Apparatus and method for automatic testing of core samples
AssigneeMarathon Oil Company
InventorStanley C. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for automatically determining the permeability and porosity for a plurality of core samples. The apparatus includes a carousel capable of carrying a plurality of core samples, a piston for selectively transferring one of the core samples from the carousel into a sample holder wherein the piston in cooperation with the sample holder seals the core sample in a test chamber, and a second piston located internal to the first piston for selectively closing and opening the lower end of the core sample so that gas introduced in the upper end of the core sample can be utilized to conduct a permeability test when the lower end is open and a porosity test when the lower end is closed by the internal piston.
Claims22
An apparatus for determining the permeability and porosity of a plurality of core samples by automatically testing said core samples, said apparatus comprising:
- means containing a predetermined number of containers for releasably carrying said plurality of core samples, wherein each container carries only one said core sample,
- means for automatically transferring said core sample from one said container prior to said automatic permeability and porosity test and automatically transferring said core sample back to said container subsequent to said automatic permeability and porosity test,
- means for automatically receiving and holding said core sample in response to said transfer of said core sample from said container,
- means for automatically delivering a pressurized fluid into said core sample in order to conduct said permeability and porosity test,
- means for automatically and releasably sealing said core sample to prevent flow of said fluid through and out of said core sample when said porosity test is being conducted, said sealing means being further capable of automatically unsealing said core sample to enable flow of said fluid through and out of said core sample when said permeability test is being conducted, and
- means for automatically positioning the next successive container with respect to said holding means to enable transfer of the core sample from said next container to said holding means after the previous core sample is tested and transferred back into said one container, said positioning means being further capable of automatically positioning all said predetermined number of containers until all said plurality of core samples have been tested.
A method of automatically conducting permeability and porosity tests on a plurality of core samples contained in a carousel having a separate container for each of said core samples, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) automatically aligning a first core sample in a first container of said carousel with a test chamber,
- (b) automatically transferring said first core sample out of said first container in response to the alignment of the first core sample with said chamber,
- (c) automatically holding said transferred first core sample in said test chamber in response to the transfer of the first core sample,
- (d) sealing said raised first core sample in said test chamber at a predetermined pressure,
- (e) simultaneously applying an axial and a radial stress to said first core sample in order to simulate at least one predetermined overburden stress and in response to the sealing of said first core sample in said test chamber,
- (f) automatically performing at least one set of said porosity and permeability tests on said first core sample in response to said application of the axial and radial stresses to said first core sample,
- (g) automatically transferring said first core sample from said test chamber upon completion of at least one set of porosity and permeability tests conducted for at least one predetermined overburden stress, and
- (h) automatically repeating steps (b) through (g) for each of the remaining core samples by aligning the next successive container with said test chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.