ACADEMIA Letters

FLUID SATURATION METHODS FOR THE

CONVENTIONAL CORE ANALYSIS STUDIES
Ahmed Mohamed

This short essay illustrates the different methods for determining the fluid saturation used
in the conventional core analysis of the cored samples. Continuous cores can be analyzed by
conventional or whole core procedures, but conventional core analysis is most frequently used
[1]. This procedure employs a small sample to represent an interval of core and produces ac-
ceptable results when the pore system is relatively homogeneous. Conventional core analysis
plugs are usually collected once per foot or three to four times per meter [2]. Conventional
Core Analysis is the most direct way to determine reservoir properties and to provide accurate
input data for a geological model.

Core preparation technique

Firstly, the natural Gamma radiation of the cores is measured using a Na I (Tl) crystal scin-
tillator, and the maximized, smoothed total Gamma emission intensity of the cores and the
spectral plotted as a log against core depth on a scale of 1 to 200. A composite log on a 1:200
scale is also adopted to comprises the total gamma (counts per minute), permeability, porosity
and grain density data. A suite of fullbore plug samples, one inch in diameter, is drilled with
brine, parallel to the apparent bedding of the core, horizontal, at foot intervals throughout
suitable lithologies. An additional suite of plug samples, also one inch in diameter, is drilled
perpendicular to the apparent bedding of the core, vertical, at the same intervals throughout
suitable lithologies. The plug samples are trimmed to produce right cylinders approximately
2 inches in length, and the trims labeled and boxed for subsequent use.
Once all samples had been selected, the cores are longitudinally slabbed into two halves

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ahmed Mohamed, agomaa@mans.edu.eg

Citation: Mohamed, A. (2021). FLUID SATURATION METHODS FOR THE CONVENTIONAL CORE
ANALYSIS STUDIES. Academia Letters, Article 645. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL645.

1
1/3 & 2/3 of the Core diameter. The 2/3 section was polished and photographed under white
light and ultraviolet light. Samples from the core were placed to clean in solvent extraction
units containing Toluene, as illustrated (right), and reflued until all hydrocarbon contaminants
had been removed. The samples were checked under ultraviolet light for fluorescence and
checked daily with silver nitrate solution for the presence of salts. Once clean, the samples
were placed in a humidity Oven at 60°C and relative 40% humidity, dried to a constant weight.
On removal from the oven, all samples were placed to cool to room temperature in glass
desiccators partially filled with fresh silica gel to prevent absorption of atmospheric vapor.

Fluid saturation methods

• Fluid saturation by Dean Stark method

The Dean Stark method for the determination of fluid saturations of core plugs depends
upon distilling water from the sample, condensing it, and accumulating it in a calibrated re-
ceiver. The oil is removed by solvent extraction. The solvent used for extracting the oil has
typically a boiling point above that of water, so that the water within the core is distilled out
as it is heated by the solvent vapor. The solvent vapor condenses and continually drips on
the core sample to extract the oil, after complete extraction where all the water and oil are
removed; the sample is dried and weighed. The loss in weight of the sample represents the
combined weight of extracted oil and water from the sample. The weight of the volume of wa-
ter measured in the receiver is subtracted from the total liquid weight to determine the weight
to determine the weight of oil extracted from the core sample. To express the water and oil
contents as percent of the pore space in the reservoir rock, the porosity, the bulk volume of
the sample and the specific gravity of the oil produced are measured.

• Fluid saturation by Retort method

Samples are taken adjacent to the plug samples, every foot, for the determination of resid-
ual oil and residual water volumes by the retort method at atmospheric pressure. A small
sample, of a known weight, is taken for the determination of specific bulk volume and spe-
cific gas volume by mercury displacement and mercury injection respectively. The natural
density of the sample was then calculated in order to convert the known weight of the retort
sample to its corresponding volume. The retort sample was loaded with a receiving graduated
test tube attached to collect the pore water and residual oil. The temperature of the retort oven
is raised initially to 180oC to distil the water and then to 650oC to drive the residual oil out.

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ahmed Mohamed, agomaa@mans.edu.eg

Citation: Mohamed, A. (2021). FLUID SATURATION METHODS FOR THE CONVENTIONAL CORE
ANALYSIS STUDIES. Academia Letters, Article 645. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL645.

2
The volumes of water and oil are determined, and these data are then combined to give the
porosity by the summation of fluids, and the residual oil and water saturations.
Important notice, all pressure gauges and transducers should be regularly checked and
calibrated using dead weight testers and wet soap film meters. In order to maintain a rigid
quality assurance program, a series of four standard check plugs whose dimensions, porosity,
grain density and permeability to nitrogen are known, are run every 25 samples to check
repeatability.

References
[1] Craft, M., and D. K. Keelan, 1985, Coring, Part 7—analytical aspects of sidewall coring:
World Oil, v. 201, p. 77–90.

[2] Monicard, R. P., 1980, Properties of Reservoir Rocks—Core Analysis: Houston, Gulf
Publishing Company, 168 p.

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ahmed Mohamed, agomaa@mans.edu.eg

Citation: Mohamed, A. (2021). FLUID SATURATION METHODS FOR THE CONVENTIONAL CORE
ANALYSIS STUDIES. Academia Letters, Article 645. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL645.