Process and apparatus for analyzing cutting from oil and gas wells
US4608859A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1983 |
| Grant date | Sep 2, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B49/005
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A process for analyzing a sample of cuttings from oil or gas wells includes as its first step the determination of the water and light hydrocarbon content of the sample. The sample may then be sieved to remove any powders which may affect subsequent steps. The sample is also sieved to separate it into medium and large size fragments which are then weighed. A medium sized fragment is ground, mixed with potassium bromide (KBr) and tested with a Fourier transform infra red spectrometer to determine its mineral content. The larger size fragments are heated in an oven to burn off their volatiles and reweighed to determine their heavy hydrocarbon content. The large size fragments may now be tested with a helium pycnometer to determine the grain density of the sample, a second pycnometer, which uses a clay suspension as the working fluid, to determine the bulk density and porosity of the sample and a permeameter to determine the permeability of the sample. A conventional porosimeter may be used if a pore spectrum of the cutting is desired.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.