10.5 Fluid Analysis Object

The fluid analysis data object details the measurements made on fluid samples by a variety of laboratory tests. With the separation of fluid samples into hydrocarbon and water samples, fluid analysis has also been separated into hydrocarbon and water analysis. Hydrocarbon analysis has been described in greater detail than water analysis. For each analysis, the sample being tested is identified along with the date, purpose, analyst, and company conducting the test. As with sample acquisition, the laboratory report or reports resulting from the analysis may be linked or attached to the data file produced.

For hydrocarbon analysis, all of the routine/standard laboratory analyses have been addressed (these are listed later). The common structure of each test is to define each one with a “header” record containing contextual data and a series of “step” records that record the constant conditions and measurements. Typically, the header record is given the name of the test and a laboratory-assigned test number. Other information in the header includes the constant and/or reference conditions (such as temperature in isothermal tests) at which the test is conducted. The step record consists of the conditions changed in the test (such as pressure) and the property measurements made at that step. For many test types, the volumes and compositions of the fluid phases present at each step may also be captured.

The same header and step record structure is used for water analysis, but only a limited set of properties have been defined. The properties for water include isothermal density, formation volume factor, viscosity, salinity, solution gas-water ratio and its corresponding gas and water (ionic) composition, and compressibility as functions of pressure. This part of the schema will be further developed in the future.