Mobil Oil Corporation

Thomas C Vogt, Jr

Edward T Habib, Jr

Mitchell W Hale

Gerard R Obluda

Jay R Sellers

A hot fluid is injected through an injection well into a coal seam to induce more rapid and complete desorption of methane therefrom and to cause desorbed methane to proceed toward a nearby production well in the coal seam.

Acceleration of hydrocarbon gas production from coal beds

A subsurface formation having original in-situ stresses that favor the propagation of a horizontal fracture is penetrated by a borehole. A first fracturing fluid containing a propping material is pumped through the borehole and into the formation at a first depth to propagate a horizontal fracture which alters the in-situ stress field. The pumping of the first fracturing fluid is stopped and a second fracturing fluid is pumped through the borehole and into the formation at a second depth to form a vertical fracture within the field of altered in-situ stress.

Sequential hydraulic fracturing of a subsurface formation

Process for the in-situ leaching of uranium employing an alkaline lixiviant and an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite as an oxidizing agent. The use of the hypochlorite oxidant results in significantly higher uranium recoveries and leaching rates than those attained by the use of conventional oxidants. The invention is particularly suitable for use in subterranean deposits in which the uranium mineral is associated with carbonaceous material which retards access to the uranium by the lixiviant.

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Thomas C Vogt, Jr