Mud tracing techniques to enable the determination of reservoir saturation and residual oil saturation direct from the core are well established. The amount of coring fluid contamination contained in the formation water of a core sample can by determined using a deuterium oxide (heavy water) tracer.

Prior to coring a quantity of deuterium oxide is added to the aqueous coring fluid and samples of the coring fluid taken periodically during the coring process. Water is extracted from the core plugs by Dean-Stark distillation and the levels of deuterium in the extracted water and coring fluid samples determined by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS).

Our continuous-flow IRMS method for determination of deuterium enrichment is quicker and cheaper to perform than traditional methods performed by other laboratories, meaning you get your results faster and pay less.

See Example Laboratory Report for deuterium analysis of core waters by IRMS.