Coreflood testing system and methods for simultaneous measurement of key core properties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10466153-B2
Application number	US-201715429926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2017
Priority date	Feb 25, 2016
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

Herein disclosed are apparatuses and methods related to coreflood testing apparatuses and methods for determining key physical properties of core specimens. More particularly, disclosed herein are coreflood inlet end-piece designs, coreflood testing systems and coreflood testing methods to enable simultaneous testing to obtain necessary data for determination for determining key physical properties of core specimens, which include the relative permeability and the capillary pressure, as well as, optionally the wettability of the core sample.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inlet end-piece for a coreflood testing system, comprising:
a first surface;
a first phase inlet port substantially located at the first surface; and
a second phase inlet port substantially located at the first surface;
wherein substantially within a plane of the first surface;
wherein substantially within the plane of the first surface, the first phase inlet port and the second phase inlet port are fluidly isolated by at least two isolation members;
wherein each of the isolation members are substantially circular or semi-circular in shape; and
wherein grooves are fabricated in the first surface within the boundaries of at least one of the isolation members.

2. The inlet end-piece of claim 1 , further comprising a core inlet pressure port substantially located at the first surface.

3. The inlet end-piece of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third phase inlet port substantially located at the first surface;
wherein substantially within the plane of the first surface, the first phase inlet port and the second phase inlet port are separated from the third phase inlet port by at least one additional isolation member.

Assignees

• Gupta Robin
• Longoria Robert
• Spitzenberger Jeffrey D
• Laverick David C
• Crowell Christopher A
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Gupta Robin
• Longoria Robert
• Spitzenberger Jeffrey D
• Laverick David C
• Crowell Christopher A

Classifications

• G01N13/00

  Investigating surface or boundary effects, e.g. wetting power; Investigating diffusion effects; Analysing materials by determining surface, boundary, or diffusion effects (scanning-probe techniques or apparatus G01Q) · CPC title

• G01N15/0826 Primary

  and measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. permeation rate or pressure change · CPC title

• G01N33/24 Primary

  Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B25/005

  Above ground means for handling the core, e.g. for extracting the core from the core barrel · CPC title

• E21B49/02

  by mechanically taking samples of the soil · CPC title