1. A method for organizing image files based upon workflow, comprising:
receiving at least one image file;
obtaining metadata to be associated with the at least one image file, the metadata representing a workflow-related action; and
storing the at least one image file in association with the metadata.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one image file comprises receiving at least one photograph.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining metadata to be associated with the at least one image file comprises receiving the metadata via user input.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining metadata to be associated with the at least one image file comprises obtaining metadata representing a plurality of workflow-related actions.
5. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
processing a query indicative of the workflow-related action; and
displaying the at least one image file in response thereto.
7. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 6.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
obtaining an indication that the metadata is to be disassociated from the at least one image file; and
disassociating the metadata from the at least one image file.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining an indication that the metadata is to be disassociated from the at least one image file comprises receiving the indication via user input.
10. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:
a first field containing data representing a first image file; and
a second field containing metadata representing a workflow-related action capable of being associated with the data representing the first image file.
11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first field of the data structure contains data representing a first photograph.
12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the first field further contains data representing a second image file, and wherein the metadata representing the workflow-related action contained in the second field is capable of being associated with the data representing the first image file and the data representing the second image file.
13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the second field further contains data representing a plurality of workflow-related actions each of which is capable of being associated with the data representing the first image file.
14. A user interface for organizing image files based upon workflow, comprising:
an image file indicator display area configured to display a selectable image file indicator; and
a workflow-related indicator display area configured to display a selectable workflow-related indicator capable of being associated with the selectable image file indicator.
15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the image file indicator display area is configured to display a selectable photograph indicator.
16. The user interface of claim 14, further comprising a control for associating the selectable workflow-related indicator with the selectable image file indicator.
17. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the control associates the selectable workflow-related indicator with the selectable image file indicator in response to user input.
18. The user interface of claim 14, wherein if the workflow-related indicator is associated with the image file indicator, the image file indicator display area is further configured to display the selectable image file indicator in association the selectable workflow-related indicator.
19. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the workflow-related indicator display area is further configured to display a plurality of selectable workflow-related indicators capable of being associated with the selectable image file indicator.
20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein if one or more of the plurality of workflow-related indicators is associated with the image file indicator, the image file indicator display area is further configured to display the selectable image file indicator in association with each of the plurality of workflow-related indicators associated therewith.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for producing hydrocarbons from subsurface formations at different depths, comprising:
heating organic-rich rock comprising oil shale to a pyrolysis temperature, in situ, within a subsurface formation at a first depth, thereby pyrolyzing at least a portion of the organic-rich rock into hydrocarbon fluids;
providing at least one substantially unheated zone within the subsurface formation of the first depth, thereby leaving the organic-rich rock in the at least one substantially unheated zone below a pyrolysis temperature, wherein the substantially unheated zone comprises a substantially unheated vertical pillar interior to and surrounded laterally by the heated portion of the organic-rich rock at the first depth;
drilling at least one production well through the at least one substantially unheated vertical pillar at the first depth, and completing the at least one production well in a subsurface formation at a second depth that is deeper than the first depth, wherein the subsurface formation at the second depth is a tight gas formation and the at least one production well is substantially vertical in orientation as the at least one production well passes through the substantially unheated vertical pillar at the first depth; and
producing hydrocarbon fluids comprising natural gas from the tight gas formation through the at least one production well.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic-rich rock of the subsurface formation of the first depth contains solid hydrocarbons.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the subsurface formation at the first depth comprises completing at least one heater designed to heat the organic-rich rock, in situ.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one heater comprises electrically resistive heaters.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising producing hydrocarbon fluids pyrolyzed in the organic-rich rock of the subsurface formation of the first depth while simultaneously producing the hydrocarbon fluids comprising natural gas from the tight gas formation through the at least one production well.
6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:
using the natural gas produced from the at least one production well to at least in part generate electricity.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein:
the at least one heater comprises electrically resistive heaters; and
the electricity is used in the operation of the heaters.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the subsurface formation at the first depth results in at least a portion of the organic-rich rock formation comprising oil shale reaching a temperature of 300\xb0 C. or greater.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one production well comprises a plurality of production wells drilled through at least one substantially unheated vertical pillar in the unheated zone.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of production wells are drilled from an earth surface area directly above the unheated zone.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the plurality of production wells are deviated below the subsurface formation of the first depth, and then completed in the subsurface formation of the second depth at a spacing of at least 10 acres.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one production well is drilled from an earth surface area that is not directly above the unheated zone.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the earth surface area is at a perimeter of an oil shale development area which comprises a plurality of heaters for heating the subsurface formation at the first depth.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the production of pyrolyzed hydrocarbon fluids from the organic-rich rock occurs simultaneously, in whole or in part, with the production of hydrocarbon fluids from the subsurface tight gas formation deeper than the first depth.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
discontinuing producing hydrocarbon fluids through the at least one production well; and
heating the organic-rich rock, in situ, within the unheated zone of the subsurface formation of the first depth, thereby pyrolyzing at least a portion of the organic-rich rock in the unheated zone into hydrocarbon fluids.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
producing hydrocarbon fluids pyrolyzed in the organic-rich rock of the subsurface formation of the first depth, and
wherein drilling at least one production well comprises drilling a plurality of tight gas production wells through the at least one substantially unheated zone, and the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises a plurality of substantially unheated vertical pillars to prevent subsidence in the earth and to accommodate each of the gas production wells through the at least one unheated zone.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
completing at least one cooling well through the unheated zone in order to prevent pyrolysis of the organic-rich rock in the unheated zone.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one cooling well comprises a downhole piping assembly for circulating a cooling fluid.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cooling fluid has been chilled at the earth surface prior to circulating.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the unheated zone reaches a maximum average temperature of less than 250\xb0 C.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises no more than 50 percent of the area under oil shale development.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein:
the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises a plurality of unheated pillars, each of which individually comprises no more than 20 percent of the area under oil shale development.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis temperature is between 270\xb0 C. to 900\xb0 C.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the pyrolysis temperature is between 300\xb0 C. to 600\xb0 C.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis temperature is between 270\xb0 C. to 500\xb0 C.
