Methods and systems for stimulating light tight shale oil formations to recover hydrocarbons from the formations. One embodiment includes positioning a downhole burner in a first well, supplying a fuel, oxidizer, and water to the burner to form steam, injecting the steam and surplus oxygen into the shale reservoir to form a heated zone within the shale reservoir, wherein the surplus oxygen reacts with hydrocarbons in the reservoir to generate heat; wherein the heat from the reactions with the hydrocarbons and the steam increases permeability in a kerogen-rich portion of the shale reservoir, and producing hydrocarbons from the shale reservoir.

Systems and methods for deployment of electric-based fracturing tools in vertical wells are disclose. A method of electric-based fracturing may include lowering an electrical stimulation tool into a wellbore using a drill pipe and isolating a lower portion of the wellbore that is downhole from an upper portion of the wellbore. The electrical stimulation tool may be disposed in the lower portion of the wellbore. A system for electric-based fracturing may include an isolation mechanism and an electrical stimulation tool. The isolation mechanism may be configured to expand from a retracted configuration spaced from an interior surface of a wellbore to an expanded configuration in contact with the inner surface of the wellbore. The electrical stimulation tool may be operatively coupled with the isolation mechanism and may be configured to be disposed distally relative to the isolation mechanism when positioned in the wellbore.

Downhole tools, systems, and methods for electric-based fracturing are disclosed. A downhole tool for electric-based fracturing may include an outer enclosure, an insulator chamber disposed at least partially within the enclosure, and an electrode disposed at least partially within the insulator chamber. The electrode may extend out from the insulator chamber and the enclosure, and may be configured to transfer electric energy to an exterior environment surrounding the downhole tool. The insulator chamber may be configured to thermally and electrically insulate at least a portion of the electrode from the exterior environment.

A method for operating a kerogen-rich unconventional gas reservoir characterized by there being multiple hydraulically-fractured wells drilled thereinto comprises: recovering a methane-containing gas from a first hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir, steam-methane reforming the recovered methane-containing gas to yield a hydrogen gas and an inorganic carbon-containing gas, injecting at least a portion of the hydrogen gas into a second hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir, and injecting at least a portion of the inorganic carbon-containing gas into a third hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir.

This application relates to systems and methods for stimulating hydrocarbon bearing rock formations using a downhole hybrid tool for discharging a fracturing solution to a wellbore in the formation and for delivering an output laser beams to the rock formation.

A method for operating a kerogen-rich unconventional gas reservoir characterized by there being multiple hydraulically-fractured wells drilled thereinto comprises: recovering a methane-containing gas from a first hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir, steam-methane reforming the recovered methane-containing gas to yield a hydrogen gas and an inorganic carbon-containing gas, injecting at least a portion of the hydrogen gas into a second hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir, and injecting at least a portion of the inorganic carbon-containing gas into a third hydraulically-fractured well drilled into the gas reservoir.

System and method for conducting enhanced oil recovery by establishing a plurality of stacked, alternating slugs of gas and liquid travelling downhole into a subterranean well. The system can include a buffer tank including a liquid inlet through which liquid is received from a liquids source into the buffer tank, a gas inlet through which gas is received from a pressured gas source into the buffer tank, a gas outlet in fluid communication with gas reservoired in the buffer tank, and a liquid outlet in fluid communication with liquid reservoired in the buffer tank. The system can further include a pressure control configured to maintain a specified pressure in gas reservoired within the buffer tank and a fluid dispensing system in fluid communication with the gas and liquid outlets of the buffer tank.

A method for determining the source of a surface bitumen sheen in an end pit lake formed by water capping of oil sand tailings is provided comprising quantifying bitumen flux using ice core samples of the end pit lake. The high areas of bitumen flux indicate the areas of the end pit lake that should be dredged for reclamation of the end pit lake to prevent the formation of hydrocarbon sheen on the surface of the end pit lake. A method for evaluating reclamation of an end pit lake is also provided.

A method of increasing hydrocarbon recovery from a wellbore in a tight formation with greater breakdown pressures, the method including using hydro-jetting to effect a plurality of oriented cavities or discoidal grooves in the horizontal portion of the wellbore to overcome near-wellbore stresses, injecting a thermally controlled fluid into the wellbore to alter the temperature of the formation and lower stresses, and then fracturing the formation to generate a series of fractures that can be formed in a planar formation.

Disclosed herein is a fracturing unit for hydraulic fracturing having an engine and a fracturing pump connected to the engine through a variable speed torque converter. Also disclosed is a hydraulic fracturing system using multiple fracturing units which are sized similar to ISO containers. A hydraulic fracturing system may also force flow back water, produced water, or fresh water through a heat exchanger so that heat from the fracturing engines can be transferred to these liquids in order to vaporize them. A force cooled fractioning unit then can accept the vapor/steam in order to condense the various components and produce distilled water for re-use in the fracturing process or for release into the environment.