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US 4,866,983 AGranted
Analytical methods and apparatus for measuring the oil content of sponge core
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsHarold J. Vinegar, Rocco DiFoggio, Pierre N. Tutunjian
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for determining oil saturation in sponge coring using solvents which dissolve substantially all of the oil but none of the sponge. Two classes of such solvents are specified. One is aprotic, and the resultant concentration of oil in it is measured by proton NMR spectroscopy. The other has no C--H bonds, and the resultant concentration of oil in it is measured by infrared spectroscopy.
Claims10
A method for use in determining the oil saturation of an earth formation by means of sponge coring, using polyurethane sponge, comprising:
- (a) dissolving substantially all of the oil and substantially none of the sponge, in a sponge core sample, into a solvent having a Hansen solubility parameter of different than that of the sponge and selected from the class consisting of:
- (i) solvents having no protons in their structure,
- (ii) deuterated solvents, and
- (iii) solvents having no C--H bonds in their structure,
- (b) extracting the solvent and solutes from the core sample, and
- (c) measuring the resultant oil concentration in the solvent and solutes extracted from the core sample.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.