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Title: Process of breaking and rendering permeable a subterranean rock mass

Abstract

The process of the present invention involves the following steps: producing, as by hydrofracing, a substantially horizontal fracture in the subterranean rock mass to be processed; emplacing an explosive charge in the mass in spaced juxtaposed position to the fracture; enlarging the fracture to create a void space thereat, an initial lifting of the overburden, and to provide a free face juxtaposed to and arranged to cooperate with the emplaced explosive charge; and exploding the charge against the free face for fragmenting the rock and to distribute the space, thus providing fractured, pervious, rubble-ized rock in an enclosed subterranean chamber. Firing of the charge provides a further lifting of the overburden, an enlargement of the chamber and a larger void space to distribute throughout the rubble-ized rock within the chamber. In some forms of the invention an explosive charge is used to produce a transitory enlargement of the fracture, and the juxtaposed emplaced charge is fired during the critical period of enlargement of the fracture.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Geokinetics Inc., Concord, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
863656
Patent Number(s):
4223734
Application Number:
05/959070
Assignee:
Geokinetics Inc. (Concord, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
DOE Contract Number:  
FC20-78LC10787
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1978 Nov 09
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
process; breaking; rendering; permeable; subterranean; rock; mass; involves; following; steps; producing; hydrofracing; substantially; horizontal; fracture; processed; emplacing; explosive; charge; spaced; juxtaposed; position; enlarging; create; void; space; thereat; initial; lifting; overburden; provide; free; arranged; cooperate; emplaced; exploding; fragmenting; distribute; providing; fractured; pervious; rubble-ized; enclosed; chamber; firing; provides; enlargement; larger; throughout; forms; produce; transitory; fired; critical; period; substantially horizontal; explosive charge; void space; following steps; rock mass; subterranean rock; /166/102/299/

Citation Formats

Lekas, Mitchell A. Process of breaking and rendering permeable a subterranean rock mass. United States: N. p., 1980. Web.
Lekas, Mitchell A. Process of breaking and rendering permeable a subterranean rock mass. United States.
Lekas, Mitchell A. Tue . "Process of breaking and rendering permeable a subterranean rock mass". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863656.
@article{osti_863656,
title = {Process of breaking and rendering permeable a subterranean rock mass},
author = {Lekas, Mitchell A.},
abstractNote = {The process of the present invention involves the following steps: producing, as by hydrofracing, a substantially horizontal fracture in the subterranean rock mass to be processed; emplacing an explosive charge in the mass in spaced juxtaposed position to the fracture; enlarging the fracture to create a void space thereat, an initial lifting of the overburden, and to provide a free face juxtaposed to and arranged to cooperate with the emplaced explosive charge; and exploding the charge against the free face for fragmenting the rock and to distribute the space, thus providing fractured, pervious, rubble-ized rock in an enclosed subterranean chamber. Firing of the charge provides a further lifting of the overburden, an enlargement of the chamber and a larger void space to distribute throughout the rubble-ized rock within the chamber. In some forms of the invention an explosive charge is used to produce a transitory enlargement of the fracture, and the juxtaposed emplaced charge is fired during the critical period of enlargement of the fracture.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}