Influxes

An intermediate casing is usually set above the reservoir in order to protect the water bearing, hydrostatically pressured zones from influx of possibly overpressured hydrocarbons and to guarantee the integrity of the well bore above the objective zone. In mature fields where production has been ongoing for many years, the reservoir may show depletion pressures considerably lower than the hydrostatically pressured zones above. Casing and cementing operations are covered in section 3.6. 

The greatly reduced hole volume of slim hole wells can lead to problems if an influx is experienced (see section 3.7). The maximum depth drillable with slim hole configurations is another current limitation of this technology. 

When drilling through normally pressured formations, the mud weight in the well is controlled to maintain a pressure greater than the formation pressure to prevent the influx of formation fluid. Atypical overbalance would be in the order of 200 psi. A larger overbalance would encourage excessive loss of mud Into the formation, slow down... 

If a situation arises whereby formation fluid or gas enters the bore bole the driller will notice an increase in the total volume of mud. Other indications such as a sudden increase in penetration rate and a decrease in pump pressure may also indicate an influx. Much depends on a quick response of the driller to close in the well before substantial volumes of formation fluid have entered the borehole. Onoe the BOP is closed, the new mud gradient required to restore balance to the system can be calculated. The heavier mud is then circulated in through the kill line and the lighter mud and influx is circulated out through the choke line. Once overbalance is restored, the BOP can be opened again and drilling operations continue. 

Similarly, when drilling into an underpressured formation, the mud weight must be reduced to avoid excessive losses into the formation. If the rate of loss is greater than the rate at which mud can be made up, then the level of fluid in the wellbore will drop and there is a risk of influx from the normally pressured overlying formations. Again, it may be necessary to set a casing before drilling into underpressures. 

The primary drive mechanism for gas field production is the expansion of the gas contained in the reservoir. Relative to oil reservoirs, the material balance calculations for gas reservoirs is rather simple the recovery factor is linked to the drop in reservoir pressure in an almost linear manner. The non-linearity is due to the changing z-factor (introduced in Section 5.2.4) as the pressure drops. A plot of (P/ z) against the recovery factor is linear if aquifer influx and pore compaction are negligible. The material balance may therefore be represented by the following plot (often called the P over z plot). 

Reservoir pressure is measured in selected wells using either permanent or nonpermanent bottom hole pressure gauges or wireline tools in new wells (RFT, MDT, see Section 5.3.5) to determine the profile of the pressure depletion in the reservoir. The pressures indicate the continuity of the reservoir, and the connectivity of sand layers and are used in material balance calculations and in the reservoir simulation model to confirm the volume of the fluids in the reservoir and the natural influx of water from the aquifer. The following example shows an RFT pressure plot from a development well in a field which has been producing for some time. 

If gas export or disposal is a problem gas re-injection into the reservoir may be an alternative, although this implies additional compression facilities. Gas production may be reduced using well intervention methods similar to those described for reducing water cut, though in this case up-dip wells would be isolated to cut back gas influx. Many of the options discussed under water treatment for multi-layered reservoirs apply equally well to the gas case. 

Electroporation. When bacteria are exposed to an electric field a number of physical and biochemical changes occur. The bacterial membrane becomes polarized at low electric field. When the membrane potential reaches a critical value of 200—300 mV, areas of reversible local disorganization and transient breakdown occur resulting in a permeable membrane. This results in both molecular influx and efflux. The nature of the membrane disturbance is not clearly understood but bacteria, yeast, and fungi are capable of DNA uptake (see Yeasts). This method, called electroporation, has been used to transform a variety of bacterial and yeast strains that are recalcitrant to other methods (2). Apparatus for electroporation is commercially available, and constant improvements in the design are being made. 

In 1984, acetylene production received a significant influx with the increase of capacity at the Borden Co. plant in Geismar, Louisiana. This influx provided an additional 33,000 t/yr, which were absorbed by the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and acetylenic chemicals market. Acetylene demand has... 

Consistent with the abiUty of vinpocetine to act as an anticonvulsant is its abiUty to inhibit cellular reuptake of adenosine (15) which has been described as the brain s endogenous anticonvulsant because of its abiUty to inhibit calcium influx. Thus the property of vinpocetine to inhibit adenosine reuptake maybe responsible for the neuroprotective actions of the dmg. 

Local anesthetics produce anesthesia by blocking nerve impulse conduction in sensory, as well as motor nerve, fibers. Nerve impulses are initiated by membrane depolarization, effected by the opening of a sodium ion channel and an influx of sodium ions. Local anesthetics act by inhibiting the channel s opening they bind to a receptor located in the channel s interior. The degree of blockage on an isolated nerve depends not only on the amount of dmg, but also on the rate of nerve stimulation (153—156). 

The influx of Ca(Il) across the presynaptic membrane is essential for nerve signal transmission involving excitation by acetylcholine (26). Calcium is important in transducing regulatory signals across many membranes and is an important secondary messenger hormone. The increase in intracellular Ca(Il) levels can result from either active transport of Ca(Il) across the membrane via an import channel or by release of Ca(Il) from reticulum stores within the cell. More than 30 different proteins have been linked to regulation by the calcium complex with calmoduhn (27,28). 

Calcium and Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction. Calcium acts on a number of sites associated with the control of the cytoplasmic calcium concentration. Vascular smooth muscle contraction can be initiated by the opening of the slow calcium channel aUowing influx of extraceUular calcium through the sarcolemmal membrane into the cytoplasmic compartment. The iatraceUnlar calcium concentration increases to 1 x 10 Af, a threshold concentration necessary to initiate contraction. 

Another mechanism in initiating the contraction is agonist-induced contraction. It results from the hydrolysis of membrane phosphatidylinositol and the formation of inositol triphosphate (IP3)- IP3 in turn triggers the release of intracellular calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the influx of more extracellular calcium. The third mechanism in triggering the smooth muscle contraction is the increase of calcium influx through the receptor-operated channels. The increased cytosolic calcium enhances the binding to the protein, calmodulin [73298-54-1]. 

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