Natural Gas and Drilling Fluid Lab

This lab. includes two sections, one in regard to gas testing and the other one in regard to the mud that is used in drilling a well.

As Natural Gas is the most dominant type of hydrocarbon fuel in Lebanon, LAU has equipped its lab. to the best to provide petroleum students with nothing but the best experience in regards to natural gas. Natural Gas testing includes several pieces of equipment such as the Wickbold apparatus to measure the H2S content in gas, an H2S apparatus to check for the existence of H2S, a Gas Chromatography to analyze a gas sample and measure and identify its components, a Dew Point apparatus connected to liquid CO2, a Pre-Cooling apparatus where we use dry ice to cool the coil and liquefy the gas, a corrosion testing unit, a freeze valve, and Reid Vapor apparatus.

Drilling Fluid testing includes filter presses to measure the filtrates and mud cake at regular pressure and HPHT conditions, mud mixer to mix the mud, Wet Sieve analysis, viscosity of mud at HPHT conditions, resistivity meter, ph meter, mud weight, etc. This is where the students work with all kinds of mud additives and test the mud. The weight and viscosity of the mud, among other characteristics, are very important as the mud maintains the pressure and keeps the reservoir and the well in balance. Knowing the filtration rate and forming of mud cake is crucial to the production phase and to know if the near-wellbore has been compromised.

Both sections are used for educational and research purposes.