Viscosity Articles

When Oil is Struck, Cambridge Viscosity Helps Schlumberger-DBR Technology Analyze It (Page 2)

DBR then realized that the Cambridge VISCOlab PVT system could be further improved with additional capabilities. These included operating at lower temperatures along with high temperatures, further reducing the amount of sample required and shortening the system stabilizing time. Cambridge Viscosity engineers went back to their workshop and produced the VISCOlab PVT Recirculating Bath system.

“Cambridge Viscosity has always been responsive to our needs,” says Kalra. “It’s truly a very collaborative relationship and we’re grateful for their excellent service and work.”

A complete yet compact isothermal unit with pressure transducer, the Recirculating Bath system offered a number of important improvements over DBR’s home-grown solution and the Airbath system. The Recirculating Bath stabilizes temperature in about 30 minutes, and performs accurate viscosity measurement with as little as 3-4 ml of sample (6 ml is average).

These performance capabilities are especially critical given the nature of the application. When DRB tests an oil sample, its analysis is a key data point in a billion-dollar decision made by an oil company. Samples have to be forced from rock as much as 20,000 feet below ground. These samples are very expensive to acquire and typically are in limited volumes. The smaller the sample required and the faster that the analysis can be performed, the more cost-effective and efficient it is to test potential drilling sites. Additionally, the accuracy and reliability of the viscosity measurement system helps to build the confidence needed to make such weighty decisions.

Benefits Cement the Relationship

Another valuable attribute of the VISCOlab PVT Recirculating Bath system is its portability. Often, testing labs are small, mobile units that can be based near the typically remote locations chosen to drill for samples. The Recirculating Bath system is easy to transport and has a fairly small footprint, making it a very practical solution. In addition, because it can fit in any lab, the system assures consistency of readings between labs.

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Over the course of a 15-year relationship, Cambridge Viscosity has worked closely with Schlumberger-DBR Technology to develop PVT viscosity measurement systems that enable DBR to efficiently, cost-effectively, and accurately test oil sales, even in remote field locations.