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The new generation of domestic mercury intrusion instrument came out
The current testing equipment and methodologies for analyzing the microporous structure of reservoir caprock samples, both domestically and internationally, are insufficient to fully capture the complexity of these geological formations. To address this challenge, the Wuxi Petroleum Geology Institute under the Petroleum Exploration and Development Research Institute has developed a new generation of pore structure instrument known as the Pressure Mercury Meter. When combined with a gas adsorption specific surface meter, this advanced tool enables the acquisition of a tight and smooth capillary pressure curve, significantly enhancing the accuracy and reliability of micropore structure analysis. The introduction of such innovative testing technologies is expected to play a crucial role in the research and evaluation of reservoir caprocks.
At the end of the 20th century, researchers at the Wuxi Institute of Geology recognized the limitations of existing mercury intrusion instruments—such as high costs, maintenance difficulties, and incomplete data—and set out to develop a more suitable alternative. They created the WX-2000 pore structure instrument, which was later improved to better align with the ST-2000 type surface area and pore size analyzer. Through extensive testing, the institute's scientists selected representative rock samples and simulated formation conditions to measure breakthrough pressure directly using gas-driven, water-saturated rock samples. By integrating this with full-scale micropore analysis, they were able to generate accurate capillary pressure curves and pore size distribution maps, revealing key patterns in determining breakthrough pressure. These results demonstrated that the method is more practical and realistic than previous approaches.
Caprock studies are essential in modern oil and gas geology, and micropore structure analysis remains the primary technique for evaluating caprock properties. Currently, the main methods used globally are mercury intrusion and gas adsorption. However, imported mercury intrusion devices often suffer from limited porosity resolution and inadequate performance for natural gas caprocks. Domestic models also fall short due to lower working pressures. Practical experience has shown that neither method alone can fully characterize the micropores of caprock samples.
With the growing importance of natural gas exploration, the need for improved caprock evaluation has become increasingly critical. Since 1984, the Wuxi Petroleum Geology Research Institute has been actively studying gas reservoir caprocks, starting with micro-pore structure analysis. In 1990, they introduced a combined approach using both mercury intrusion and gas adsorption methods to compensate for the shortcomings of domestic equipment.
The new WX-2000 pore structure instrument offers three significant advantages over similar instruments:
1. It features a specially designed capacitance volume measuring system capable of reaching up to 200 MPa, with a mercury volume range of 0–6 ml and a resolution of less than 1 microliter. This allows continuous measurement and provides complete capillary pressure curves, overcoming the limitations of traditional mercury intrusion meters that separate negative and positive pressure measurements and fail to capture vacuum decompression effects.
2. A vacuum-purified isobaric mercury filling system ensures precise control of static pressure within the core chamber (within 10 mmHg), improving the accuracy of maximum pore measurements and ensuring cleaner mercury entry into the system through vacuum purification.
3. The mercury volume measurement system is designed to be unaffected by valve gaps, enhancing the stability of baseline values during testing.
These innovations make the WX-2000 a powerful tool for advancing the understanding and evaluation of reservoir caprock properties.