Back to results
US 4,699,002 AGranted
Process and apparatus for analyzing cuttings from oil and gas wells
AssigneeMicrolytics, Inc.
InventorMark G. Rockley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeMicrolytics, Inc.
InventorMark G. Rockley
Estimating the term…
A process for analyzing a sample of cuttings from oil or gas wells includes as its first step and determination of the water and light hydrocarbon content of the sample. The sample may then be sieved to remove any powders which may affect subsequent steps. The sample is also sieved to separate it into medium and large size fragments which are then weighed. A medium sized fragment is ground, mixed with potassium bromide (KBr) and tested with a Fourier transform infra red spectrometer to determine its mineral content. The larger size fragments are heated in an oven to burn off their volatiles and reweighed to determine their heavy hydrocarbon content. The large size fragments may now be tested with a helium pycnometer to determine the grain density of the sample, a second pycnometer, which uses a clay suspension as the working fluid, to determine the bulk density and porosity of the sample and a permeameter to determine the permeability of the sample. A conventional porosimeter may be used if a pore spectrum of the cutting is desired.
Apparatus for measuring the bulk density of a sample of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the apparatus comprising:
Apparatus for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the apparatus comprising:
A process for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the process comprising the step of extruding a measurable amount of a nonwetting fluid through a chamber of determinable volume containing a sample of known weight of the cutting so that the fluid and the sample occupy the entire volume of the chamber, wherein the bulk density of the cutting is determined from the weight of the sample divided by the difference between the volume of the chamber and the volume of fluid extruded into the chamber.
A process for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the process comprising the step of extruding a measurable amount of a nonwetting fluid contained in a reservoir through a chamber of determinable volume containing a sample of known weight of the cutting so that the fluid and the sample occupy the entire volume of the chamber, the chamber being defined as a bore extending through a first member, the reservoir being defined as a bore partially extending through a second member, the fluid contained in the reservoir being forced into the chamber by the reservoir closely receiving the first member.
A process for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the process comprising the steps of:
A process for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the process comprising the steps of:
A process for measuring the bulk density of a cutting from an oil or gas well, the process comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.