Apparatus and methods for oil-water-gas analysis using terahertz radiation
First Claim
1. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample, comprising:
- a sample chamber having a fluid communication port configured to receive the sample;
a filter in fluid communication with the fluid communication port, the sample received by the sample chamber being filtered by the filter;
a terahertz radiation detector in electromagnetic communication with the sample located downhole in a borehole environment, the terahertz radiation detector generates from the sample a detected output signal indicative of electromagnetic radiation;
wherein the detected output signal is within the spectral region from about 0.01 terahertz to about 20 terahertz; and
a processor receiving the detected output signal from the terahertz radiation detector and analyzing the sample using the detected output signal, wherein the processor analyzes the sample in case of a time-domain spectral and a corresponding frequency domain spectrum, whereby the time domain spectral results are recorded and processed by the analysis to obtain the corresponding frequency domain spectrum.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for analyzing gas-oil-water compounds in oilfield and other applications are disclosed using terahertz radiation. A sample analyzer includes a sample chamber having a fluid communication port configured to receive the sample. The analyzer also includes a filter to filter samples and selectively remove oil, water or gas from reservoir mixture received by the sample chamber. A terahertz (THz) radiation detector is provided in electromagnetic communication with the sample. The terahertz detector provides a detected output signal indicative of the terahertz electromagnetic radiation detected from the sample. In some embodiments, the device also includes a terahertz source illuminating the sample, the terahertz detector detecting a portion of the terahertz source illumination as modified by the sample. The detected portion of the spectrum of terahertz radiation can be processed to analyze the composition of the sample.
48 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample, comprising:
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a sample chamber having a fluid communication port configured to receive the sample; a filter in fluid communication with the fluid communication port, the sample received by the sample chamber being filtered by the filter; a terahertz radiation detector in electromagnetic communication with the sample located downhole in a borehole environment, the terahertz radiation detector generates from the sample a detected output signal indicative of electromagnetic radiation; wherein the detected output signal is within the spectral region from about 0.01 terahertz to about 20 terahertz; and a processor receiving the detected output signal from the terahertz radiation detector and analyzing the sample using the detected output signal, wherein the processor analyzes the sample in case of a time-domain spectral and a corresponding frequency domain spectrum, whereby the time domain spectral results are recorded and processed by the analysis to obtain the corresponding frequency domain spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A borehole apparatus for analyzing a composition of a fluid sample obtained from a formation , the fluid sample comprising at least one of water, oil, and gas, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one sample chamber for containing the fluid sample within the borehole, the at least one sample chamber including a first window portion that is substantially transparent to terahertz radiation; a terahertz detector in electromagnetic communication with the fluid sample located downhole in a borehole environment, the terahertz detector generating an output signal responsive to at least a portion of the spectrum of terahertz radiation from the fluid sample between about 0.01 terahertz and about 20 terahertz; and a processor receiving the detected output signal from the terahertz radiation detector and analyzing the fluid sample using the detected output signal, wherein the processor analyzes the fluid sample in case of a time-domain spectral and a corresponding frequency domain spectrum, whereby the time domain spectral results are recorded and processed by the analysis to obtain the corresponding frequency domain spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for analyzing the composition of a fluid sample obtained from a formation, the fluid comprising at least one of water, oil, and gas, the method comprising:
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obtaining the fluid sample within a borehole; directing the fluid sample into at least one sample chamber; detecting from the fluid sample within the at least one sample chamber at least a portion of a spectrum of terahertz radiation between about 0.01 terahertz and about 20 terahertz located downhole in a borehole environment; and using a process for processing the detected portion of the spectrum of terahertz radiation to analyze the composition of the fluid sample, wherein the processor analyzes the fluid sample in case of a time-domain spectral and a corresponding frequency domain spectrum, whereby the time domain spectral results are recorded and processed by the analysis to obtain the corresponding frequency domain spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An analyzer for analyzing a sample while in a subterranean environment, comprising:
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a sample chamber having a fluid communication port configured to receive the sample while in the subterranean environment; a filter in fluid communication with the fluid communication port, the sample received by the sample chamber being filtered by the filter; a terahertz radiation detector in electromagnetic communication with the sample located downhole in a borehole environment of the subterranean environment, the terahertz radiation detector generates from the sample a detected output signal indicative of electromagnetic radiation; wherein the detected output signal is within the spectral region from about 0.01 terahertz to about 20 terahertz; and a processor receiving the detected output signal from the terahertz radiation detector and analyzing the sample using the detected output signal, wherein the processor analyzes the sample in case of a time-domain spectral and a corresponding frequency domain spectrum, whereby the time domain spectral results are recorded and processed by the analysis to obtain the corresponding frequency domain spectrum.
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Specification