Method of analyzing a number of hydrocarbons contained in a drilling fluid, and associated device

A method for analysing a plurality of hydrocarbons contained in a drilling fluid, of the type comprising the following steps:

• extraction of the gases contained in the fluid in an extractor in order to obtain continuously, at an outlet of the extractor, a gas stream of extracted gases containing hydrocarbons to be analysed and at least one interfering compound other than water and more polar than the hydrocarbons to be analysed;
• transport of the gas stream through a transport line connected to the outlet of the extractor;
• passing of the gas stream into a separation column connected to the transport line, in order to separate the hydrocarbons to be analysed according to their elution time in the separation column;
• successive detection and/or quantification of each hydrocarbon to be analysed in a detector placed at the outlet of the separation column;
• the or each interfering compound having an elution time in the separation column of between the elution time in the separation column of the first hydrocarbon to be analysed and the elution time in the separation column of the last hydrocarbon to be analysed;
• wherein the method comprises the step of passing the gas stream over a surface of chemical and/or physical interaction with the interfering compound, the interaction surface being placed in contact with the gases between the outlet of the extractor and an inlet of the separation column, to retain selectively the or each interfering compound without retaining the hydrocarbons to be analysed, in order to prevent the elution of the or each interfering compound in the separation column between the elution time of the first hydrocarbon to be analysed and the elution time of the last hydrocarbon to be analysed.