Tracer Testing Assembly for Simulated Fractured Gas Well Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for testing tracers in the oil and gas industry are time-consuming and expensive, particularly when screening a diverse range of samples for effective tracer chemical screening, and existing techniques do not adequately simulate downhole conditions.
Innovation Solution
A testing assembly and method that includes a source of inert gas, a mass flow controller, a sample housing, an injection device, and a filtering device to simulate downhole conditions, allowing for rapid and cost-effective evaluation of tracer performance under various conditions, including humidity and temperature control, and analysis of tracer degradation over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional core flooding experiments are used for tracer testing, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the downhole environment using a laboratory-scale apparatus that replicates essential fracture geometry and fluid flow conditions. Instead of testing tracers in actual downhole conditions or complex core samples, the invention uses a scaled-down model with acrylic fracture replicas that capture the fundamental hydrodynamics, allowing rapid screening of tracer performance without sacrificing measurement relevance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the essential elements needed for tracer testing from the complex downhole environment. By isolating the critical factors (fracture geometry, fluid flow, tracer transport) and removing unnecessary complexities (rock matrix, temperature gradients, pressure variations), the apparatus enables focused, rapid testing that captures tracer performance without the time-consuming nature of full-scale core flooding experiments.
2Measurement precision
If traditional core flooding experiments are used for tracer testing, then measurement precision is improved, but cost deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the downhole environment using a laboratory-scale apparatus that replicates essential fracture geometry and fluid flow conditions. Instead of testing tracers in actual downhole conditions or complex core samples, the invention uses a scaled-down model with acrylic fracture replicas that capture the fundamental hydrodynamics, allowing rapid screening of tracer performance without sacrificing measurement relevance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs inexpensive, easily replaceable components such as acrylic fracture replicas and standard laboratory equipment instead of expensive core samples and specialized downhole testing tools. The fracture models can be quickly fabricated or obtained, and the apparatus uses readily available materials, dramatically reducing the cost per tracer test while maintaining measurement quality.
3Productivity
If simplified testing methods are used for tracer screening, then productivity is improved, but reliability of results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating fracture replicas with specific, controlled geometries that match actual downhole fracture characteristics. Rather than using generic simplified models, the apparatus incorporates locally accurate features such as fracture aperture, surface roughness, and geometry specific to the well being tested, ensuring that tracer transport behavior in the model reliably reflects downhole conditions while maintaining rapid testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables systematic variation of key parameters such as fracture aperture, fluid viscosity, flow rate, and tracer concentration through controlled adjustments of the apparatus. This parameter control allows for standardized testing protocols that can be rapidly adjusted for different tracer candidates while maintaining consistent, reliable measurement conditions that reflect downhole environments.
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 swift, cost-effective tracer screening and simulation of downhole conditions, reducing the time and cost required for tracer testing from weeks to days, while providing insights into tracer performance and degradation.
Implementation Method 1
The mass flow controller is configured to control a rate of flow of the inert gas into the sample housing
Implementation Method 2
the first differential pressure transducer is configured to measure a change in pressure within the sample housing
Implementation Method 3
a filtering device in fluid connection with the sample housing, which filters a resultant fluid to capture tracer particulate matter released
Implementation Method 4
the injection device is configured to introduce a treatment fluid into the sample housing
Implementation Method 5
a temperature-controlled enclosure configured to contain the sample housing and control a temperature of an environment surrounding the sample housing
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a testing assembly and method for testing performance of a tracer. The testing assembly includes a sample housing containing a tracer sample in fluid connection with a mass flow controller. The mass flow controller is connected with a source of an inert gas and controls a rate of flow of the inert gas into the sample housing. An injection device is connected with the sample housing to introduce a treatment fluid into the sample housing. A differential pressure transducer measures a change in pressure within the sample housing. A filtering device in connection with the sample housing filters a resultant fluid to capture tracer particulate matter that is released from the sample housing. The tracer particulate matter and resultant fluid are analyzed for presence of the tracer at various time points in order to evaluate degradation of the tracer under simulated gas reservoir conditions.