RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and Development has been an integral part of our success from the beginning. Innovations stemming from our Research and Development Program has set the industry standard for new and creative solutions to complex client problems.

AGAT Laboratories’ Research and Development Program is a diverse group of scientists and professionals involved in significantly exploring and furthering science and technology. We believe that strong research and development efforts are essential to optimal client accommodation and service. 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 Laboratories’ research projects have been taken on as sole ventures while a few have been collaborative efforts with other members of the scientific community.

Some of our 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.
• In-situ hydrocarbon characterization in explorative core samples.
• Phase behavior sampling.
• Ambient full diameter porosity.
• Produced fluids well data management systems, total and spectral gamma measurement and dynamic electrical properties.
• In-situ hydrocarbon characterization in explorative core sample.
• Trace sulphur species in high-pressure hydrocarbon.

International Services

AGAT Laboratories International Services Department provides a variety of additional features, adding to the overall diversity of services available. In addition to our Instrument Manufacturing Services, we have achieved extensive international experience providing training programs, consulting and analytical testing around the world.

AGAT Laboratories has established a network of international contacts in several countries allowing for information communication through local representation. We provide a comprehensive list of services, equipment and training to a number of international clients.

Following is a list of our international clients with whom we have 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

Our International Expertise

AGAT Laboratories has conducted numerous routine core and special core analysis studies on cores recovered from various wells throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Additionally, our scale and corrosion specialists have performed water compatibility and scale inhibitor testing to determine required concentrations for prevention of down hole scale formation in several fields.

Our Petroleum Testing Services continuously performs major hydrocarbon studies providing custom-designed analyses for our major clients. These studies include on-site field services with Canadian field engineers traveling abroad to assist in sample collection.

AGAT Laboratories’ Quality Assurance Department has also assisted international clients by providing laboratory auditing services to ensure that proper quality assurance and quality control protocols are in place and operational within client lab facilities. AGAT Laboratories’ International Services specialists, in conjunction with our Rock Properties and Reservoir Engineering Divisions, provided reservoir sensitivity and completion procedures to a number of international clients.

Our Reservoir Sensitivity and Completion Procedures Project

This project was an integrated geological and engineering study of mineralogical reactions and damage created by acids and other completion fluids in sandstone reservoirs. It was unique as it was the first major systematic and quantitative analysis of sensitivity problems (caused by clays or other minerals in reservoir rocks) conducted by an independent laboratory. 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 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.

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.
• Capillary pressure curves giving irreducible water saturations, residual saturation, pore throat size and distribution, threshold pressure and withdrawal efficiency.

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.