Electromagnetic wave method for mapping subterranean earth formations

Patent · 01 January 1977

OSTI ID:862913

Shuck, Lowell Z ^[1]; Fasching, George E ^[1]; Balanis, Constantine A ^[1]

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1. Morgantown, WV

The present invention is directed to a method for remotely mapping subterranean coal beds prior to and during in situ gasification operations. This method is achieved by emplacing highly directional electromagnetic wave transmitters and receivers in bore holes penetrating the coal beds and then mapping the anomalies surrounding each bore hole by selectively rotating and vertically displacing the directional transmitter in a transmitting mode within the bore hole, and thereafter, initiating the gasification of the coal at bore holes separate from those containing the transmitters and receivers and then utilizing the latter for monitoring the burn front as it progresses toward the transmitters and receivers.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4045724
• OSTI ID: 862913
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/324/
achieved
anomalies
beds
bore
bore holes
burn
burn front
coal
coal bed
coal beds
containing
directed
directional
displacing
earth
earth formation
earth formations
electromagnetic
electromagnetic wave
emplacing
formations
front
gasification
gasification operation
gasification operations
highly
holes
holes penetrating
initiating
latter
magnetic wave
mapping
mapping subterranean
method
mode
monitoring
operations
penetrating
prior
progresses
receivers
remotely
rotating
selectively
selectively rotating
separate
situ
situ gas
situ gasification
subterranean
subterranean coal
subterranean earth
surrounding
thereafter
transmitter
transmitters
transmitting
utilizing
vertically
wave
wave method