High pressure and high temperature chromatography

A method for high pressure gas chromatographic analysis of a sample containing a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

• injecting the sample as a gas into a high pressure flowpath;
• flowing the injected sample through a separation column;
• detecting a property of the sample in the flow path with a detector thereby generating measurement data;
• and
• calculating from the measurement data a value relating to the amount of at least one component of the sample.

A system of for high pressure chromatographic analysis of a sample comprising:

• a flowpath adapted to flow a mobile phase and the sample at pressures above about 20 atmospheres;
• an injector adapted to inject the fluid sample into a flowpath;
• a separation column adapted to operate at pressures above about 20 atmospheres, forming part of the flowpath downstream of the injector, for separating a plurality of components within the fluid sample, wherein the separation column is not a packed column;
• and
• a detector located downstream of the column, the detector adapted to measure properties of the fluid sample.

A system for downhole chromatographic analysis of a sample comprising:

• a tool housing constructed and adapted to be deployed in a wellbore in a subterranean rock formation;
• a fluid collection system for obtaining a fluid sample downhole;
• an injector housed within the housing adapted to inject the downhole fluid sample into a flowpath;
• a separation column forming part of the flowpath downstream of the injector, housed within the housing adapted to separate a plurality of components within the downhole fluid sample;
• and
• a detector housed within the column located downstream of the column, the detector adapted to measure properties of the downhole fluid sample.

A system for chromatographic analysis of a sample at high ambient temperatures comprising:

• a flowpath adapted to flow a mobile gas phase and the sample;
• an injector adapted to inject the sample into the flowpath;
• a separation column forming part of the flowpath downstream of the injector, for separating a plurality of components with the sample;
• and
• a detector located downstream of the column, measuring at least one property of the gas, wherein the flowpath, the injector, the separation column and the detector are all adapted to operate at ambient temperatures above 75 degrees Celsius.

A method for chromatographic analysis of a sample at high temperatures comprising the steps of:

• injecting the sample as a gas into a high pressure flowpath;
• flowing the injected sample through a separation column;
• controlling the temperature of at least the separation column such that the initial temperature of separation column when the sample enters the column is at least 100 degrees Celsius, and the temperature is substantially increased while at least part of the sample remains within the column;
• and
• detecting a property of the sample in the flow path with a detector thereby generating measurement data.