AGAT Laboratories’ Research and Development Division is a diverse group of scientists and professionals involved in significantly exploring and furthering science and technology. AGAT has believed from its beginnings that strong research and development efforts are essential to the success of any modern endeavor. The benefits are realized not only by the company performing the research, but also by the clients utilizing the new service, product or technique. The majority of AGAT’s research projects have been taken on as sole ventures while a few have been collaborative efforts with other members of the scientific community. Following is a summary of some of the more recent research and development activities at AGAT Laboratories.

• Biodegradation of organic distillates.
• Quantification of overlapping PCB GC profiles using dual linear regression.
• Indoor air quality and sick building syndrome.
• The utilization of paleomagnetism to determine accurate dating of diagenetic events.
• The utilization of a digital micropermeameter and image based analytical techniques to predict, with increased accuracy, reservoir volumetrics in tight low permeability fractured reservoirs.
• Decomposition of transformer insulating oils.
• Insitu hydrocarbon characterization in explorative core samples.
• Phase behavior sampling.
• Ambient full diameter porosity.
• Produced fluids well data management systems total and spectral gamma measurement dynamic electrical properties.
• Insitu hydrocarbon characterization in explorative core sample.
• Trace sulphur species in high-pressure hydrocarbon
• This listing shows the diversity of our efforts, which is reflected in the number and types of services we offer to our clients. We strive not only to remain current with accepted practices and techniques but also to lead into new areas whenever we can.

INSTRUMENT MANUFACTURING SERVICES

AGAT Laboratories' Research and Development Divisions has designed and built laboratory equipment specific to core analysis and reservoir evaluation and testing. Our client base is international and our services range from complete laboratories to providing individual instruments. We provide installation training and service. New technologies and innovations are constantly being reviewed and incorporated into our designs; one example being our state-of-the-art solid-state spectral gamma logger.

AGAT INSTRUMENT MANUFACTURING

INDEXBASIC CORE ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT

Catalogue No. Series/Description

1. Preliminary Core Analysis Equipment

801-000 Total Gamma Ray Logging System
801-100 Spectral Gamma Ray Logging System
915-100 Core Photography System

2. Sample Preparation Equipment

920-100 Whole Core Cutting Saw
920-200 Automatic Core Slabbing Saw
920-300 Core Plug Cutting Drill
920-400 Core Plug Trimming Saw
920-500 Sample Crusher
920-600 Core Slabbing Machine
920-700 Humidity Control Oven
920-800 Sand Blaster

3. Sample Extraction Equipment

921-100 Automatic High-Pressure Core Cleaner
921-200 Centrifugal Plug Cleaner
921-300 Dean Stark Core Distillation Units
921-400 Vapour Phase Core Cleaners
921-500 Retort Distillation Unit
921-600 Sidewall Retort Distillation Unit

4. Basic Core Analysis Equipment

802-100 Helium Plug Porosimeter
802-200 Helium Whole Core porosimeter
802-300 Plug Permeameter
802-400 Mass Flow Plug Permeameter
802-500 Whole Core Permeameter
802-600 Mass Flow Whole Core Permeameter
802-700 Micro Permeameter

5. Analysis Facilities

924-100 Mobile Core Analysis Facility
924-200 Core Viewing Room

SPECIAL CORE ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT

Catalogue No. Series/Description

1. Petrophysical Properties Measurement Equipment

925-100 Mercury Injection Plug Porosimeter
925-110 Mercury Pump
925-200 Plug Porosimeter/Multi-Permeameter
919-100 Mercury Bulk Volume Apparatus
919-200 Archimedes Bulk Volume Apparatus

2. Resistivity Measurement Equipment

803-100 Core Plug Resistivity Measurement Apparatus
803-200 High-Pressure Core Plug Resistivity Measurement Apparatus
812-100 Fluid Resistivity Measurement Apparatus

3. Reservoir Simulation Apparatus

803-300 High-Temperature High-Pressure Liquid Permeameter
803-400 High-Temperature High-Pressure Relative Permeameter
803-500 High-Temperature High-Pressure Pulse Capillary Viscometer
803-600 High-Temperature High-Pressure Interfacial Tensiometer
803-700 Restored State Capillary Pressure Apparatus

4. Miscellaneous Components and Accessories

926-100 Core Saturators
926-200 High-Temperature High-Pressure Core Holders
934-100 Positive Displacement Metering Pumps
934-200 Positive Displacement (Electric) Metering Pumps
814-100 High-Temperature High-Pressure Sight Glasses
815-100 High-Temperature High-Pressure Buffer (Reservoir) Cylinders
899-100 High-Pressure Floating Piston Transfer Cylinders
926-300 Hassler Core Holders - Plugs
926-400 Hassler Core Holders - Whole Core

Please email AGAT to inquire about our equipment line.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES

AGAT Laboratories International Services Division provides a variety of additional features, which complement the overall diversity of services available. In addition to the Instrument Manufacturing Services, AGAT has achieved extensive international experience through providing training programs, consulting and analytical testing around the world. AGAT has established a network of international agents in several countries allowing for information communication through local representation. AGAT has provided a comprehensive list of services, equipment and training to a number of international clients. Following is a list of international clients with whom AGAT has completed projects.

