This paper was presented as part of the student paper contest associated with the European Petroleum Conference.
Three wells selected in Raman field of South Eastern Turkey had exhibited different gas contents as determined by TPAO. The wells were located at different blocks separated by faults. The aim was to characterize the crude oil and core samples from 3 wells to understand if the differences exist which can be related to reservoir properties. Thermal analysis techniques were used as a novel technique for characterization. The tests were conducted under nitrogen and air atmospheres to simulate pyrolysis and oxidation behavior. The oxidation and pyrolysis results were evaluated to calculate parameters such as peak reaction temperatures, maximum heat flow data, enthalpy changes, activation energy. Comparing the peak temperatures during pyrolysis and heat flow values during oxidation of DSC experiments, S1/S2 and (S1+S2)/S3 ratios, and diagnostic plots, indicate that Raman Well 84 crude oil was different than the other two samples. In order to understand the cause for this difference, detailed analysis of the geology, source rock and migration paths as well as connectivity between faults is justified.
Thermal analysis is composed of several experimental techniques which have similar operating principles and are used to characterize samples by studying the chemical or physical reactions occuring under a programmed temperature increase.
Many researchers have studied the characterization of crude oils and their fractions by using TGA and DSC. With the pioneering work of Tadema, thermal analysis methods had become a way to analyze crude oils for insitu combustion. Some of the researchers like Bae studied the characterization of crude oil for fire flooding by thermal analysis. Morgan et al. had investigated the combustion characteristics of coals by thermal analysis.
