Systems, methods and tools for subterranean electrochemical characterization and enthalpy measurement in geothermal reservoirs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12181437-B2
Application number	US-202117474560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods and tools that measure ionic concentrations and downhole enthalpy of a flowing geothermal fluid in real-time at high-temperature and pressure. The systems, methods and tools include measuring the concentration of selected naturally occurring ions found in the liquid phase of the geothermal fluid throughout the wellbore using novel electrochemical sensor technologies. The change in liquid-phase ion concentration will be used to calculate the proportion of liquid to steam and allow for accurate enthalpy measurements. The techniques and technologies described here can be applied to any application of electrochemical sensing in extreme environments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ionic strength reference electrode, comprising:
a bimodal pellet comprising a first portion and a second portion;
wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of composite particles comprising a graphite sphere core, a conductive coating surrounding the graphite sphere core, and an outside coating surrounding the conductive coating, and
wherein the second portion comprises a salt portion; and
wherein the first portion and the second portion are separate portions physically joined at an interface.

2. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductor in electrical connectivity to the bimodal pellet.

3. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , wherein the salt portion is a salt crystal.

4. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 3 , wherein the salt crystal is potassium chloride.

5. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , wherein the salt portion is a solid pressed salt pellet.

6. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 5 , wherein the solid pressed salt pellet is formed from a chloride-containing salt powder.

7. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , wherein the conductive coating is silver.

8. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , wherein the outside coating is a silver-chloride layer.

9. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conducting element in contact with the bimodal pellet.

10. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 9 , further comprising:
an inner liner contacting the conducting element.

11. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 10 , wherein the inner liner is a joining material.

12. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 11 , wherein the joining material is an epoxy.

13. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 10 , further comprising:
an outer liner contacting the inner liner.

14. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 13 , wherein the outer liner is selected from the group consisting essentially of polymers, metals and ceramics.

15. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shell surrounding the bimodal pellet.

16. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 15 , wherein the shell is a polymer.

17. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 16 , wherein the polymer is a fluoropolymer.

18. An ionic strength reference electrode, comprising:
a bimodal pellet comprising a first portion and a second portion;
wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of composite particles comprising a graphite sphere core, a conductive coating surrounding the graphite sphere core, and an outside coating surrounding the conductive coating, and
wherein the second portion comprises a salt portion; and
wherein the first portion and the second portion are separate portions physically joined at an interface;

a conducting element in contact with the bimodal pellet;
an inner liner contacting the conducting element;
an outer liner contacting the inner liner; and
a shell surrounding the bimodal pellet.

19. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the salt portion is a solid crystal.

20. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 19 , wherein the salt crystal is potassium chloride.

21. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the salt portion is a sold pressed salt pellet.

22. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 21 , wherein the solid pressed salt pellet is formed from a chloride-containing salt powder.

23. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the conductive coating is silver.

24. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the outside coating is a silver-chloride layer.

25. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the inner liner is a joining material.

26. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 25 , wherein the joining material is an epoxy.

27. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the outer liner is selected from the group consisting essentially of polymers, metals and ceramics.

28. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 18 , wherein the shell is a polymer.

29. The ionic strength reference electrode of claim 28 , wherein the polymer is a fluoropolymer.

Assignees

• Nat Tech & Eng Solutions Sandia Llc
• Univ Leland Stanford Junior

Inventors

• Cieslewski Grzegorz
• Gao Xuhua
• Hess Ryan Falcone
• Cashion Iv Avery T
• Corbin William
• Egan Sasha
• Horne Roland N

Classifications

• G01N27/333

  Ion-selective electrodes or membranes (glass electrodes G01N27/36) · CPC title

• G01K13/026

  of moving liquids · CPC title

• G01K7/04

  the object to be measured not forming one of the thermoelectric materials · CPC title

• Y02E10/10

  Geothermal energy · CPC title

• G01K13/02 Primary

  for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow · CPC title