Current status of nuclear explosive stimulation of natural gas rservoirs with thoughts on its effect on domestic gas reserves

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1969 · Interstate Oil Compact Comm. Com. Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7155738

Johansen, R I

Two experiments using nuclear explosives to stimulate low productivity gas formations have been performed. Production tests on the first of these experiments, after reentry into the resulting rubble-filled chimney at the Gasbuggy test site, indicated about a 5-fold increase in recovery when compared to the production of a similar, but conventionally stimulated, well in the same formation. Fracturing of the formation and damage to the casing was encountered during reentry of the test wells at distances ranging from 400 to 700 ft from the point of detonation. Premeability of these fracture systems remained low. Contamination of the produced gas with radioactive materials was less than expected, with most of the radioactivity in the form of tritium and krypton 85. Results of tests on Gasbuggy were encouraging enough to support the detonation of the second underground explosion in a deeper gas sand having commercial possibilities. Production tests on this experiment (Project Rulison) are being deferred for 6 mo. until the radioactivity has had a chance to decay. (10 refs.)

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines
• OSTI ID: 7155738
• Journal Information: Interstate Oil Compact Comm. Com. Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Interstate Oil Compact Comm. Com. Bull.; (United States) Vol. 11:2; ISSN IOCBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030900* -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450201 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives-- Containment
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CONTAMINATION
CROSSTIE OPERATION
DAMAGE
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPLORATORY WELLS
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVE STIMULATION
EXPLOSIVES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASBUGGY EVENT
GASES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON 85
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MANDREL OPERATION
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PERMEABILITY
PLOWSHARE PROJECT
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RULISON EVENT
STIMULATION
TRITIUM
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
WELL CASINGS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES