Identification and quantification of alkene-based drilling fluids in crude oils by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization detection

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC × GC-FID) was used to measure alkene-based drilling fluids in crude oils. Compared to one-dimensional gas chromatography, GC × GC-FID is more robust for detecting alkenes due to the increased resolution afforded by second dimension separations. Using GC × GC-FID to analyze four oil samples from one reservoir contaminated with the same drilling fluid, C 15, C 16, C 17, C 18 and C 20 alkenes were identified. The drilling fluid that contaminated these samples also differed from another commercially obtained fluid, which only contained C 16 and C 18 alkenes. These results should motivate the petroleum industry to consider GC × GC-FID for measuring drilling fluids.