26. A method for producing hydrocarbons from subsurface formations at different depths, comprising:
heating organic-rich rock comprising oil shale to a pyrolysis temperature, in situ, within a subsurface formation at a first depth, thereby pyrolyzing at least a portion of the organic-rich rock into hydrocarbon fluids;
providing at least one substantially unheated zone within the subsurface formation of the first depth, wherein the organic-rich rock in the at least one unheated zone reaches a maximum average temperature of less than 250\xb0 C. and includes a substantially unheated vertical pillar interior to and surrounded laterally by the heated portion of the organic-rich rock at the first depth;
drilling at least one production well through the at least one substantially unheated vertical pillar at the first depth, and completing the at least one production well in a subsurface formation at a second depth that is deeper than the first depth, wherein the subsurface formation at the second depth is a tight gas formation; and
producing hydrocarbon fluids comprising natural gas from the tight gas formation through the at least one production well.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the organic-rich rock of the subsurface formation of the first depth contains solid hydrocarbons.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the production of pyrolyzed hydrocarbon fluids from the organic-rich rock occurs simultaneously, in whole or in part, with the production of hydrocarbon fluids from the subsurface tight gas formation deeper than the first depth.
29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:
discontinuing producing hydrocarbon fluids through the at least one production well; and
heating the organic-rich rock, in situ, after discontinuing producing hydrocarbon fluids through the at least one production well within the unheated zone of the subsurface formation of the first depth, thereby pyrolyzing at least a portion of the organic-rich rock in the unheated zone into hydrocarbon fluids.
30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:
producing hydrocarbon fluids pyrolyzed in the organic-rich rock of the subsurface formation of the first depth; and
wherein drilling at least one production well comprises drilling a plurality of tight gas production wells through the at least one substantially unheated zone, and the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises a plurality of substantially unheated vertical pillars to prevent subsidence in the earth and to accommodate each of the gas production wells through the at least one unheated zone.
31. The method of claim 27, further comprising:
completing at least one cooling well through the unheated zone in order to prevent pyrolysis of the organic-rich rock in the unheated zone.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one cooling well comprises a downhole piping assembly for circulating a cooling fluid.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the cooling fluid has been chilled at the earth surface prior to circulating.
34. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises no more than 50 percent of the area under oil shale development.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein:
the at least one substantially unheated zone comprises a plurality of unheated pillars, each of which individually comprises no more than 20 percent of the area under oil shale development.
36. The method of claim 26, wherein heating the subsurface formation at the first depth comprises completing at least one heater designed to heat the organic-rich rock, in situ.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one heater comprises electrically resistive heaters.
38. The method of claim 36, further comprising using the natural gas produced from the at least one production well to at least in part generate electricity.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein:
the at least one heater comprises electrically resistive heaters; and
the electricity is used in the operation of the heaters.
40. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one production well is drilled from an earth surface area that is not directly above the unheated zone.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the earth surface area is at a perimeter of an oil shale development area which comprises a plurality of heaters for heating the subsurface formation at the first depth.
42. The method of claim 26, wherein heating the subsurface formation at the first depth results in at least a portion of the organic-rich rock formation reaching a temperature of 300\xb0 C or greater.
43. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one production well comprises a plurality of production wells drilled through the substantially unheated vertical pillar at the first depth.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the plurality of production wells are drilled from an earth surface area directly above the unheated zone.
45. The method of claim 43, wherein at least some of the plurality of production wells are deviated below the subsurface formation of the first depth, and then completed in the subsurface formation of the second depth at a spacing of at least 10 acres.
46. A method for producing hydrocarbons from subsurface formations at different depths, comprising:
heating organic-rich rock comprising oil shale to a pyrolysis temperature, in situ, within a subsurface oil shale formation at a first depth, thereby pyrolyzing at least a portion of the organic-rich rock into hydrocarbon fluids;
providing at least one substantially unheated zone within the subsurface formation of the first depth, wherein the organic-rich rock in the unheated zone reaches a maximum average temperature of less than 250\xb0 C. and includes a substantially unheated vertical pillar interior to and surrounded laterally by the heated portion of the organic-rich rock at the first depth;
drilling at least one production well through the at least one substantially unheated vertical pillar at the first depth, and completing the at least one production well in a subsurface formation at a second depth that is deeper than the first depth, wherein the subsurface formation at the second depth comprises a coalbed methane formation; and
producing hydrocarbon fluids through the at least one production well.