Method and apparatus to prepare drill cuttings for petrophysical analysis by infrared spectroscopy and gas sorption

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a method for recovering hydrocarbons from a formation including collecting a formation sample, forming the sample into particles, exposing the sample to a cleaning fluid, and analyzing the sample. Embodiments also relate to a method for recovering hydrocarbons from a formation including the steps of collecting a formation sample, first exposing the sample to a cleaning fluid, forming the sample into particles, exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid and analyzing the sample.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a formation, comprising:
 collecting a formation sample;   forming the sample into particles;   exposing the sample to a cleaning fluid; and   analyzing the sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming the particles comprises forming the sample to a diameter of about 10 micron. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises crushing, grinding, shaking or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing a sample is selected from a group consisting of infrared spectroscopy, TOC analysis by acidization, Rock Eval, Fischer Assay, XRD, XRF, WDX, EDX, gas sorption, pyconometry, and porosimetry or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formation sample is a solid collected while drilling the formation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises cuttings. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a base oil of a drilling fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid is selected from the group consisting of pentane, hexane, heptane, acetone, toluene, benzene, xylene, chloroform, dichloromethane, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid comprises surfactant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the surfactant comprises ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting further comprises a first rinse comprising a handheld sieve. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first rinse involves an automated shaker such as a rock tumbler or mixer mill. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , where the analyzing occurs in less than an hour. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting, analyzing, estimating and performing occur in less than 24 hours. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing occurs before recovering hydrocarbons begins. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing occurs after producing hydrocarbons begins. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing occurs during reservoir characterization during production. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting and analyzing use equipment within 500 meters of a wellbore. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing occurs while drilling the formation. 
     
     
         21 . A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a formation, comprising the steps of:
 collecting a formation sample;   first exposing the sample to a cleaning fluid;   forming the sample into particles;   exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid; and   analyzing the sample.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the exposing comprises a volatile solvent. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid comprises vacuum filtration. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid comprises solvent extraction. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the extraction occurs at higher temperature and/or higher pressure than the sample temperature and pressure. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the exposing the sample to a second cleaning fluid comprises a final rinse with a volatile solvent.