Method to perform rapid formation fluid analysis

Abstract

A method for determining a property of a formation is described herein. The method includes positioning a wellbore tool at a location within a wellbore. A formation fluid is withdrawn from the formation using the wellbore tool. The formation fluid is passed through a flow line within the wellbore tool and a formation fluid sample is extracted from the flow line. The method further includes analyzing the formation fluid sample within the wellbore tool to determine a property of the formation fluid sample. The analysis is performed by excluding mud filtrate contamination within the flow line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining a property of a formation, the method comprising:
 positioning a tool at a first location within a wellbore;   withdrawing a formation fluid from the formation at the first location using the tool, wherein the formation fluid passes through a flow line within the tool;   extracting a formation fluid sample from the flow line; and   analyzing the formation fluid sample within the tool by excluding mud filtrate contamination within the flow line.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein analyzing comprises:
 removing water from the formation fluid sample by passing the formation fluid sample through a membrane when the mud filtrate is a water-based mud filtrate.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the analysis of the formation fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of: gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, visible absorption spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence detection, resistivity measurements, pressure measurements, density measurements, viscosity measurements, temperature measurements, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the analyzing comprises:
 analyzing the formation fluid sample using gas chromatography when the mud filtrate is an oil-based mud filtrate.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein analyzing comprises:
 identifying a plurality chemical components within the formation fluid sample;   excluding chemical components that comprise the oil-based mud filtrate; and   determining the property of the formation fluid sample.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one chemical component with a carbon number between 8 and 20 is excluded from consideration. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 using a known chemical composition of the mud filtrate to exclude chemical components that comprise the oil-based mud filtrate.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using the property of the formation fluid sample to determine whether to perform an analysis of an uncontaminated formation fluid within the flow line.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the analysis of the uncontaminated formation fluid comprises:
 withdrawing the formation fluid from the formation and pumping the formation fluid through the flow line until the formation fluid within the flow line is uncontaminated by mud filtrate; and   performing an analysis of the uncontaminated formation fluid within the tool.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the analysis of the uncontaminated formation fluid comprises:
 withdrawing the formation fluid from the formation and pumping the formation fluid through the flow line until the formation fluid within the flow line is uncontaminated by mud filtrate; and   extracting an uncontaminated formation fluid sample from the flow line;   transporting the uncontaminated formation fluid sample for surface analysis.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the property of the formation fluid sample at the first location to a property of a second formation fluid sample at a second location within the wellbore; and   using the comparison to determine whether to perform an analysis of an uncontaminated formation fluid at the first location.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the property of the formation fluid sample at the first location within the wellbore to a property of a second formation fluid sample at a second location; and   using the comparison to determine a property of the formation.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the second location is a location selected from the group consisting of: a location within the wellbore, a location within a second wellbore of a second well and a location within a second wellbore within a multilateral well. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the property of the formation fluid sample is a chemical composition for the formation fluid sample and analyzing the formation fluid sample comprises determining the chemical composition for the formation fluid sample. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the property of the formation fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of: bubble point, dew point, asphaltene onset pressure, density, viscosity, pressure, temperature, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the property of the formation fluid sample is used to determine the property of the formation. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the property of the formation is selected from the group consisting of: connectivity, water washing, biodegradation and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method for determining a property of a formation, the method comprising:
 positioning a tool at a location within a wellbore;   withdrawing a formation fluid from the formation at the location using the tool, wherein the formation fluid passes through a flow line within the tool;   extracting a formation fluid sample from the flow line;   removing water from the formation fluid sample using a membrane; and   analyzing the formation fluid sample within the wellbore tool to determine a property of the formation fluid sample.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the property of the formation fluid sample is a chemical composition for the formation fluid sample and analyzing the formation fluid sample comprises determining the chemical composition for the formation fluid sample. 
     
     
         20 . A method for determining a property of a formation, the method comprising:
 positioning a wellbore tool at a location within a wellbore;   withdrawing a formation fluid from the formation at the location using the wellbore tool, wherein the formation fluid passes through a flow line within the wellbore tool;   extracting a formation fluid sample from the flow line;   identifying a plurality of chemical components within the formation fluid sample using gas chromatography;   excluding chemical components that comprise an oil-based mud filtrate; and   determining the property of the formation fluid sample.