Metal isotope applications in hydrocarbon exploration, development, and production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041384-B2
Application number	US-201815900180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2018
Priority date	Feb 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) obtaining one or more samples from a well in a region of interest;
(b) analyzing the sample to determine a ratio of at least two isotopes of a first metal;
(c) analyzing the sample to determine a ratio of at least two isotopes of a second metal;
(d) analyzing the sample to determine a ratio of at least two isotopes of a third metal;
(e) integrating the isotope ratios of the first metal, second metal, and third metal to form a multiple metal isotope signature, wherein the multiple metal isotope signature comprises bulk concentrations and compound specific metal isotope ratios;
(f) using the multiple metal isotope signature to determine one or more of type of hydrocarbon in the subsurface accumulation, quality of hydrocarbon in the subsurface accumulation, and source of the hydrocarbon; and
(g) developing or refining a hydrocarbon exploration, hydrocarbon development, or hydrocarbon production strategy based on the determined one or more of type of hydrocarbon, quality of hydrocarbon, and source of the hydrocarbon.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises produced fluids from the well.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises hydrocarbons.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal, second metal, and third metal are selected from vanadium, nickel, molybdenum, chromium, iron, cobalt, zinc, and copper.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first metal, second metal, and third metal are selected from vanadium, nickel, and molybdenum.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal is vanadium, the second metal is nickel, and the third metal is molybdenum.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is vanadium and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 51 V to 50 V.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is nickel and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 60 Ni to 58 Ni.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is molybdenum and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 98 Mo to 96 Mo.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein integrating the isotope ratios of the first, second, and third metals comprises forming a ternary plot of the metal isotope ratios.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the measured multiple metal isotope signature to a database of known multiple metal isotope signatures to determine the source of the hydrocarbons in the sample.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising developing a multiple metal isotope signature for a second sample and comparing the multiple metal isotope signature of the first sample and the second sample.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises integrating the multiple metal isotope signature with one or more of a multiply substituted isotopologue signature, clumped isotope signature, or position-specific isotope signature.

14. A method of producing hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) obtaining one or more samples comprising hydrocarbons;
(b) analyzing the sample to determine a geochemical signatures of the sample, wherein the geochemical signature comprises one or more of bulk metal concentration, non-metal isotopic signatures, molecular geochemistry, clumped isotope/position specific isotope geochemistry;
(c) separating metal containing components of the sample into fractions for metal isotope analysis;
(d) analyzing the fractions to determine a ratio of 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;
(e) integrating the isotope ratios of the first metal, second metal, and third metal to form a multiple metal isotope signature comprising bulk concentrations and compound specific metal isotope ratios;
(f) integrating the geochemical signature and the multiple metal isotope signature; and
(g) using the integrated signature to develop or refine a hydrocarbon exploration, development, or production strategy.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first metal, second metal, and third metal are selected from vanadium, nickel, molybdenum, chromium, iron, cobalt, zinc, and copper.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first metal, second metal, and third metal are selected from vanadium, nickel, and molybdenum.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first metal is vanadium, the second metal is nickel, and the third metal is molybdenum.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is vanadium and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 51 V to 50 V.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is nickel and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 60 Ni to 58 Ni.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third metals is molybdenum and the multiple metal isotope signature comprises a ratio of 98 Mo to 96 Mo.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein integrating the isotope ratios of the first, second, and third metals comprises forming a ternary plot of the metal isotope ratios.

22. The method of claim 14 , further comprising comparing the measured multiple metal isotope signature to a database of known multiple metal isotope signatures to determine the source of the hydrocarbons in the sample.

23. The method of claim 14 , further comprising developing a multiple metal isotope signature for a second sample and comparing the multiple metal isotope signature of the first sample and the second sample.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises integrating the multiple metal isotope signature with one or more of a multiply substituted isotopologue signature, clumped isotope signature, or position-specific isotope signature.

Assignees

• Formolo Michael J
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Formolo Michael J

Classifications

• G01N33/241 Primary

  for hydrocarbon content · CPC title

• E21B49/0875

  determining specific fluid parameters · CPC title

• E21B49/00

  Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells · CPC title

• E21B49/08 Primary

  Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells · CPC title

• E21B47/11

  using tracers; using radioactivity · CPC title