US 4,769,602 A · Determining multiphase saturations by NMR imaging of multiple nuclides

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for measuring fluid saturations during multiphase flow in porous media by NMR imaging of preselected nuclides in preselected fluids. For two-phase imaging, one of the fluids to be imaged may contain protons and the other fluid may contain fluorine. For three phase imaging, the third fluid contains neither protons nor fluorine. The radiofrequency transmitters and receivers may be alternated between proton and fluorine Larmor frequencies on sequential or interleaved imaging cycles. Proton and fluorine calibration standards may also be imaged with the sample and the nuclide signal intensities from the sample normalized to the respective proton and fluorine calibration standards. The saturation of two and three-phases may then be determined throughout the porous media. The porosity of a porous media may also be determined from the images of a calibration standard of a first fluid and the media saturated to one hundred percent with the first fluid.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for determining the saturation of at least one preselected fluid at a preselected location in a porous material, comprising:

placing said material in an NMR Imaging apparatus,
imaging said material employing magnetic fields and gradients suitable for at least one preselected nuclei species corresponding to said at least one preselected fluid to determine an image of said nuclei, and
determining the saturation of said at least one fluid at said preselected location in said material from said image.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Determining multiphase saturations by NMR imaging of multiple nuclides

Life of this patent

Determining multiphase saturations by NMR imaging of multiple nuclides

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8