--> ABSTRACT: Innovative Approaches to Hydrocarbon Recovery - "Gone with the Wind", by S. E. Christy, J. S. Dealbuquerque, and S. J. Senn; #91021 (2010)

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Innovative Approaches to Hydrocarbon Recovery - "Gone with the Wind"

CHRISTY, SAM E., J. STEPHEN DEALBUQUERQUE,  and SAMUEL J. SENN

While conducting an environmental assessment of a remote oil and gas lease in southeast New Mexico, free phase crude oil was discovered floating on the water table 25 feet below an abandon production pit.

The pit was remediated by excavation and in-situ solidification. Source removal, along with natural attenuation, was selected and approved by the State for remediation of the immobile hydrocarbon plume. The project was faced with implementing reliable, cost effective removal of hydrocarbon from the surface of the groundwater at this remote site.

A windmill, capturing the frequent New Mexico winds, was designed for free phase hydrocarbon recovery using two pumps within tandem 4 inch diameter recovery wells side by side. The deeper pump removes groundwater causing a gradient toward the recovery well cluster, while a shallow pump skims oil.

This innovative approach was implemented with a significant cost savings over a standard electrical powered system. The system has proven effective with both hydrocarbon removal and moving groundwater through the formation to enhance the biological attenuation process. 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91021©1997 AAPG Annual Convention, Dallas, Texas.