• Chauvco Resources Ltd. Argentina
• PEMEX, Mexico
• D&G Oilfield Egypt
• AKV Enterprises India
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation India
• Trade-Links India
• Natural Resources Authority Jordan
• Technical Oilfield Service & Supply Co. Jordan and Turkey
• Kuwait Oil Corporation Kuwait
• Umm Al - Jawaby Oil Service Co. Ltd. London
• Salvo - Grima Ltd. Malta
• WAHA Oil Company North Africa
• Arabian Gulf Oil Company North Africa
• AGIP Oil Company North Africa
• Petroleum Research Centre North Africa
• Engineering Equipment Ltd. Pakistan
• Oil and Gas Development Corporation Pakistan

AGAT’S INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE

AGAT has conducted numerous routine core and special core analysis studies on cores recovered from various wells throughout North Africa and the Middle East. In addition, AGAT’s Scale and Corrosion Division has performed water compatibility and scale inhibitor testing to determine required concentrations for prevention of down hole scale formation in several fields. AGAT Chemistry division constantly performs major hydrocarbon studies providing custom designed analyses for major clients. Studies include on-site field services with Canadian field engineers traveling abroad to assist in sample collection. AGAT’s Quality Assurance department has also assisted international clients by providing laboratory audit services and ensuring that proper Quality Assurance and Quality Control protocols are in place and operational within client lab facilities. AGAT Laboratories’ International Services Division, in conjunction with it’s Geological Sciences and Reservoir Engineering Divisions, has provided the Reservoir Sensitivity and Completion Procedures Project to a number of international clients. The Reservoir Sensitivity and Completion Procedures Project is an integrated geological and engineering study of mineralogical reactions and damage created by acids and other completion fluids in sandstone reservoirs. It is unique in being the first major systematic and quantitative analysis of sensitivity problems (caused by clays or other minerals in reservoir rocks) conducted by an independent laboratory and consulting group. A measure of its success is that over 40 petroleum companies and other agencies from Canada, the United States, South America, the United Kingdom and Europe participated in the project from inception. The Reservoir Sensitivity report is in the form of a 613 page bound book, illustrated with 53 text-figures, 165 tables of data, and 119 full-page plates of thin-section (in colour) and scanning electron microscopy photomicrographs. The major mineralogical problems examined in the project were:

• Sensitivity of smectite and some mixed-layer clays to swelling.
• Sensitivity of authigenic kaolinite and other silicates to migration.
• Sensitivity of dolomite cements in sandstone reservoir to migration after acid treatment.
• Effects of microporosity in authigenic illite clays.
• Sensitivity of iron-bearing clays to acid.
• Sensitivity of iron-bearing carbonate cements to acids.

Reservoir units used in the project include formations from Alberta, the North Slope of Alaska, Bolivia, the North Sea, and Northwestern Germany. A complete list of tested formations together with locations and mineral sensitivity problems are listed in Appendix 4. They range in age from Permian to Cretaceous and represent 15 different formations from 23 well localities. Test procedures were conducted on approximately 90 core plugs of one inch and 1.5" diameters. All flow tests were run under reservoir conditions of pressure and temperature. Before and after each engineering test, selected parts of core plugs were examined and compared by thin-section petrology (TS), x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, often using freeze-drying to preserve fabrics. The engineering flow tests had three major objectives: 1) to establish under controlled conditions that specific types of reservoir damage will occur depending on mineral assemblage; 2) to quantify this damage in terms of permeability loss or impairment, or other reservoir mechanics characteristics such as capillary pressure behaviour and changes in pore size distribution; and 3) to establish the effects of remedial fluid treatments on specific types of data.

The main parameters obtained from the engineering tests were:

• Klinkengerg slip-corrected air permeability,
• Absolute liquid permeability to various fluid phases,
• Effective (and apparent) permeabilities to various fluids at initial or residual saturations, and
• Capillary pressure curves giving irreducible water saturations, residual saturation, pore throat size and distribution, threshold pressure, and withdrawal efficiency.

Fluids or gases used in various test procedures on different core plugs include air, nitrogen, fresh water, saline brines, high pH solutions, 1% to 15% HCl acid, HCl/HF (mud) acid, phosphoric acid, fluoboric acid, KCl, CaCl, cationic polymers, polyhydroxy aluminum, zirconium oxychloride, EDTA, soltrol, reformate, surfactants, and hydroxypropylguar gum. The specific reservoir problems evaluated in this project include:

* Dependent on oxidation state of iron