PVT & Reservoir Fluid Phase Behaviour
The ability to accurately measure and predict the thermodynamic behaviour of oil and gas reservoir fluids is vital to the development of new fields, the design and selection of transmission and processing facilities, and the evaluation of alternative recovery techniques.
Hydrafact's reservoir fluid capabilities were developed by the Heriot-Watt University Reservoir Fluids Research Group though more than 25 years of industry/government R&D sponsorship. The highly respected group is one of only a few worldwide active in the measurement and theoretical modelling of reservoir fluid properties and phase behaviour. Areas of expertise include high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) reservoirs, reservoir fluid sampling, tracers and their application in retrieving original reservoir fluid compositions from contaminated samples, multiphase equilibria, density, viscosity, interfacial tension, effects of water on phase behaviour of reservoir fluids.
Utilising the facilities of the Reservoir Fluids Group, Hydrafact's hydrocarbon and reservoir fluid measurement capabilities include:
- Compositional analysis, including biodegraded samples
- Fluid viscosity and density
- Vapour-liquid (VL) and liquid-liquid (LL) interfacial tension (IFT)
- Contact angles
- Saturation point and volumetric data
IMAGES LEFT TO RIGHT: Compositional reconstruction of oil based mud contaminated samples
Vapour-liquid interfacial tension (IFT) by the pendant drop method
Vapour and liquid density measurement and prediction
In addition, capabilities include the ability to simulate various reservoir processes such as:
- Mulltiple contact miscibility
- Swelling
- Near well gas-condensate inflow
- Gas cyclingNear-critical fluids and compositional grading
Numerous novel techniques, mostly developed in-house, are used to measure fluid properties and composition at reservoir and surface conditions. Dynamic phase behaviour studies can also be conducted using slim tube displacement methods.
