PVT Express

Delivering early fluid analysis data

Applications

Advanced mobile fluid analysis service

The Schlumberger PVT Express* service is based on a revolutionary hardware and software platform that can deliver comprehensive fluid analysis data in a matter of hours. This system has many advantages over traditional PVT equipment and services. The utilization of mercury-free technology eliminates the inherent health, safety, and environmental (HSE) risks associated with the use and transportation of mercury. Modular, rugged construction facilitates transportation by road, sea, and air to any geographic location, including a local operations base or the wellsite itself. The mobility and flexibility of the PVT Express system allow results to be delivered in hours rather than weeks or months, in part because of the elimination of long sample transportation wait times. This system has applications in exploration, development, and production environments. Acquiring sample quality data and measuring reservoir fluid properties during wireline formation testing operations mean our customers do not have to wait weeks or months to determine if the objectives of the sampling operation were achieved. Analysis at the wellsite enables decisions about additional wireline formation testing or drillstem testing operations. Similarly, during drillstem testing operations the PVT Express service can be used to ensure that representative samples have been collected before leaving the well.

Pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) data collection for projects in which early delivery of results is critical Projects in locations in which access to PVT laboratories is limited by geographical location and/or local shipping regulations Validation of sample quality during wireline formation testing, drillstem testing, or production testing operations Compositional monitoring of separator gas or reservoir fluid samples, providing information to optimize gas condensate fluid sampling Eliminates risks associated with operation and transportation of mercury PVT laboratory equipment Allows rapid mobilization to any geographic location Delivers PVT results within 8 hours Enables informed decisions during logging and well-testing operations Delivers high-quality PVT data on a complete range of hydrocarbon fluids (heavy oil to gas condensate) Reduces sample shipping and storage costs Measurement techniques based on proven PVT laboratory procedures Very small volume of sample required for full PVT study (less than 50 cm3) Included fiber-optic sensor to measure saturation pressure of gas condensates and volatile oils Modular, rugged construction for transportation by road, sea, or air. Patented helium ionization detector used in dual gas chromatograph (GC) [gas C12+, liquid C36+] Advanced hardware and software technology that provides accurate measured and predicted PVT data Accurate testing for oil-base mud contamination in samples collected with wireline formation test tools

Fluid properties generated by the service can be used to set up the PhaseWatcher* multiphase well production monitoring equipment and to generate data for production optimization strategies. With the current emphasis on fast-track field development, having swift results is critical. Utilizing the PVT Express service at the wellsite or a local support base can overcome the problem of data delivery delays.

Hardware
Using a conventional or single-phase sample collected by the MDT* Modular Formation Dynamics Tester or the CHDT* Cased Hole Dynamics Tester, the PVT Express system employs advanced technology to measure some properties and predict others. The PVT Express system features a highpressure PVT cell that measures the saturation pressure of the reservoir fluid at reservoir temperature. Accurate measurement of bubblepoint and dewpoint pressure is made possible by optical signal technology that measures the first bubble of gas liberated from oil and the first traces of condensable liquid in a gas during constant temperature expansion from reservoir pressure. An additional advantage of the PVT Express high-pressure cell is the ability to produce a comprehensive fluid analysis report with less than 50 cm3 of single-phase

Benefits

A PVT Express specialist completes a reservoir fluid flash analysis. Laboratory equipment shown includes a PVT cell, a temperature-controlled gas/oil ratio (GOR) liquid trap, an atmospheric liquid densitometer, and a viscometer.

Features

PVT Express delivers early fluid property results from openhole, cased hole, or surface samples. Data quality is assured by a global network of fluid analysis centers.

reservoir fluid. This is significantly less volume than traditional mercury PVT equipment requires. A proprietary dual chromatograph (oil and gas), featuring patented helium ionization detectors, is used to deliver compositional data. Flame ionization detectors typically utilize hydrogen gas. Helium ionization technology eliminates the requirement to use hydrogen, thus enhancing the safety and mobility of the service. All data measured by the high-pressure cell are displayed and stored in real time by a digital interface module. In addition to interpreting and reporting the measured data, this interface module also links to the Schlumberger PVT Expert* prediction model.

Software
The PVT Expert system is an operatorindependent, multidimensional prediction model that delivers instant and reliable volumetric phase behavior fluid properties from a specific set of measured data. In contrast to equation-of-state prediction models, the PVT Expert system is ideally suited to wellsite operations, requiring no time-consuming tuning operations. In addition to providing rapid fluid analysis data, this prediction model includes a quality assurance tool that provides instant evaluation of the quality of the fluid property predictions.

