Besst, Inc.

Kajima Corporation

Noah R Heller

Peter F Moritzburke

Gaunt Murdock

Miles Koehler

Jacob Aman

Masaru Toida

Hiroyoki Atsumi

Toru Chino

A method and system for determining dynamic steady-state flow and chemistry of groundwater within a long-screened test well, includes (i) drilling a pilot hole through an aquifer; (ii) installing a test well within the pilot hole, including a well screen that is at least 40 feet in length; (iii) positioning a pump within the test well to move the groundwater within the test well; (iv) positioning a packer assembly within the test well to selectively provide a seal between the test well and the pilot hole; and (v) performing downhole testing at a plurality of different depths within the test well with miniaturized technologies that are equal to or less than 1.5 inches in diameter to determine a dynamic steady-state flow and chemistry profile of the groundwater within the test well. The pump is used at a first depth and then is moved to a second depth within the test well to perform stacked dynamic steady-state flow and chemistry profiles. The miniaturized technologies include a tracer injection system that determines downhole velocity and flow measurements of the groundwater within the test well, and a groundwater sampling system that selectively removes groundwater samples from the test well.

Stacked dynamic steady-state flow and chemistry profiling for long-screened test wells used in mud rotary pilot holes

A fluid sample collection system for directly collecting a fluid sample from a fluid source includes a fluid collector and a fluid line. The fluid collector includes (i) a sample vial including a sample vial body and a vial cap that is selectively coupled and sealed to the sample vial body; (ii) a collector body that defines a passenger vial chamber, the sample vial being positioned at least partially within the passenger vial chamber during collection of the fluid; and (iii) a cap access facilitator that is configured to engage a portion of the sample vial to enable a user to selectively couple the vial cap to the sample vial body to seal the sample vial so that the fluid is retained within the sample vial. The fluid line extends between the fluid source and the fluid collector to substantially directly transmit the fluid sample to the fluid collector without exposing the fluid sample to the ambient environment that surrounds the fluid sample collection system.

Fluid sample collection system for pumped fluid source

A fluid sample collection system for directly collecting a fluid sample from a fluid source without exposing the fluid sample to an ambient environment that surrounds the fluid sample collection system includes a fluid collector including (i) a sample vial that is configured to retain fluid from the fluid source, the sample vial including a sample vial body and a vial cap that is selectively coupled and sealed to the sample vial body; (ii) a collector body that defines a passenger vial chamber, the sample vial being positioned at least partially within the passenger vial chamber during collection of the fluid; and (iii) a cap access facilitator that is configured to engage a portion of the sample vial to enable a user to selectively couple the vial cap to the sample vial body to seal the sample vial so that the fluid is retained within the sample vial.

A water sampling assembly for sampling water within a groundwater production well includes a primary pump and a water sampler. The primary pump is positioned within the groundwater production well. Additionally, the primary pump defines at least a portion of an annulus between the primary pump and one of the support casing and the well screen. The water sampler is configured to obtain a plurality of water samples from the groundwater production well without removal of the water sampler from the groundwater production well. Additionally, the water sampling assembly can further include a flow detection assembly that is conjoined with the water sampler within a single jacket to form a conjoined system. The flow detection assembly is configured to detect a flow, i.e. a dynamic flow and/or an ambient flow, of the water within the groundwater production well.

Water sampling assembly and method for groundwater production wells and boreholes

A flowmeter profiling system for measuring a flow profile of water in a subsurface environment includes a tracer injection system positioned at least partially within the subsurface environment. The tracer injection system includes an injection tube that contains a tracer material, and an injection port that is coupled to the injection tube near a bottom of the injection tube. Additionally, the injection port is configured to inject the tracer material substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment. The injection port can include a plurality of exit holes such that the tracer material is injected substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment through each of the plurality of exit holes. The water can be in a groundwater production well having a cross-sectional plane, and the tracer material can be injected substantially horizontally into the groundwater production well through each of the plurality of exit holes to fill substantially the entire cross-sectional plane of the groundwater production well.

Flowmeter profiling system for use in groundwater production wells and boreholes

A method for reducing the extent of treatment required for groundwater includes the step of determining one of groundwater flow and groundwater chemistry within at least one of a plurality of fluid zones within a subsurface well having a primary pump positioned at least partially therein. The method also includes modifying fluid dynamics within the subsurface well based on at least one of the groundwater flow and chemistry. The method further includes selectively extracting groundwater from at least one of the plurality of fluid zones with the primary pump. The method also includes removing one or more contaminants from the groundwater with a fluid treatment system. Additionally, the step of determining can include the use of miniaturized technologies, such as miniaturized flow profiling technologies, miniaturized water sampling technologies and miniaturized sensors.

Selective extraction of fluids from subsurface wells

A method for reducing the extent of treatment required for groundwater comprises the steps of (A) determining one of groundwater (1) flow, and (2) chemistry within at least one of a plurality of fluid zones within a subsurface well having a primary pump positioned at least partially therein; (B) modifying fluid dynamics within the subsurface well based on at least one of the groundwater flow and chemistry; (C) selectively extracting groundwater from at least one of the plurality of fluid zones with the primary pump; and (D) removing one or more contaminants from the groundwater with a fluid treatment system. Additionally, the step of determining can include the use of miniaturized technologies, such as miniaturized flow profiling technologies, miniaturized water sampling technologies and miniaturized sensors.

