As part of a standard Routine Core Analysis program, ALS carries out Dean-Stark analysis following the procedures described in API Recommended Practices 40. The Dean-Stark extraction process is often followed by additional solvent cleaning to remove pore filling salts, hydrocarbons.
The Dean-Stark method combined with a porosity measurement provides the water saturation of plug samples, which can be readily compared to Wireline derived Sw. Water saturation is calculated from a direct measurement of water produced while Oil saturations are calculated a mass balance process.
At client request, the water extracted by Dean-Stark can be collected and sent for mud tracer analysis.
Final data interpretation and comparison to log derived data ultimately depend on the choice of drilling fluids, coring parameters and the early preservation of samples at the wellsite. The best results are often achieved when these issues are taken into consideration during the planning of a well.
Dean Stark