Methods for identifying hydrocarbon reservoirs

{
  "publication_number": "US10895666B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Methods for identifying hydrocarbon reservoirs",
  "abstract": "A method of identifying hydrocarbon seeps that are connected to hydrocarbon reservoirs and for identifying in situ conditions of hydrocarbon reservoirs is disclosed. The method comprises, obtaining a sample from an area of interest, such as a sediment sample or water column sample near a hydrocarbon seep; analyzing the sample to detect microbial signatures that are specific to families associated with hydrocarbon reservoirs; and using the signature to determine whether the hydrocarbon seep is connected to a hydrocarbon reservoir and to identify properties of the hydrocarbon reservoir.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of identifying the presence of a hydrocarbon reservoir in a subsurface comprising: (a) obtaining a sample near a subsea hydrocarbon seep associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the sample is obtained from a location that is within a radius of 150 meters from the center of the location where the seep is emanating from the seafloor; (b) extracting nucleic acids from the sample; (c) analyzing the extracted nucleic acids to identify signatures that are indicative of organisms from one or more of the families selected from Bacillaceae, Alteromonadaceae, Gordoniaceae, Deferribacteraceae, Desulfohalobiaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, Eubacteriaceae, Geobacteraceae, Halanaerobiaceae, Marinilabiliaceae, Methanobacteriaceae, Peptococcaceae, Petrotogaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Spirochaetaceae, Synergistaceae, Syntrophobacteraceae, Thermotogaceae, and Thermococcaceae; (d) using the signature to identify the hydrocarbon seep as being connected to a hydrocarbon reservoir; (e) using the signature to identify a temperature of the hydrocarbon reservoir; and (f) using the temperature to determine the depth of the hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a fluid sample obtained from a water column near the hydrocarbon seep.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a sediment sample obtained from the seafloor near the hydrocarbon seep.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is obtained from a location that is within a radius of 10 meters from the center of the location where the seep is emanating from the seafloor.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, further comprising preserving the obtained sample at a temperature at or less than −60° C. until the sample is ready to have the nucleic acids extracted.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the samples are further analyzed to identify nucleic acid signatures that are indicative of organisms from one or more genera selected from Anaerophaga, Deferribacter, Desulfacinum, Desulfonauticus, Desulfotomaculum, Desulfovibrio, Fusibacter, Gardella, Geoalkalibacter, Geobacillus, Geotoga, Gordonia, Halanaerobium, Kosmotoga, Marinobacter, Mesotoga, Methanothermobacter, Oceanotoga, Petrotoga, Spirochaeta, Thermococcus, Thermodesulforhabdus, Thermotoga, and Thermovirga.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid signature from the sample is calibrated by comparing the signature to a signature obtained from a reference sample that is obtained away from the hydrocarbon seep.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: obtaining a second sample from an area not associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir; extracting nucleic acids from the second sample; analyzing the extracted nucleic acids to identify signatures that are indicative of organisms from one or more of the families selected from Bacillaceae, Alteromonadaceae, Gordoniaceae, Deferribacteraceae, Desulfohalobiaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, Eubacteriaceae, Geobacteraceae, Halanaerobiaceae, Marinilabiliaceae, Methanobacteriaceae, Peptococcaceae, Petrotogaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Spirochaetaceae, Synergistaceae, Syntrophobacteraceae, Thermotogaceae, and Thermococcaceae; comparing the signature of the second sample with the signature of the sample taken from the hydrocarbon seep; using the compared signature to determine the temperature of the hydrocarbon reservoir.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reference sample is obtained at a location that is at least 200 meters away from the center of the location where the seep is emanating from the surface.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid analysis comprises one or more of DNA analysis, RNA analysis, and metagenomics.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the temperature of the reservoir is as being in the range of 30 to 105° C.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the temperature of the reservoir is as being in the range of 50 to 105° C.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the temperature of the reservoir is as being in the range of 70 to 105° C.",
    "14. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the temperature of the reservoir is as being in the range of 85 to 105° C.",
    "15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the depth of the hydrocarbon reservoir comprises using a geothermal gradient to determine the depth from the determined temperature.",
    "16. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting a seismic survey of the hydrocarbon reservoir, wherein the seismic survey is targeted at the determine depth.",
    "17. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the determined depth to interpret seismic data of the hydrocarbon reservoir.",
    "18. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a geologic model based on the determined presence of the hydrocarbon reservoir.",
    "19. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a geologic model based on the identified temperature of the hydrocarbon reservoir."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Described herein are methods for locating and identifying hydrocarbon reservoirs. In particular, the methods utilize microbiological data from hydrocarbon seeps to identify hydrocarbon seeps that are connected to hydrocarbon reservoirs and to identify properties of the hydrocarbon reservoir.\n\nThe exploration for and discovery of new oil reserves has become increasingly challenging and costly. Untapped reserves tend to be more difficult to identify and evaluate, and are often located subsea, which further increases the complexity and cost of discovering such reserves. Successful, efficient, and cost effective identification and evaluation of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs is therefore very desirable.\n\nIn marine exploration, seep detection has become an important tool to identify potential hydrocarbon resources in the subsurface. Oil and gas accumulations often leak hydrocarbons including methane, ethane, propane, butane, naphthalene, and benzene. These hydrocarbons may migrate toward the surface (i.e., the seafloor), through a variety of pathways, such as faults or fracture zones. As such, the seeps become surface expressions of subsurface geological phenomena and can be used to give an indication of the subsurface conditions. In some instances, seeps may not be directly above the accumulation from which they originate but rather have further migrated and mixed with the sea water.\n\nAnalysis of fluid and sediment samples that are collected from, in, and around hydrocarbon seeps can be used to determine the presence of a mature source rock.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01V 9/007",
    "C12Q 1/64",
    "C12Q 1/6888",
    "C12Q 1/689",
    "C12Q 2600/158",
    "E21B 43/0122",
    "E21B 49/08",
    "G01N 33/24",
    "G01N 33/241",
    "G01N 33/2823"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C12Q 1/68",
    "G01N 33/24",
    "C07H 21/00",
    "C12Q 1/64",
    "C12Q 1/6888",
    "C12Q 1/689",
    "E21B 49/08",
    "G01N 33/28",
    "G01V 9/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "A. Lucie N'Guessan",
    "Aaron B. Regberg",
    "Zarath M. Summers"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-06-27",
  "publication_date": "2021-01-19",
  "grant_date": "2021-01-19",
  "priority_date": "2016-07-01",
  "application_number": "US-201715634798-A",
  "family_id": "59315722",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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