Monitoring the efficiency of catalytic oxidation for isotopic detection

A method for measuring the efficiency of a thermal catalytic combustion unit, the method comprises:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a thermal catalytic combustion unit,
• a drying unit fluidically connected to the thermal catalytic combustion unit and configured to be downstream of the thermal catalytic combustion unit, and
• a sensor fluidically connected to the thermal catalytic combustion unit and configured to be downstream of the thermal catalytic combustion unit and also downstream of the drying unit,
• flowing a formation fluid sample through the thermal catalytic combustion unit,
• flowing a formation fluid sample through the drying unit, and
• sensing the formation fluid sample with the sensor after the formation fluid sample has flowed through the thermal catalytic combustion unit;
• wherein the sensing comprises detecting the presence of a hydrocarbon and/or carbon monoxide in the formation fluid sample.

A system measuring the efficiency of a thermal catalytic combustion unit, the system comprises:

• an apparatus comprising:
• a thermal catalytic combustion unit,
• a drying unit fluidically connected to the thermal catalytic combustion unit and configured to be downstream of the thermal catalytic combustion unit,
• a sensor fluidically connected to the thermal catalytic combustion unit and configured to be downstream of the thermal catalytic combustion unit;
• wherein the sensor is configured to detect the presence of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in a formation fluid sample after the formation fluid sample was treated by the thermal catalytic combustion unit;
• wherein the sensor is located downstream of the drying unit;
• and
• an isotope ratio mass spectrophotometer fluidically connected to the drying unit and located downstream of the drying unit, and
• a gas chromatography unit fluidically connected to the thermal catalytic combustion unit and located upstream of the thermal catalytic combustion unit.