Methods and apparatus for determining gas-oil ratio in a geological formation through the use of spectroscopy

• US 5,939,717 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Mullins, Oliver C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAGLIARDI, ALBERT J
• Application Number:
  US09/015,812
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 250/253, 250/256, 250/258, 250/261, 250/264, 250/269.1, 250/265, 250/343, 250/338.5, 250/339.01, 250/339.06, 250/339.1, 250/339.11, 250/339.12, 73/61.48
• US Class Current: 250/255
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3577 for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/241 for hydrocarbon content
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2823 Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures

Abstract

Methods according to the invention include providing an OFA tool which subjects formation fluids to NIR illumination and which provides a spectral measurement of peaks at about 6,000 cm^-1 and about 5,800 cm^-1. The methods according to the invention also include calculating a ratio of the amplitudes of the absorption peaks to determine GOR. According to an alternate embodiment, the methods of calculating the ratio include referring to a database of spectra of hydrocarbons found in formation fluid and adjusting the amplitudes of the methane and oil peaks to account for the influences of other hydrocarbons on the spectrum of the formation fluid. A borehole apparatus for measuring the spectral peaks of oil and methane includes a testing region, a conduit for directing formation fluid into the testing region, a light source emitting at least near infrared rays into the testing region, a spectral detector optically coupled to the testing region, and a processor coupled to the spectral detector. The testing region is a transparent tube or chamber which is located between the light source and the spectral detector such that light directed from the light source to the spectral detector is interrupted by formation fluid. The spectral detector is preferably a filter spectrograph which measures the spectrum of the light which has been transmitted through the formation fluid in the testing region.

Claims

1. A method for determining gas-oil ratio in a geological formation, said method comprising:

a) subjecting in situ formation fluid to NIR illumination;

b) detecting a spectrum of NIR absorption in the formation fluid;

c) measuring NIR absorption at a wavelength associated with gas and at a wavelength associated with oil; and

d) calculating the ratio of the gas NIR absorption to the oil NIR absorption.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e) converting the ratio of the absorption to gas-oil ratio (GOR).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

said step of converting includes multiplying by a constant.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

said constant is approximately 6,000.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the wavelength associated with gas is approximately 1.6 microns, and the wavelength associated with oil is approximately 1.7 microns.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e) measuring NIR absorption amplitude at a plurality of wavelengths; and

f) comparing the measurements of NIR absorption amplitude at a plurality of wavelengths to a database.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

g) correcting the spectrum of NIR absorption based on the database comparison prior to calculating the ratio.

8. A method for downhole determining gas-oil ratio in a geological formation, said method comprising:

a) capturing downhole a sample of formation fluid;

b) subjecting formation fluid to NIR illumination downhole;

c) detecting NIR absorption in the formation fluid;

d) integrating NIR absorption amplitude over a waveband associated with gas NIR absorption;

e) integrating NIR absorption amplitude over a waveband associated with oil NIR absorption; and

f) calculating the ratio of the integrated absorption amplitudes.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

e) converting the ratio of the integrated absorption amplitudes to gas-oil ratio.

10. An apparatus for determining gas-oil ratio of fluid in a geological formation, said apparatus comprising:

a) a light source having a spectrum which includes NIR;

b) a spectral detector which detects at least a portion of the NIR spectrum;

c) a fluid chamber located between said light source and said spectral detector such that light from said light source passes through fluid in said fluid chamber and toward said spectral detector; and

d) a processor means coupled to said spectral detector for calculating a ratio of NIR absorption associated with gas to NIR absorption associated with oil.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

said light source, said spectral detector, and said fluid chamber are located in a borehole logging tool.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

e) a fluid admitting assembly coupled to said fluid chamber and located in said borehole logging tool, wherein

said fluid admitting assembly is operable to selectively admit fluid into said fluid chamber.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

f) a tool anchoring member coupled to said borehole logging tool, wherein

said tool anchoring member is operable to selectively fix the location of said logging tool in a borehole.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

said spectral detector detects light having a wavenumber of approximately 6000 cm^-1 and light having a wavenumber of approximately 5800 cm^-1.