Geohydrologic feasibility study of the Piceance Basin of Colorado for the potential applicability of Jack W. McIntyre`s patented gas/produced water separation process

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10124848· OSTI ID:10124848

Kieffer, F

Geraghty & Miller, Inc. of Midland, Texas conducted geologic and hydrologic feasibility studies of the potential applicability of Jack McIntyre`s patented process for the recovery of natural gas from coalbed/sand formations in the Piceance Basin through literature surveys. Jack McIntyre`s tool separates produced water from gas and disposes of the water downhole into aquifers unused because of poor water quality, uneconomic lifting costs or poor aquifer deliverability. The beneficial aspects of this technology are two fold. The process increases the potential for recovering previously uneconomic gas resources by reducing produced water lifting, treatment and disposal costs. Of greater importance is the advantage of lessening the environmental impact of produced water by downhole disposal. Results from the survey indicate that research in the Piceance Basin includes studies of the geologic, hydrogeologic, conventional and unconventional recovery oil and gas technologies. Available information is mostly found centered upon the geology and hydrology for the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. Lesser information is available on production technology because of the limited number of wells currently producing in the basin. Limited information is available on the baseline geochemistry of the coal/sand formation waters and that of the potential disposal zones. No determination was made of the compatibility of these waters. The study also indicates that water is often produced in variable quantities with gas from several gas productive formations which would indicate that there are potential applications for Jack McIntyre`s patented tool in the Piceance Basin.

• Research Organization: Geraghty and Miller, Inc., Midland, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG46-92R699202
• OSTI ID: 10124848
• Report Number(s): DOE/R6/99202--T6; ON: DE94007004; BR: EF7202000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000
03 NATURAL GAS
030300
030700
AQUIFERS
COAL SEAMS
COLORADO
DEGASSING
DRILLING, PRODUCTION, AND PROCESSING
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GEOLOGY
HYDROLOGY
MAPS
MESOZOIC ERA
METHANE
NATURAL GAS WELLS
PALEOZOIC ERA
PICEANCE CREEK BASIN
RESERVES, GEOLOGY, AND EXPLORATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER