High-Pressure Core Chamber with Dual Access for Reservoir Experiments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing core drilling technologies fail to maintain core samples at reservoir conditions, leading to alterations due to pressure and temperature changes upon retrieval, making accurate laboratory analysis challenging.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure core chamber with dual access ports allows for core sampling and experimentation at reservoir conditions, enabling tests such as fluid-rock interactions and porosity measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If core samples are retrieved from deep reservoir using conventional drilling equipment, then the core sample can be brought to surface for analysis, but the pressure and temperature decrease causing gases to evolve and expand, forcing reservoir fluids out of the core and altering its properties
Solution Approach 1:
The core chamber is pre-pressurized to reservoir bottom-hole pressure (BHP) before core retrieval, and maintains this pressure throughout the retrieval and analysis process. This preliminary pressurization prevents pressure differential from causing fluid expulsion and gas expansion, thereby preserving the core's native state and enabling accurate analysis.
2Reliability
If core samples are sealed in pressure maintenance chambers, then reservoir conditions are preserved, but the chamber design becomes complex with multiple valves and access ports required for experimentation
Solution Approach 1:
The core chamber is designed with multiple access ports and valves that enable it to serve multiple functions: maintaining reservoir pressure, allowing fluid injection, enabling core retrieval, and facilitating various laboratory experiments. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate devices while preserving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is divided into functional zones with separate access ports for different operations (fluid injection, core retrieval, pressure monitoring). This segmentation allows independent access to different functions without compromising the sealed pressure environment, making the complex design manageable and versatile.
3Productivity
If conventional core retrieval methods are used, then the sampling process is simple and quick, but the core sample properties change due to pressure and temperature changes making accurate analysis difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The core chamber is pre-prepared and pre-pressurized to reservoir conditions before core insertion. This preliminary action ensures that when the core is rapidly retrieved and inserted, there is no pressure differential to cause fluid loss or property changes, thus maintaining both speed and accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A high pressure core chamber for use in collecting pressurized core samples from a reservoir is equipped with at least two high pressure access valves, allowing the core chamber to also function as a vessel for various high pressure experiments. In some embodiments, the core chamber is also equipped with a heater, allowing high pressure, high temperature experiments, and thus duplicating reservoir conditions. Various assays using the core chamber are also described.