A method and system for analyzing fluid inclusions

A system for detecting and quantifying elemental mercury vapour in solid samples, the system comprising:

• an extraction chamber comprising a receptacle, an inlet and an outlet in fluid connection with the receptacle, and a comminuting member;
• a gas source comprising a carrier gas and in fluid connection with the inlet;
• one or more trap in fluid connection with the outlet;
• and
• wherein the extraction chamber is configured to comminute the one or more solid sample to cause the release of one or more volatile compound, including elemental mercury vapour, which is directed toward the outlet by injection of the carrier gas to create a loaded gas, whereby the loaded gas is received by the one or more trap to allow analysis of the loaded gas to selectively detect and quantify elemental mercury vapour.

A method of predicting risk of mercury contamination of a petroleum reservoir by detecting and quantifying elemental mercury vapour in solid samples, the method comprising:

• (a) providing one or more solid sample from locations within the petroleum reservoir;
• (b) inserting the one or more solid sample into an extraction chamber;
• (c) introducing a carrier gas at an inlet of the extraction chamber and subjecting the one or more solid sample to conditions that cause the release of one or more volatile compound, including elemental mercury vapour, whereby a loaded gas comprising the carrier gas and the one or more volatile compound, including elemental mercury vapour, is created and directed to an outlet of the extraction chamber;
• (d) receiving the loaded gas at one or more trap downstream of the outlet to selectively detect elemental mercury vapour within the loaded gas;
• and
• (e) analyzing and quantifying the elemental mercury vapour detected to assess the risk of mercury contamination of the petroleum reservoir.

A method of predicting and assessing risk of mercury contamination of a petroleum reservoir, the method comprising:

• (a) providing one or more solid sample from a location within the petroleum reservoir;
• (b) inserting the one or more solid sample into an extraction chamber;
• (c) introducing a carrier gas at an inlet of the extraction chamber and subjecting the one or more solid sample to conditions that cause the release of one or more volatile compound, including elemental mercury vapour, whereby a loaded gas comprising the carrier gas and the one or more volatile compound, including elemental mercury vapour, is created and directed to an outlet of the extraction chamber;
• (d) receiving the loaded gas at a first trap downstream of the outlet to capture the one or more volatile compound, other than elemental mercury vapour, to provide a stripped gas;
• (e) subsequently receiving the stripped gas at an additional trap downstream of the first trap to capture the elemental mercury vapour, wherein the elemental mercury vapour captured by the additional trap is analysed to quantify the elemental mercury vapour released from the solid sample;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) for one or more subsequent solid sample from alternate locations within the petroleum reservoir, wherein analysed and quantified elemental mercury vapour of the one or more solid sample provided from various locations within the petroleum reservoir are used to predict and assess the risk of mercury contamination of the petroleum reservoir during drilling and production operations.