A sensor assembly () for sensing one or more fluid properties of a fluid in a subsurface well () having a well fluid level (W), a surface region () and a riser pipe () includes a sensor apparatus () and a pump assembly () that are positioned within the well (). The sensor apparatus () includes a sensor () that senses one of the fluid properties. The pump assembly () can be positioned in an in-line manner relative to the sensor apparatus (). The pump assembly () can be positioned between the sensor apparatus () and the surface region (). Alternatively, the sensor apparatus () can be positioned between the pump assembly () and the surface region (). In one embodiment, the sensor apparatus () is positioned above the well fluid level (W). The pump assembly () can pump fluid toward the sensor apparatus () or the pump assembly () can pump fluid to draw more fluid to the sensor apparatus (). The pump assembly () can be a two-line, two-valve pump that is removable from the riser pipe (). The sensor assembly () can include a controller () that receives data from the sensor () regarding one of the fluid properties of the fluid.

Sensor assembly for determining fluid properties in a subsurface well

A zone isolation assembly for a fluid monitoring system in an existing subsurface well includes a fluid receiving pipe, a docking receiver, a docking apparatus and a first sealer. The fluid receiving pipe includes a pipe interior and a fluid inlet structure. The fluid receiving pipe receives a fluid through the fluid inlet structure into the pipe interior. The docking receiver is connected to the fluid receiving pipe. The docking apparatus moves between (i) a docked position wherein the docking apparatus is docked with the docking receiver, and (ii) an undocked position wherein the docking apparatus is undocked with the docking receiver. The first sealer is spaced apart from the docking apparatus. In certain embodiments, the first sealer selectively forms a fluid-tight seal between the fluid receiving pipe and the casing to divide the fluid zone into a first zone and a spaced apart second zone. The first zone and the second zone are not in fluid communication with one another when the docking apparatus is in the docked position.

Zone isolation assembly and method for isolating a fluid zone in an existing subsurface well

A zone isolation assembly array () for a well () includes a first zone isolation assembly (A) and a second zone isolation assembly (B). The first zone isolation assembly (A) selectively inhibits fluid communication between a first zone () and a second zone () of the well (). The second zone isolation assembly (B) selectively inhibits fluid communication between the second zone () and a third zone () of the well (). In another embodiment, the zone isolation assembly array () includes a first docking receiver (A), a second docking receiver (B), a first docking apparatus (A) and a second docking apparatus (B). The docking receivers (A,B) can be positioned in an in-line manner. The second docking apparatus (B) is coupled to the first docking apparatus (A).

Zone isolation assembly array and method for isolating a plurality of fluid zones in a subsurface well

A zone isolation assembly () for a subsurface well () having a surface region (), a first zone () and a second zone () includes a docking receiver () and a docking apparatus (). The docking apparatus () is selectively moved relative to the docking receiver () between a disengaged position and an engaged position. In the disengaged position, the first zone () is in fluid communication with the second zone (). In the engaged position, the first zone () is not in fluid communication with the second zone () during movement of a fluid between the first zone () and the surface region (). The docking apparatus () can be maintained in the engaged position substantially by a force of gravity. The zone isolation assembly () can include a pump assembly () that pumps the fluid while the docking apparatus () is in the engaged position. The zone isolation assembly () can include a fluid collector () that collects the fluid when the docking apparatus () is in the engaged position.

Zone isolation assembly for isolating and testing fluid samples from a subsurface well

A zone isolation assembly array () for a well () includes a first zone isolation assembly (A) and a second zone isolation assembly (B). The first zone isolation assembly (A) selectively inhibits fluid communication between a first zone () and a second zone () of the well (). The second zone isolation assembly (B) can be positioned between the first zone isolation assembly (A) and a surface region () of the well () in an in-line manner. The second zone isolation assembly (B) selectively inhibits fluid communication between the second zone () and a third zone () of the well (). In another embodiment, the zone isolation assembly array () includes a first docking receiver (A), a second docking receiver (B), a first docking apparatus (A) and a second docking apparatus (B). The docking receivers (A,B) can be positioned in an in-line manner. The second docking apparatus (B) is coupled to the first docking apparatus (A). The zone isolation assembly array () can also a first fluid collector (A) and a second fluid collector (B). The first fluid collector (A) collects a first fluid () from within the first zone () when the first docking apparatus (A) is in the engaged position. The second fluid collector (B) collects a second fluid () from within the second zone () when the second docking apparatus (B) is in the engaged position. The first fluid collector (A) can collect the first fluid () in a different manner than the second fluid collector (B) collects the second fluid ().

Zone isolation assembly array for isolating a plurality of fluid zones in a subsurface well

A docking receiver () for a subsurface well () having a fluid inlet structure (), a riser pipe () and a docking apparatus () includes an upper section (A) and a lower section (A). The upper section (A) is secured to the riser pipe (). The lower section (A) is secured to the fluid inlet structure (). The lower section (A) receives the docking apparatus () into an engaged position wherein fluid communication between a first zone () and a second zone () of the well () is inhibited. The lower section (A) includes a contact surface (A) and a distal region (A). The contact surface (A) contacts the docking apparatus () when the docking apparatus () is in the engaged position. The distal region (A) is positioned more distally from a surface region () of the well () than the contact surface. The lower section (A) can have a lower inner diameter (UD,LD) that varies within the distal region (A). When the docking apparatus () is not in the engaged position with the docking receiver (), the first zone () is in fluid communication with the second zone ().

Docking receiver of a zone isolation assembly for a subsurface well

Systems and methods for installation and operation of a groundwater monitoring system in a borehole of any angle using a coaxial gas displacement pump with a unique O-ring assembly that serves as a two-position valve for groundwater purging and sampling and also as a housing and sealing mechanism for isolating an optical pressure sensor. The optical sensor measures in-situ hydraulic pressure directly subjacent and adjacent to the surrounding rock fractures and sediment pores without hydraulic interferences from potentiometric equilibration lag time from recovery fluid pressure inside a borehole, in a zone above the optical sensor, or on the inside of a riser pipe that rises to the ground surface.

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Corte Madera, CA, United States of America

Noah R Heller