The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 1983
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1981
Applicant:
Inventors:
William C Lieffers, Fullerton, CA (US);
Marjorie M Hatter, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Assignee:
Union Oil Company of California, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
E21B / ; E21B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
166250 ; 1663 / ; 166311 ;
Abstract
A method for capping an idle geothermal steam well so as to prevent hydrogen sulfide emissions and well damage due to steam condensation includes replacing geothermal steam in a well borehole with gas, perferably an inert gas such as nitrogen, and sealing the well at the wellhead. Thereafter additional quantities of the gas are bled into the well borehole at a rate that substantially prevents steam condensation in the borehole. The method includes purging the well bore with air sufficiently to assure all steam is swept out of the well before the gas is introduced.