PhaseSnapShots

As far as shale plays are concerned, the degree of fractionation of a produced fluid can be assessed by comparing its phase envelope with that of the purported in-situ fluid from which it originated. This, the PhaseSnapShot approach, requires produced oil PVT data for the target location, plus a rock sample considered to be representative of the target shale but at a slightly lower maturity.

The latter is pyrolyzed using the MSSV method to simulate the generation of only the most recently generated instantaneous fluids in shales prior to fracking, thereby providing an insight into the maximum predicted GOR of the in-situ fluid. The data format of the MSSV products is exactly the same as that for PhaseKinetics, in being PVT-model-compatible.

The PhaseSnapShot protocol compares PVT data from MSSV pyrolysis with that in PVT reports.

PVT reporting format:

• individual gas components
• pseudo-boiling ranges
• C7+ MW and density