Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method to obtain a bitumen or heavy oil sample from an oil reservoir sample, such as a core sample, to enable measurement of physical properties such as viscosity, API gravity, or chemical properties such as sulphur content of the obtained bitumen or heavy oil sample. The analyses performed on the samples obtained in accordance with the invention are effective in assisting oil field operators in making timely drilling and production decisions at the oil reservoir or for routine laboratory extraction of oils and bitumens. The invention also permits the collection of samples from simulated thermal recovery operations and also allows the collection of bitumens and oils for online analysis of live oil physical properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method to obtain a bitumen or heavy oil sample from an oil reservoir sample, such as a core sample, to enable measurement of physical properties such as viscosity, API gravity, or chemical properties such as sulphur content of the obtained bitumen or heavy oil sample. The analysis performed on the samples obtained in accordance with the invention are effective in assisting oil field operators in making timely drilling and production decisions at the oil reservoir or for routine laboratory extraction of oils and bitumens. The invention also permits the collection of samples from simulated thermal recovery operations and also allows the collection of bitumens and oils for online analysis of live oil physical properties.

Abstract: Techniques for determining viscosity of oil in a sample include extracting the oil from the sample using a volatile polar first solvent; using a portion of the extracted oil to determine a concentration factor of oil in the sample; determining a dry weight of the extracted oil using the concentration factor; adding a second solvent to a remaining portion of the extract, where the second solvent is less volatile than the first solvent; removing the first solvent from the remaining portion of the extract; taking a series of sub-samples from the remaining portion of the extract and sequentially removing different amounts of the second solvent from each sub-sample; measuring solvent concentrations and viscosity values of the solvent-oil mixtures of each sub-sample; and based on the measured solvent concentrations and viscosity values of each sub-sample, determining the second-solvent-free viscosity of the oil in the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method to obtain a bitumen or heavy oil sample from an oil reservoir sample, such as a core sample, to enable measurement of physical properties such as viscosity, API gravity, or chemical properties such as sulphur content of the obtained bitumen or heavy oil sample. The analyses performed on the samples obtained in accordance with the invention are effective in assisting oil field operators in making timely drilling and production decisions at the oil reservoir or for routine laboratory extraction of oils and bitumens. The invention also permits the collection of samples from simulated thermal recovery operations and also allows the collection of bitumens and oils for online analysis of live oil physical properties.