Weatherford's GC-TRACER™ (Gas Chromatograph Tool for Real-Time Analysis, Characterization and Evaluation of Reservoirs) surface gas detector lends increased relevance to the role of formation gas analysis in reservoir characterization signifying a major innovation in surface-logging technology. It relies on three principal technologies: an innovative extraction method, an advanced gas chromatograph, and proprietary software.

The GC-TRACER surface gas detector is used to extract and analyze formation gas samples from drilling fluid. Combining a unique membrane-based extraction method with a high-speed gas chromatograph enables real-time analysis of the samples enhancing the speed and accuracy of mud gas based formation evaluation and reservoir characterization.

The GC-TRACER unit’s slim probe houses a semi-permeable membrane that enables extraction of a wide range of gases from any drilling fluid. The gas chromatograph is configured to analyze hydrocarbon gases ranging from methane (C1) to octane (C8) in 55 seconds, and methane to decane (C10) in approximately 135 seconds; competing systems can take up to five minutes just to analyze methane to pentane (C5). Customized software enables derivation and comparison of gas ratios in the samples.

The speed and accuracy of the GC-TRACER gas detector enhances your formation evaluation and reservoir characterization capabilities. Once quantified, gas ratios can be used to improve well planning and completion; provide an early indication of potential total reserves; make cost-effective decisions on wireline logging; geosteer a well’s trajectory; evaluate fluid mobility within a reservoir; determine relative formation permeability; assess a horizon’s potential for enhanced production; identify fracture and fault occurrence; and detect sweet spots in shale.

Accurate, real-time gas ratio analysis permits operators to characterize reservoirs with an unprecedented degree of precision, thereby positioning them to make more informed drilling, evaluation and completion decisions.

Reduce the uncertainty in formation gas analysis.