Microfluidic methods and apparatus to perform in situ chemical detection
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsWEI HEONG TAN, CHRISTOPHER HARRISON, TSUTOMU YAMATE
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Abstract
Example microfluidic methods and apparatus to perform in situ chemical detection are disclosed. A disclosed example downhole apparatus comprises a microfluidic chamber to introduce a microfluidic-scale drop of a reagent into a formation fluid to form a mixed fluid, a flowline to fluidly couple the formation fluid from a geologic formation to the microfluidic chamber, and a detector to measure a property of the mixed fluid, the property representative of a presence of a chemical in the formation fluid.
Claims34
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a microfluidic chamber to introduce a microfluidic-scale drop of a reagent into a formation fluid to form a mixed fluid;
- a flowline to fluidly couple the formation fluid from a geologic formation to the microfluidic chamber;
- and
- a detector to measure a property of the mixed fluid, the property representative of a presence of a chemical in the formation fluid.
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a channel having first and second ends, wherein the second end is opposite the first end;
- a microchamber situated between the first and second ends of the channel;
- a reagent reservoir to fluidly couple a reagent into the channel at the first end of the channel, wherein the microchamber is to trap a portion of the reagent in the microchamber when the reagent flows from the first end to the second end of the channel;
- a flowline to fluidly couple a formation fluid from a geologic formation into the channel at the first end of the channel, wherein the formation fluid reacts with the trapped portion of the reagent to form a reaction product in the microchamber when the formation fluid flows form the first end to the second end of the channel;
- and
- a detector situated at the microchamber to measure a property of the reaction product, the property representative of a presence of a chemical in the formation fluid.
A method to perform detection of a chemical within a wellbore, the method comprising:
- flowing a reagent through a channel to trap a portion of the reagent in a microchamber associated with the channel;
- flowing a formation fluid from a geologic formation through the channel to form a reaction product of the trapped portion of the reagent and the formation fluid within the microchamber;
- and
- measuring a property of the reaction product, the property representative of a presence of the chemical in the formation fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.