Study of borehole plugging in bedded salt domes by earth melting technology

Abstract

The intent of this program is to define the most viable Melted In situ Rock salt Plug (MIRP) System options, these options being addressed primarily from the downhole subsystem perspective, with a conventional drill rig as the basis for the surface part of the MIRP System. Preliminary experiments had indicated that it is possible to backfill the open penetrations in the domed salt deposits with a melted in situ rocksalt plug such that in time the melted rock salt plug effectively duplicates the parent virgin salt. The programmatic assumption for the requirement of duplicating the virgin salt with a MIRP provides the basis for this study. A system functional analysis was performed to establish the requirements for the performance of the overall MIRP System. A similar functional analysis was conducted for the salt plug that would be formed by the MIRP System. Based on the analyses of the material, thermal, and structural behavior of the salt plug, the requirements for the formation of an acceptable salt plug were determined. From the functional analysis a determination was made of the operation of the hardware for the downhole portion of the MIRP System. From that perspective several design concepts were formulated. Formore » these design concepts a technology roadmap was developed. The pertinent aspects, results, conclusions and recommendations of the above are summarized in the sections that follow.« less