IP Library Granted Patent US 10,488,387
Granted Patent B2
US 10,488,387 · App. 15/255,123 · Granted Nov 26, 2019

Methods and apparatus for extraction of NAD and proteins from crude oil and gas, drill cuttings, cores and other hydrocarbons and organics for unique spectral identification

Inventors: Margaret Cowsar Waid (Houston, TX); Charles Carter Waid (Houston, TX); Thomas C Cowsar (Houston, TX); Scott D Campbell (Dandridge, TN); Harlon W Cowsar (Springfield, LA)
Assignee: RPC, INC.
G01N33/2835G01N21/33G01N33/2823
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,488,387
App. No.
15/255,123
Granted
Nov 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of analyzing crude oil that may include the step of contacting the crude oil with an ionic liquid to form a treated sample. The method may further include determining presence of NAD in the treated sample.

Claims (22)

1. A method of analyzing a well sample comprising:

contacting the well sample with an ionic liquid to form a treated sample, wherein NADH in the treated sample is extracted from NAD in the well sample upon contact with the ionic liquid;

determining whether hydrocarbons are present in the treated sample, wherein the determining comprises:

obtaining a spectra of the treated sample;

comparing the spectra of the treated sample with known spectra corresponding to known geological compartments;

determining peaks in the spectra of the treated sample;

determining if the hydrocarbons in the treated sample is from a same geological compartment as one of the known geological compartments based, at least in part, on a correlation between the peaks in the spectra of the treated sample and at least one peak of the known spectra;

identifying a first peak that corresponds to NADH from the known spectra of a specific compartment of the known geological compartments;

identifying a second peak in the spectra of the treated sample; and

determining if a first match exists between the first peak and the second peak, wherein matching indicates the NADH is present in both the specific compartment and the treated sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:

identifying a third peak that corresponds to a protein from the known spectra of the specific compartment of the known geological compartments;

identifying a fourth peak in the spectra of the treated sample;

determining if a second match exists between the third peak and the fourth peak, wherein matching indicates the protein is present in the specific compartment and the treated sample; and

responsive to the first match and the second match, determining if the well sample is from one of the known geological compartments.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the well sample comprises drill cuttings.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising:

performing X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) or X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) on the drill cuttings; and

determining mineralogy of the drill cuttings.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectra is obtained via ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) or near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ionic liquid comprises an ion and a functional group selected from the group consisting of alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, thio, carbonyl or carboxyl groups.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising diluting the well sample with dichloromethane.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2018
From: WAID, MARGARET COWSAR; WAID, CHARLES CARTER; CAMPBELL, SCOTT D.; COWSAR, HARLON W.; COWSAR, THOMAS C.
To: RPC, INC.
Reel/Frame 044909/0976 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62212854 · Sep 1, 2015
Provisional Application 62382761 · Sep 1, 2016
Related Publication 20170336382A1 · Nov 23, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,258,858