US 12,253,467 B2
Determining partition coefficients of tracer analytes
Sehoon Chang, Boston, MA (US); Gawain Thomas, Shirley, MA (US); Wei Wang, Quincy, MA (US); and Hooisweng Ow, Woburn, MA (US)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/643,983.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184677 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 21/64 (2006.01); G01N 1/38 (2006.01); G01N 33/18 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/64 (2013.01) [G01N 1/38 (2013.01); G01N 33/18 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining a partition coefficient of a tracer, the method comprising:
measuring optical properties of tracer solutions comprising varying concentrations of a tracer;
providing a reference curve based on the measured optical properties of the tracer solutions;
forming a mixed emulsion by mixing a pulse of crude oil and an aqueous solution comprising a known concentration of the tracer, wherein the mixing comprises:
injecting the pulse of crude oil into a first inlet of a microfluidic chip using a first syringe pump, and
injecting the aqueous solution into a second inlet of the microfluidic chip using a second syringe pump;
the method further comprising demulsifying the formed mixed emulsion into an oil component and an aqueous component by flowing the formed mixed emulsion through a membrane separator;
sending the oil component or the aqueous component to an optical measurement system external to the microfluidic chip; and
measuring a component optical property of the oil component or of the aqueous component using the optical measurement system, the component optical property comprising a ultraviolet visibility or a fluorescence intensity, wherein the component optical property is indicative of a concentration of the tracer in the oil component or of a concentration of the tracer in the aqueous component;
determining a partition coefficient of the tracer based on the measured component optical property and on the reference curve.