Product Overview

The core aging apparatus is a specialized device designed to restore the natural wettability of reservoir rock samples, enabling precise SCAL (Special Core Analysis) studies. By simulating reservoir temperature and pressure conditions, this apparatus prepares core plugs for advanced fluid flow and wettability analysis. The process involves exposing the core to formation brine and crude oil over an extended period, allowing for realistic wettability alteration reflective of in-situ conditions.

How It Works

The aging process begins with a thoroughly cleaned and brine-saturated core sample. Crude oil is then injected into the core to displace the brine until the desired initial water saturation is achieved. Typically, small pores remain water-filled, while oil invades larger pores, leaving thin water films along the pore surfaces. The core aging apparatus then maintains the sample under reservoir conditions (high temperature and pressure) for several weeks, during which wettability transitions occur. Eventually, the core reaches a mixed-wet or oil-wet state depending on contact dynamics and film stability.

Key Benefits

• Accurately restores core wettability to reflect true reservoir behavior

• Enhances the reliability of SCAL data and multi-phase flow analysis

• Customizable with 1 to 5 core chambers upon request

• Built with corrosion-resistant materials for long-term operation

• Precise control of temperature, pressure, and flow rate

Applications

• Laboratory studies of wettability and its alteration mechanisms

• Preparing core samples for capillary pressure, relative permeability, and displacement tests

• Evaluating oil-rock interactions under reservoir-like conditions

• Advanced petrophysical studies in upstream oil and gas research

Technical Specifications

• Maximum confining & pore pressure: 10,000 psi (≈ 400 bar)

• Maximum operating temperature: Up to 150°C

• Core diameter compatibility: 1" to 1.5"

• Core length: Up to 6 inches

• Flow rate: Up to 10 ml/min

• Wetted material: Stainless Steel 316

• Nitrogen requirement: Up to 2,000 psi

• Power supply: 220 VAC, 50 Hz