Patent · US Active

Systems and methods of detecting an intersection between a wellbore and a subterranean structure that includes a marker material

US8770284B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
418References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 19, 2013
Grant dateJul 8, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 19, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B47/092
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

Systems and methods of detecting an intersection between a wellbore and a subterranean structure that includes a marker material. The systems and methods include drilling the wellbore and determining that the wellbore has intersected a portion of the subterranean structure that includes the marker material by detecting the marker material. The systems and methods also may include distributing the marker material within the subterranean structure, aligning the marker material within the subterranean structure, determining one or more characteristics of the marker material, ceasing the drilling, repeating the method, and/or producing a hydrocarbon from the subterranean structure. The systems and methods further may include forming an electrical connection between an electric current source and a granular resistive heater that forms a portion of the subterranean structure, forming the granular resistive heater, and/or forming the subterranean structure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.