Measurement of formation rock properties by diffusion

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising placing a sample in a reservoir, removing aliquots from the reservoir containing the sample or continuously monitoring the reservoir or headspace as the sample and reservoir equilibrate and analyzing the aliquots or readings sufficient to provide diffusion measurements.

1 . A method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising: 
 placing a sample in a reservoir;    removing aliquots from the reservoir as the sample and reservoir equilibrate; and    analyzing the aliquots, sufficient to provide diffusion measurements.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising before removing aliquots, agitating the sample in the reservoir.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising before placing a sample in a reservoir, adjusting a salinity in a reservoir.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of measuring the surface area of the sample, sufficient to provide surface area measurements.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of calculating formation information from the surface area measurements and diffusion measurements, sufficient to provide porosity and permeability information.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises cuttings.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises a core.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises essentially an isotopically labeled species.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reservoir further comprises essentially deuterated water.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reservoir comprises essentially  18 O water.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aliquots are liquid samples from the reservoir.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aliquots are vapor samples from the headspace of the reservoir.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis is performed by spectroscopy.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the analysis if further performed by laser spectroscopy.  
   
   
       15 . A method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising: 
 adjusting a salinity in a reservoir;    placing a sample in the reservoir;    removing aliquots from the sample in the reservoir as the sample and reservoir equilibrate;    analyzing the aliquots, sufficient to provide diffusion measurements;    measuring the surface area of the sample, sufficient to provide surface area measurements; and    calculating formation information from the surface area measurements and diffusion measurements, sufficient to provide porosity and permeability information.    
   
   
       16 . A method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising: 
 placing a sample in a reservoir; and    analyzing the reservoir as the sample and reservoir equilibrate, sufficient to provide diffusion measurements.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  16 , wherein the headspace of the reservoir is analyzed.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising before analyzing the reservoir, agitating the sample in the reservoir.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising before placing a sample in a reservoir, adjusting a salinity in a reservoir.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of measuring the surface area of the sample, sufficient to provide surface area measurements.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of calculating formation information from the surface area measurements and diffusion measurements, sufficient to provide porosity and permeability information.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the analysis is performed by spectroscopy.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the analysis if further performed by laser spectroscopy.  
   
   
       24 . A method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising: 
 adjusting a salinity in a reservoir;    placing a sample in the reservoir;    analyzing the reservoir as the sample and reservoir equilibrate, sufficient to provide diffusion measurements;    measuring the surface area of the sample, sufficient to provide surface area measurements; and    calculating formation information from the surface area measurements and diffusion measurements, sufficient to provide porosity and permeability information.    
   
   
       25 . A method to determine formation measurements, the method comprising: 
 adjusting a salinity in a reservoir;    placing a sample in the reservoir;    analyzing a headspace of the reservoir as the sample and reservoir equilibrate, sufficient to provide diffusion measurements;    measuring the surface area of the sample, sufficient to provide surface area measurements; and    calculating formation information from the surface area measurements and diffusion measurements, sufficient to provide porosity and permeability information.    
   
   
       26 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a reservoir;    an injection port, coupled to the reservoir, to introduce the sample;    a sampler, coupled to the reservoir; and    an analysis instrument, coupled to the sampler on a first side.    
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising a titrator, coupled to the reservoir.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising an agitator, coupled to the reservoir.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising a computer, coupled to one, or any combination of the injection port, reservoir, sampler, stirrer or analysis instrument.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the reservoir contains a screen preventing the sample from contacting the bottom of the reservoir.