of combustion front, field temperature surveys are performed by means of temperature sensors, and geochemical surveys are performed by means of sorbent sensors and by extracting the soil samples. Location grid of sorbent sensors and soil sampling points coincides with location grid of temperature sensors. Arrangement of sorbent sensors and extraction of soil samples is performed to determine concentrations of hydrocarbon (C₁-C₆) and non-hydrocarbon (H₂, N₂, CO, CO₂, O₂) gases. As per the results of field surveys there built are maps of distribution of temperatures and distribution of concentrations of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases; they are interpreted and spatial position of combustion front is determined as per the received materials.

EFFECT: improving accuracy and reducing the time spent on determination of location of in-situ combustion front in oil deposits.

5 cl, 2 dwg