Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Neil William Bostrom

Jagdish H Shah

Robert L Kleinberg

Bhavani Raghuraman

Shigeo Daito

Christopher Harrison

Farshid Mostowfi

Ronald E G Van Hal

Shahnawaz Hossain Molla

Douglas D Griffin, Ii

Oleg Zhdaneev

Hua Chen

William H Steinecker

Jane T Lam

Michael Mallari Toribio

Kristofer Gunnar Paso

Amy Du

Youxiang Zuo

Edward Harrigan

Gordon R Lambertus

Dingan Zhang

Bradley Kaanta

Peter G Brewer

A technique facilitates detection and analysis of constituents, e.g. chemicals, which may be found in formation fluids and/or other types of fluids. The technique comprises intermittently introducing a first fluid and a second fluid into a channel in a manner which forms slugs of the first fluid separated by the second fluid. The intermittent fluids are flowed through the channel to create a mixing action which mixes the fluid in the slugs. The mixing increases the exchange, e.g. transfer, of the chemical constituent between the second fluid and the first fluid. The exchange aids in sensing an amount of the chemical or chemicals for analysis. In many applications, the intermittent introduction, mixing, and measuring can be performed in a subterranean environment.

System and methodology for chemical constituent sensing and analysis

Accurate, real-time formation fluids analysis can be accomplished using the systems and techniques described herein. A fluid analyzer includes a first mode of analysis, such as an optical analyzer, configured to determine a physical (optical) property of a fluid sample. The fluid analyzer also includes another mode of analysis, such as a composition analyzer, such as a gas chromatograph, configured to determine a component composition of the fluid sample. A data processor is configured to determine a quantity, such as a weight percentage, of a target component of the fluid sample in response results obtained from the first and second modes of analysis. Beneficially, the results are obtained at least in near real-time, allowing for interim results, such as results from the first analyzer to be used for one or more of tuning the compositional analyzer and for implementing quality control.

Real-time compositional analysis of hydrocarbon based fluid samples

An apparatus and method for elemental analysis of a formation fluid from a subsurface tool having a housing, a sampling probe for collecting a sample of the formation fluid external to the housing, and a microplasma device within the housing and in fluid communication with the sampling probe. The microplasma device includes an upstream gas system, a sampling valve in fluid communication with the sampling probe and the upstream gas system, an expansion chamber for volatizing the formation fluid sample obtained from the sampling valve, and a microplasma chamber in fluid communication with the expansion chamber for ionizing the volatilized fluid sample.

Microplasma for downhole compositional analysis

The present invention generally recites a method, system and apparatus for fluid analysis and more specifically recites a method system and apparatus for multistage injection of a fluid to be analyzed into a fluid analysis instrument.

Multi-stage injector for fluid analysis

Methods and related systems are described for high pressure chromatographic analysis. The described system includes a flowpath adapted to flow a mobile phase and the sample at high pressures, an injector adapted to inject the fluid sample into a flowpath, a separation column adapted to operate at high pressures for separating various components, a detector and a processor that calculates the amount of at least one component of the fluid sample. The system can operate a pressures above 20 atm or even 100 atm, and temperatures above about 100 degrees Celsius. The system can deployed in a wellbore in a subterranean rock formation, and include fluid collection system for obtaining the fluid sample downhole. The system can also be located close to a wellhead and includes a tap in fluid communication with a surface flowline carrying produced fluids and the injector.

High pressure and high temperature chromatography

A heat switch for remote self-contained gas chromatography is disclosed. The device mechanically separates a hot or cold reservoir from the chromatography column when heating or cooling is not needed. The column needs a cooling system to obtain initial temperatures below ambient. At other times the column needs to be heated to relatively high temperatures, during which time the cooling system is preferably detached. The heat switch allows for rapid temperature changes while minimizing the peak cooling power requirement.

Heat switch for chromatographic system and method of operation

A self-contained micro-scale gas chromatography system that includes a plurality of gas chromatography components arranged on a micro-fluidic platform with nearly zero dead volume 'tubeless' fluidic connections for the gas chromatography components. The micro-fluidic platform includes a plurality of flow channels that provide fluid flow paths for a sample, carrier gas and waste gas through and among the micro-fluidic platform and the plurality of gas chromatography components. The gas chromatography components may include a micro-scale gas chromatography column that is implemented as a MEMS device and includes embedded heating and cooling elements. The system may also include an on-board supply of carrier gas and on-board waste management, as well as a thermal management scheme making the system suitable for use in oil and gas wells and also other remote environments.

Gas chromatography system architecture incorporating integrated thermal management

The operation, analysis and interpretation of a chromatographic system can be significantly enhanced by coupling therewith one or more fluid property measurements that provides an initial indication of the fluid type, the presence of any contamination, an estimate of the hydrocarbon composition (C1, C2-C5 and C6+), gas/oil ratio, color and/or fluorescence measurements. Other measurements that can be used in the initial stage can include density, viscosity, phase transition determinations. These measurements may be used to enhance, in real-time, the GC sampling protocol, the analysis protocol and also improve the robustness of the interpretation of the chromatogram.

Enhanced downhole fluid analysis

A self-contained micro-scale gas chromatography system that includes a plurality of gas chromatography components arranged on a micro-fluidic platform with nearly zero dead volume 'tubeless' fluidic connections for the gas chromatography components. The micro-fluidic platform includes a plurality of flow channels that provide fluid flow paths for a sample, carrier gas and waste gas through and among the micro-fluidic platform and the plurality of gas chromatography components. The system may also include an on-board supply of carrier gas and on-board waste management, as well as a thermal management scheme making the system suitable for use in oil and gas wells and also other remote environments.

Gas chromatography system architecture

A self-contained chromatography system is provided and includes a chromatography column, a carrier gas reservoir containing a carrier gas and an analyte stream processing device, wherein the carrier gas reservoir is disposed upstream from the chromatography column and wherein the analyte stream processing device is disposed downstream from the chromatography column. A method for implementing the self-contained chromatography system is also provided and includes generating a first system pressure upstream from the chromatography column and a second system pressure downstream from the chromatography column to cause the carrier gas to flow between the carrier gas reservoir and the analyte stream processing device. The method further includes combining a sample material with the carrier gas, introducing the combined sample to the chromatography column to generate the analyte stream and processing the analyte stream via the analyte stream processing device.

Self-contained chromatography system

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus to detect bubbles in a fluid sample to determine if gases are present, wherein an ultrasonic source is used and its properties monitored. Fluctuations in the ultrasonic source's electrical properties indicate the presence of bubbles/gas. Alternatively, the ultrasonic source may be used to cavitate the sample and induce the nucleation of bubbles. In such a system/method, bubbles may be detected by either (1) monitoring the ultrasonic source properties, (2) monitoring the compressibility of the sample, (3) monitoring the sample properties, including harmonics and subharmonics. The method and apparatus disclosed herein may be used in a borehole such as with a sampling means (including either a flowing sample or a stationary sample) or in a surface lab.

Method and apparatus for the detection of bubble point pressure

A method of detecting a marine gas seep that includes: deploying a local probe on or near the seafloor; producing bubbles in water near or within the local probe; detecting the bubbles; producing data indicating the relative concentration of dissolved gas in the water; and associating elevated dissolved gas concentrations with the presence of a nearby marine gas seep. Another aspect of the invention involves an apparatus configured to carry out the inventive method. Preferred embodiments of the invention utilize an ultrasonic transducer to both produce bubbles and detect them.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Neil William Bostrom