William L. Medlin

Method of using seismic data to monitor firefloods

A method for identifying the location of the extent of travel of a combustion front following an in situ oil recovery operation employs a source of seismic energy and at least one seismic receiver for detecting seismic reflection signals from boundaries between subterranean formations on either side or opposite sides of such location. The properties of these seismic reflection signals are changed by the reduction in water saturation in the oil reservoir caused by the drying effect of the combustion front, and any such change is detected as an identification of the location of the extent of travel of the combustion front through the oil reservoir.

System for conducting resonance measurements of rock materials under confining pressure

A confining pressure system includes a pressure cell containing a mechanical oscillator and a gas supply for carrying out resonance measurements of rock material under confining pressure at seismic frequencies. An appropriate gas is used to avoid significant damping of oscillations under confining pressures of various ranges.

Harmonic oscillator for measuring dynamic elastic constants of rock materials

A simple harmonic oscillator for use in measuring dynamic elastic constants of rock material samples includes a pair of masses vertically suspended from a support position by a pair of wires. At least one mass is driven by a permanent magnet with the driving coil positioned in the air gap to the magnet. The rock sample is horizontally positioned between the pair of masses such that the rock sample acts as a spring element connecting the masses, thereby forming the simple harmonic oscillator.

Sonic attenuating method for distinguishing between oil, water, and gas

A novel method is disclosed for using the resonance behavior of reservoir sand to distinguish between oil-rich, gas-rich and water-rich zones. A wellbore is logged, as for example with a long spaced acoustic logging tool, to obtain data which are then interpreted to determine the damping of the acoustic signal in one sand versus another, or in that sand versus a reference sand having similar resonance characteristics.