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, C15, C16, C17, C18 and C20 alkenes were identified. The drilling fluid that contaminated these samples also differed from another commercially obtained fluid, which only contained C16 and C18 alkenes. These results should motivate the petroleum industry to consider GC × GC-FID for measuring drilling fluids.