Fluid Preparation and Compositional Analysis

Determines reservoir fluid composition for better-representative

reservoir sampling
Applications Pressurized fluid samples arriving at the a pycnometer and evaluated for mass and
■■ Determination of reservoir laboratory from the wellsite are connected density. The pycnometer is then connected to
fluid composition to a high-pressure (e.g., 20,000‑psi [138‑MPa]) a gas/oil ratio (GOR) single-stage equilibrium
■■ Validation of sample quality pump to measure opening pressures at ambient apparatus in which the oil is flashed to ambient
temperature. Sample cylinders are then heated pressure and temperature conditions. The
■■ Preparation of samples for advanced
to reservoir temperature and pressurized to evolved gas recirculates through the residual
or routine PVT, wax, and asphaltene
reservoir pressure or greater (if needed). The liquid until the phases achieve equilibrium.
analysis
fluid samples’ equilibrium is subsequently
restored through continuous mixing—for a After circulation, the volume of equilibrium
Features
period ranging from 24 h to 7 d, depending on vapor and the mass of liquid remaining in the
■■ Sample restoration to reservoir
fluid types and overall conditions—to allow pycnometer are measured. The vapor phase
conditions
for redissolution of precipitated asphaltene, is compositionally analyzed by gas chromatog-
■■ Equilibration of vapor and liquid raphy to C12+, and the residual liquid is analyzed
by recirculation wax particles, or both.
by gas chromatography to C30+. The composition
■■ Isobaric fluid displacement After samples are conditioned and restored, of the original live oil is calculated by mass
■■ Analysis of gas composition C12+ a subsample of each equilibrated live fluid balance using the measured composition and
and liquid to C30+ undergoes compositional analysis to C30+ total mass of each phase. A quality assurance
using an equilibrium flash procedure. For this process such as that described above helps
procedure, some of the single-phase fluid is in the selection of the most-representative
isobarically and isothermally displaced into sample for further study.

100
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
10 Sample D

Weight, 1
%

0.1

0.01
CO2
H2S
N2
C1
C2
C3
I-C4
N-C4
I-C5
N-C5
C6
MCYC-C5
Benzene
CYCL-C6
C7
MCYCL-C6
Toluene
C8
C2-Benzene
M&P-Xylene
O-Xylene
C9
C10
C11
C12
C13
C14
C15
C16
C17
C18
C19
C20
C21
C22
C23
C24
C25
C26
C27
C28
C29
C30+

Components
Gas chromatography results showing the composition of four subsamples of an equilibrated live fluid; the quality
of the comparison indicated by the precise compositional matches validates the test’s accuracy and repeatability.

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