Vol. 337 No. 4 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/4/4897
Improving the accuracy of estimating core residual oil saturation using gas chromatography results
Relevance. The depletion of the large oilfields in the West Siberian petroleum province leads to the need for developing unconventional hydrocarbon bearing features (small-sized, thinly laminated, having low or unstable porosity and permeability). To increase field production, it is necessary to obtain the reliable information on reservoir residual oil saturation in its different sections. Increasing the informative value of methods for determining residual oil saturation is an extremely urgent task. Aim. To improv the efficiency of the method for determining core residual oil saturation in laboratory setting using chromatographic analysis. Objects. Core samples extracted using a special sampling technique allowing isolating core from the drilling mud effect. The total volume was 116 samples of reservoir rocks from the West Salym oil field. Methods. Petrophysical methods for studying core material, such as extraction in Zaks’ apparatuses, core photocalorimetric analysis, extraction-weighting method using Soxhlet apparatus and gas chromatographic analysis. Results. The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of methods for estimating residual oil saturation of a reservoir under development based on residual oil saturation of an isolated (sealed under reservoir conditions) core. In addition to the standard method (using a Zaks’ apparatus), we applied a chloroform extraction method via a Soxhlet apparatus with subsequent chromatographic analysis of the extract. It was found that the conventional gravimetric method for estimating the oil saturation factor has its drawbacks, particularly, it gives distorted data on oil saturation for rocks with low porosity and permeability. Also, determining the extract material composition using a gas chromatograph reveals a number of distorting factors such as reduction in the low-boiling oil fraction and anthropogenic pollution.
For citation: Zavatsky M.D., Mamyashev V.G., Veduta O.V., Kataeva E.S. Improving the accuracy of estimating core residual oil saturation using gas chromatography results. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 105-114.
Keywords:
residual oil saturation, isolated core, core studies, anthropogenic core pollution, extraction, gas chromatography of oil
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