METHOD OF PARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION BASED ON FLUORESCENCE IMAGING

• Main Authors: BLAND, RONALD G, JONES, TOM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 15.05.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

The invention concerns a method for determining the particle size distributi on (PSD) of bridging agents in fluids, particularly aqueous fluids used in hydrocarbon recovery such as drilling fluids, drill-in fluids, completion fluids, and the like. It was discovered that the PSD could be selectively determined for calcium carbonate as a bridging agent because it auto- fluoresces. The method is reproducible and is not bothered by the presence o f other particles such as drill solids which interferes with conventional methods, for instance, light-scattering techniques. The light used to fluoresce the bridging agent may be filtered to a particular frequency if there are other components present that fluoresce. Flow cytometry is another technique that could be used to implement the invention.