Data quality management process

To ensure the quality of the data reported by the PVT Express service, it will be supported by Schlumberger fluid analysis experts strategically located in a global network of fluid analysis centers and laboratories. An integral and key feature of the PVT Express service is the data quality-control service provided by our analysis experts. Customized to suit the specific needs of the project, the quality control service will range from real-time support of wellsite operations to review of the report before delivery to the customer.

Graph comparing PVT Express-predicted oil viscosities with measured laboratory oil viscosities.

PVT Express Viscosity Prediction versus Measured Laboratory Viscosity Data Laboratory measured viscosities PVT Express viscosities

Viscosity

Pressure

Graph comparing PVT Express-predicted formation volume factors (FvF) with measured laboratory formation volume factors.

PVT Express FvF Prediction versus Measured Laboratory FvF Data

Oil formation volume factor

Laboratory FvF PVT Express FvF Pressure

Case history
The PVT Express system has been tested in the worlds harshest environments, from the Middle East deserts to offshore Newfoundland, providing early PVT data for critical wellsite decisions. In a well offshore Newfoundland, hydrocarbon samples were vital in characterizing the reservoir fluid and as input for the formulation of field development plans. It was critical that uncontaminated samples be recovered without undergoing phase changes. In addition, the measured fluid properties of the recovered MDT samples were to be compared with known properties of samples collected from the exploratory well. If the fluid properties were similar, a costly well-testing program could be avoided. The PVT Express system delivered two complete PVT studies within hours of recovering the MDT samples at the surface. These results matched the known PVT properties from the exploratory well. Running a full well test was deemed unnecessary, which saved a significant

amount of money. In another well in Oman, the objectives were to ensure representative gas condensate bottomhole samples were collected during a well test and to monitor surface gas and liquid composition to achieve stabilized flow. The first set of bottomhole gas condensate samples analyzed in the PVT Express laboratory exhibited a measured dewpoint close to the flowing bottomhole pressure, indicating the samples were nonrepresentative. Consequently, the well was produced on a lower choke, and a second set of bottomhole samples was collected. The dewpoint measured on this set of bottomhole samples was well below the flowing bottomhole pressure, indicating the well was producing monophasically into the wellbore and representative bottomhole samples were being recovered. Two gas condensate constant-volume-depletion PVT studies were completed at the wellsite using the PVT Express system in addition to 15 surface sample compositional studies.

PVT Express analytical flow diagram.

Monophasic sample Saturation pressure determination at bottomhole temperature Flash to atmospheric conditions Gas Liquid

GOR
GC analysis Molecular composition Reservoir fluid molecular composition PVT Expert prediction Physical sample Physical measurement Calculated data Physical properties predictions REPORT GC analysis Molecular composition Density Viscosity

Measured Fluid Properties Black Oil Bubblepoint pressure Live oil compressibility Fluid density at bubblepoint pressure Flash GOR Stock tank oil density (API gravity) Flash gas composition (C12+) Stock tank oil composition (C36+) Reservoir fluid composition (C36+) Flash gas molecular mass (specific gravity) Stock tank oil molecular mass Reservoir oil molecular mass Reservoir oil viscosity (not standard equipmentoptional) Predicted PVT Properties Constant composition expansion at reservoir temperature -Oil compressibility -Oil relative volume Differential liberation at reservoir temperature -Oil formation volume factor -Solution GOR -Oil density -Oil viscosity -Produced gas gravity (molar mass) -Produced gas Z factor Separator test at specified separator pressure and temperature -Oil formation volume factor -Separator shrinkage factor -Tank, separator, and total GOR -Separator oil density -Stock tank oil density (API gravity)
Based on industry standards

Gas Condensate Dewpoint pressure Fluid density at dewpoint pressure Flash gas molecular mass (specific gravity) Flash GOR Condensate density (API gravity) Flash gas composition (C12+) Stock tank oil composition (C36+) Reservoir fluid composition (C36+) Z factor at dewpoint pressure Stock tank liquid molecular mass Reservoir fluid molecular mass

Constant composition expansion at reservoir temperature -Single- and two-phase relative volume -Single- and two-phase fluid compressibility -Retrograde liquid deposit Constant volume depletion at reservoir temperature -Cumulative produced fluid to depletion -Single- and two-phase fluid Z factor -Retrograde liquid deposit -Produced gas gravity (molar mass)

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SMP-5916 June 2003 Schlumberger *Mark of Schlumberger