MEMORANDUM

TO: AHMED ASSEM

FROM: DEVON HILLMAN (9)
PETE 311 503
SUBJECT: LAB 12: FLUID SATURATION
DATE: NOVEMBER 20, 2013

In this laboratory experiment, we learned about the concepts of fluid volume, fluid saturation, and fluid
extraction based on the Dean Stark Method.




On my honor as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work.


[Signature of student]

Attachment(s): Lab report

In this laboratory experiment, we learned about how to test the fluid volumes, fluid
saturations, and how to extract fluids from a core sample. Many types of fluids can be present in
reservoir including oil, water, and gas. Fluid saturation,
S
o
= V
o
/V
p

is the ratio between the volume of a certain fluid to the pore volume of the core sample, where
V
o
is the volume of oil in the pore space and V
p
is the pore volume. In order to determine the
saturation for each fluid present their volumes must be known. Methods for finding the volumes
include the summation of fluid methods (distillation/extraction method (Dean Stark), retort
method, gas volume using mercury injection) and the capillary method. The extraction method
includes leaching the oil and water from the core sample and measuring their volumes. Once the
oil and water volumes are known, we can then use the following equation,
S
g
+ S
o
+ S
w
= 1
to find the gas saturation. To perform the Dean Stark method we must use a fluid called Toluene
to help in the process of extracting the water and oil. Once the core and the fluids in the core are
heated to high enough temperature, the water vaporizes and travels upwards with the rising
solvent vapors out of the core sample. The crude oil that was originally in the core sample will
have dissolved into the solvent. In the retort method, the core sample is heated in a retort
chamber in order to vaporize all of the liquid components contained within the sample. All of
the fluids are condensed and collected and their volumes measured. The volume of water isnt
necessarily the same amount of free water that was inside the core before the heating process
occurred. A higher volume of water is measured because the high heat removes the water of
crystallization of the clay minerals. The volume of oil is generally lower due to cracking which
leaves oil in the core sample. In both methods, once all fluids have been removed from the core,
permeability, porosity, and grain size may be measured.