Oil & Gas

In conjunction with industry participants we have developed the GeoVOC method for determining volatile compounds which arise from oil and gas reservoirs. The GeoVoc method uses SIFT-MS technology to give online results and accurate quantification of light hydrocarbons, taint compounds and tracer molecules, providing practical and economic solutions for mud gas analysis and large scale geochemical exploration surveys.

GeoVOC allows users to:

• Identify and quantify Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in real-time
• Quantify and isolate both linear and branched C1-C20 hydrocarbons
• Analyse high-moisture samples
• Analyse continuous samples, yielding laboratory-grade results.

Applications include:

• Mud gas analysis - Providing online concentrations for C1-C20 hydrocarbons with information on branching and saturation. The online data from our instruments can be used to guide the drill bit towards mucrative sites for extraction
• Near-surface soil analysis - SIFT-MS can be used as a rapid analyser for measuring the headspace of soil directly, or when coupled with a thermal desorber, can be used to quantify the VOCs in sorbent materials
• Detection of sulfur sours - SIFT-MS can quantify souring compounds to very low concentrations, providing useful monitoring of taint concentrations at the wellhead while drilling or further downstream after the "sweetening" processes
• Detection of tracers/markers - As SIFT-MS is able to quantify volatile hydrocarbons and a wide range of VOCs, it is an ideal technique for studying enhanced oil recovery, whether it is microbial or chemical based.