Importance

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Abstract

A continuous process for removing organic contaminants from a subsurface formation. The process having the steps of: (a) treating the subsurface formation to mobilize the organic contaminants, such treating of the subsurface formation including withdrawing from the subsurface formation a liquid stream and a vapor stream, the liquid stream containing water, dissolved carbonaceous material and non-dissolved carbonaceous material, (b) separating the liquid stream into a first liquid stream component comprised substantially of water and soluble carbonaceous material and a second liquid stream component comprised substantially of non-soluble carbonaceous material, (c) testing the first liquid component stream to determine C.sub.d, where C.sub.d is the amount of carbonaceous material in the first liquid stream component produced per unit of time by the treating of the subsurface formation in step (a), (d) testing the second liquid stream component to determine C.sub.n, where C.sub.n is the amount of carbonaceous material in the second liquid stream component produced per unit of time by the treating of the subsurface formation in step (a), (e) testing the vapor stream to determine C.sub.v, where C.sub.v is the amount of carbonaceous material in the vapor stream produced per unit of time by the treating of the subsurface formation in (a), (f) determining C.sub.g, where C.sub.g is the quantity of carbonaceous materials in the vapor stream produced per unit of time by the treating of the subsurface formation in step (a), which is attributable to carbonaceous material in the subsurface formation other than the organic contaminants, (g) computing C.sub.c, where C.sub.e =C.sub.s +C.sub.n +C.sub.v -C.sub.g, and (h) controlling the treating of the subsurface formation in step (a) using C.sub.c.

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First Claim