Isothermal Analysis System for Drill Cuttings TOC Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring total organic carbon (TOC) in drill cuttings are time-consuming, expensive, and prone to errors due to contamination from drilling fluids, requiring complex cleaning procedures that prevent real-time analysis in the field.
Innovation Solution
An isothermal analysis system and method that uses a processor-executable code to analyze combustion products from drill cuttings at a constant temperature, identifying peaks to calculate TOC without prior cleaning, allowing for real-time measurement on-site by distinguishing between organic and inorganic carbon compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional cleaning procedures are used to remove contaminants from drill cuttings, then measurement precision of TOC is improved, but loss of time and productivity are worsened due to multiple time-consuming chemical processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter from gradual heating to isothermal conditions at elevated temperatures (400-1200°C). By maintaining a constant high temperature, the system achieves rapid decomposition of contaminants and carbonates, eliminating the need for time-consuming gradual heating and chemical cleaning steps while maintaining measurement accuracy through mathematical differentiation of combustion signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical/chemical cleaning procedures with a thermal-combustion-based system. Instead of using chemical solvents and manual cleaning steps, the system uses controlled combustion at isothermal conditions to decompose and differentiate between various carbon compounds, achieving both cleaning and measurement in a single integrated process.
2Reliability
If multiple chemical cleaning processes are applied to remove drilling fluid contaminants, then reliability of TOC measurement is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and separates the measurement of different carbon compound types by analyzing combustion signals at different time points during isothermal combustion. By taking measurements at specific time intervals and using mathematical differentiation, the system extracts TOC values free from carbonate and contaminant interference, achieving reliable measurements without complex physical or chemical separation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces mathematical processing as an intermediary between combustion and measurement. Instead of using complex chemical procedures to separate and identify different carbon compounds, the system uses mathematical differentiation of combustion signals over time to distinguish between organic carbon, carbonate, and contaminant contributions, simplifying the overall process while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If gradual heating is used to oxidize organic molecules from light volatile carbon compounds to kerogen, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity is worsened due to extended analysis time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses periodic sampling of combustion signals at specific time intervals during isothermal combustion. By taking measurements at predetermined time points and applying mathematical differentiation, the system achieves accurate differentiation of carbon compound types without requiring extended gradual heating, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly reducing total analysis time and increasing productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, rapid, and cost-effective measurement of TOC in drill cuttings without the need for extensive cleaning procedures, providing reliable on-site analysis and reducing the risk of contamination-related errors.
Implementation Method 1
The principle of the measurement is to oxidize a weighed ground-up or powdered sample such as drill cuttings and/or soil by gradually heating up the sample
Implementation Method 2
The combustion reaction will produce mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO)
Implementation Method 3
A suitable detector (e.g., IR, TCD) may measure the CO2 produced as a function of temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system including a processor executing processor-executable code stored in a non-transitory processor-readable medium, causing the processor to receive a signal via an input port, including data indicative of an amount of a combustion product produced by a sample of drill cuttings subjected to oxidation at a constant temperature (1000° C. or 650° C. 100° C.) as a function of time and process the data according to a predetermined logic to: locate a peak in the amount of the combustion product produced at a set of instants in time; correlate the set of instants in time with the presence in the sample of an organic carbon from a contaminant or light volatile carbon molecules, organic carbon, and inorganic carbon; calculate at least one of an amount of contaminant, a total amount of organic carbon, and a total amount of inorganic carbon; and output a signal indicative of the calculated amount.