Sample preparation pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) cell for viscosity sample preparation with electromagnetic viscometer (EMV)

12140,518

18/185084

March 16, 2023

A system and methods are disclosed. The system includes a temperature control chamber with a temperature system to alter and monitor a temperature of the temperature control chamber and an electromagnetic viscometer (EMV) inside the temperature control chamber to measure a viscosity of a fluid. The system also includes a sample preparation cell within the temperature control chamber pressurized by a constant displacement pump outside the temperature control chamber. The sample preparation cell includes a stirrer; a first valve between a fluid supply reservoir and the sample preparation cell; a second valve between the sample preparation cell and the EMV, a venting fluid line between the sample preparation cell and a gas capturing system, and a venting fluid line to remove released gases from the sample preparation cell. The system further includes a controller to operate the sample preparation cell, temperature system, and EMV.

SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY (Dhahran, SA)

SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY (Dhahran, SA)

1. A system comprising: a temperature control chamber comprising a temperature system configured to alter and monitor a temperature of the temperature control chamber; an electromagnetic viscometer (EMV) disposed within the temperature control chamber, where in the EMV is configured to measure a viscosity of a fluid; a sample preparation cell disposed within the temperature control chamber configured to be pressurized by a constant displacement pump external to the temperature control chamber, the sample preparation cell comprising a stirrer; a first valve in fluid communication with a fluid supply reservoir external to the temperature control chamber and the sample preparation cell; a second valve in fluid communication with the sample preparation cell and the EMV; a venting fluid line in fluid communication with the sample preparation cell and a gas capturing system, wherein the venting fluid line is configured to remove released gases from the sample preparation cell; a controller configured to operate the sample preparation cell, temperature system, and EMV.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a third valve in fluid communication with the EMV; and a vacuum pump external to the temperature control chamber, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to remove the fluid from the EMV.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a pressure line valve operable to adjust a pressure supplied to the sample preparation cell by the constant displacement pump.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control a state of the first valve, second valve, third valve, and pressure line valve.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first valve is operable to prevent or allow transmission of the fluid from the fluid supply reservoir and the sample preparation cell; and wherein the second valve is operable to prevent or allow the transmission of the fluid from the sample preparation cell to the EMV.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first valve is operable to prevent or allow transmission of the released gases from the sample preparation cell to the gas capturing system through the venting fluid line.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a temperature sensor disposed within the temperature control chamber; a temperature transmitter configured to transmit the temperature of the temperature control chamber, as measured by the temperature sensor, to the controller; a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the sample preparation cell; and a pressure transmitter configured to transmit the pressure, as measured by the pressure sensor, to the controller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to: receive a pressure signal from the pressure transmitter; receive a temperature signal from the temperature transmitter; receive the viscosity measurement from the EMV; and transmit a plurality of control signals to control the temperature and pressure of a fluid within the EMV and to circulate the fluid throughout the temperature control chamber.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to record the viscosity measurement.

10. A method for determining viscosity of a fluid using a pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) electromagnetic viscometer (EMV) system, comprising: receiving, by a sample preparation cell disposed within the PVT EMV system, the fluid from a fluid supply reservoir; adjusting, under control of a controller configured to operate the sample preparation cell, temperature system, and EMV, a temperature of a temperature control chamber disposed within the PVT EMV system using the temperature system; executing, for each set pressure in a plurality of set pressures, the following steps, wherein each set pressure in the plurality of set pressures is below a bubble point pressure of the fluid: adjusting a pressure of the fluid in the sample preparation cell to the set pressure, homogenizing the fluid by stirring the fluid with a stirrer disposed within the sample preparation cell, degassing the fluid by removing released gases from the sample preparation cell though a venting fluid line in fluid communication with the sample preparation cell and a gas capturing system configured to remove released gases from the sample preparation cell, transporting a volume of the fluid from the sample preparation cell to the EMV, measuring the viscosity of the volume of the fluid in the EMV, transmitting the viscosity measurement to the controller, and removing the volume of the fluid from the EMV; and planning a wellbore to penetrate a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the measured viscosities, wherein the planned wellbore comprises a planned wellbore path.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: pressurizing the fluid in the sample preparation cell to a first pressure using a constant displacement pump, wherein the first pressure is determined by the controller and is above the bubble point pressure of the fluid; transporting a portion of the fluid from the sample preparation cell to the to the EMV, wherein the portion of the fluid in the EMV is maintained at a second pressure and wherein the second pressure is initially equal to the first pressure; iteratively, until the second pressure is at the bubble point pressure: measuring a viscosity of the portion of the fluid in the EMV, transmitting the viscosity measurement to the controller, and reducing the second pressure of the portion of the fluid in the EMV; and removing the portion of the fluid from the EMV.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: measuring the temperature of the temperature control chamber with a temperature sensor disposed within the temperature control chamber; transmitting the measured temperature with a temperature transmitter to the controller; measuring the pressure of the sample preparation cell with a pressure sensor; and transmitting the measured pressure with a pressure transmitter to the controller.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: transmitting, from the controller, a plurality of control signals to control the temperature and pressure of the fluid and to circulate the fluid throughout the temperature control chamber.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising circulating the fluid by a plurality of valves under the operation of the controller.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising drilling the wellbore guided by the planned wellbore path.

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