PVT analysis of pressurized fluids
AssigneeSGS North America Inc.
InventorsKarl Karnes, Lee Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for performing pressure-volume-temperature testing on fluids include: a portable environmental control chamber 14, a first pressure vessel 12A disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber, a second pressure vessel 12B disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber, the second pressure vessel in hydraulic communication with the first pressure vessel, a viscometer 18 configured to measure the viscosity of fluids flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel, and an optics system 22 configured to measure optical properties of fluids flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel.
Claims29
A pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) testing system comprising:
- a portable environmental control chamber;
- a first pressure vessel disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber;
- a second pressure vessel disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber, the second pressure vessel in hydraulic communication with the first pressure vessel;
- a viscometer configured to measure the viscosity of fluid flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel;
- and
- an optics system configured to measure optical properties of the fluid flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel;
- wherein the pressure vessels are rotatable within the portable environmental control chamber to control vertical positions of the first and second pressure vessels relative to conduits connecting the first pressure vessel to the second pressure vessel.
A method of testing fluids, the method comprising:
- with a testing system residing at a site where a sample fluid is withdrawn from a subterranean formation;
- controlling temperature and pressure of the sample fluid in the testing system;
- equilibrating the sample fluid by transferring the sample fluid between a first pressure vessel and a second pressure vessel in hydraulic communication with the first pressure vessel;
- controlling vertical positions of the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel relative to conduits connecting the first pressure vessel to the second pressure vessel;
- measuring viscosity of fluid flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel while equilibrating the sample fluid;
- and
- measuring optical properties of the fluid flowing between the first pressure vessel and the second pressure vessel while equilibrating the sample fluid.
A pressure-volume-temperature testing system comprising:
- a portable environmental control chamber;
- a first pressure vessel disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber;
- and
- a second pressure vessel disposed inside the portable environmental control chamber, the second pressure vessel in hydraulic communication with the first pressure vessel;
- wherein the portable environmental control chamber is operable to controllably heat and cool fluid in the first and second pressure vessels;
- and
- wherein the pressure vessels are rotatable within the portable environmental control chamber to control vertical positions of the first and second pressure vessels relative to conduits connecting the first pressure vessel to the second pressure vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.