Component Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) of gas samples

CSIA on (pressurized) gas, mudgas or headspace gas samples

Pure gas samples - PVT, Wellhead, Annulus, ROV, etc.

For best results, we prefer samples in 300ml Swagelok cylinders pressurized to about 10 bars. However, we accept samples in various containers like gasbags, tubes and glass vials. Also unpressurized samples are accepted but we have to warn for isotopic fractionation (in case of a small leak) and for air contamination (for CO2 and N2 isotopes)

Possible analyses are:

  • Methane: Carbon and hydrogen isotopes - Down to 25ppm and 300ppm respectively
  • Ethane-pentane: Carbon and hydrogen isotopes - Down to ca. 1ppm
  • CO2 Carbon isotopes - Limit depends on composition
  • N2 Nitrogen isotopes - Down to ca. 0.5%
  • H2 Hydrogen isotopes - Down to ca. 500ppm

    • For the best results all analyses are caried out at least in triplicate.

    Mudgas samples

    Mudgas samples are usually taken during drilling of new wells. Because these are usually larger sets of samples containing for about 99% of air, Isolab has methods in place that are specially focused on this kind of sample.

    Because of the usuall dillution with air, concentrations are often very low. Isolab will analyze very low concentrations (down to ca. 1ppm for C2-C5 carbon isotopes) at no additional costs.

    Headspace gas

    These are gas samples above a degassing liquid/solid like water or drilling-mud/cuttings. Headspace samples often contains a lot of air and will usually be handled the same as mudgas samples but of course the analysis program can be changed according to the customers needs.