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 = {1980},
month = {1}
}