Patent Publication Number: US-2022228997-A1

Title: Evaluation of source rock samples from subterranean reservoirs

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to evaluate a source rock sample from a subterranean reservoir, more particularly pyrolysis tools and sensing methods that can be used to evaluate the source rock sample while it is undergoing a thermal transformation. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A source rock sample may be evaluated by predicting the amount of hydrocarbon volumes originating from subsurface reservoirs using computer simulations. The computer simulations use kinetic properties of the source rock sample and organic matter (e.g., kerogen) within the geologic formations where the hydrocarbons originate. The kinetic properties of the source rock samples are determined with laboratory methods. 
     The laboratory methods often include hydrous pyrolysis or open system pyrolysis methods. The pyrolysis-based methods artificially heat the source rock sample and directly or indirectly measure the amount of hydrocarbons generated. Hydrous pyrolysis often includes a controlled environment within a chemical reactor under aqueous conditions simulating the natural conditions of the source rock. The open system pyrolysis approach offers an alternative by calculating real-time measurements on a small quantity of sample material. 
     SUMMARY 
     This specification describes pyrolysis tools and sensing methods that can be used to evaluate a source rock sample from a subterranean reservoir. The pyrolysis tool includes a reactor vessel, an environmental control system, a sensor system, and data acquisition and processing system (DAPS). The reactor vessel has a body with an open end and a cover attached to the body, a source rock sample holder, a heating system, and a collector assembly. The body and the cover form a sealable chamber. The source rock sample holder is inside the sealable chamber. The source rock sample holder contains the source rock sample during transformation and preserves the residual for laboratory analysis. The environmental control system includes a set of active and passive elements that regulate temperature and pressure inside the reactor vessel. 
     The sensor system of these pyrolysis tools includes a direct sensor assembly and a pyrolysis products sensor assembly. The direct sensor assembly is inside the sealable chamber and includes elements within the source rock sample holder. In some tools, the elements of the direct sensor assembly are disposed on or in the source rock sample itself. The pyrolysis products sensor assembly is inside the reactor vessel and is in fluid communication with the collector assembly of the reactor vessel. The sensor system includes sensors, instrumentation and signal processing circuits, receivers, transmitters, and data storing and processing devices. The sensor system acquires real-time measurement data of the source rock sample and transfers it to the DAPS system for analysis and calculations. 
     The devices, systems, and methods described in this specification can accurately evaluate a source rock sample during artificial maturation experiments. Specifically, the design of the reactor vessel allows measurements on the source rock sample during thermal degradation (e.g., pyrolysis) in the absence of oxygen. The reactor vessel also allows characterization and measurements of products derived from the degradation process. These measurements can be used to determine the characteristics of the source rock sample and derived products to help enhance the hydrocarbon extraction activity. 
     For example, the measurements can be kinetic parameters often used in computer simulations to predict the generation of hydrocarbon components during burial history. Parameters such as surrounding geothermal gradient, organic matter source, and heat flow on a regional scale can be obtained to reproduce the burial history. Using a set of kinetic parameters determined in laboratory experiments, the computer simulation approach refines the kinetic processes in the time and space domain. This allows the user to evaluate potential volumes of hydrocarbons generated considering a specific geologic scenario. 
     The described approach can obtain measurements on the source rock sample, kerogen, and hydrocarbons generated simultaneously with the transformation of those elements during the hydrous pyrolysis. The approach collects accurate in-situ measurements at reduced time and allows the evaluation of various samples without a large number of experimental iterations. The approach reproduces the subsurface environment accurately with a high level of details about the source rock and the hydrocarbon compositional evolution. For example, the approach provides quantitative information about the hydrocarbon compositional evolution, the source rock structure, and fluids evolution, or intermediary components that may occur during sample transformation. 
     In some aspects, a pyrolysis system for evaluating a source rock sample from a subterranean reservoir includes a reactor vessel including a body with an open end, a cover attachable to the body, a heating system, and a collector assembly. The body and the cover define a sealable chamber; a source rock sample holder sized to be received inside the sealable chamber; and a sensor system. The sensor system includes a direct sensor assembly associated with the source rock sample holder, sized to be received inside the sealable chamber, and operable to measure properties of the source rock sample in the source rock sample holder; and a pyrolysis products sensor assembly in fluid communication with the collector assembly of the reactor vessel. 
     Embodiments of a pyrolysis system for evaluating a source rock sample from a subterranean reservoir can include one or more of the following features. 
     In some embodiments, the direct sensor assembly is attached to or part of the source rock sample holder. 
     In some embodiments, the direct sensor assembly includes a magnetic induction resistivity (MIR) sensor operable to measure an electrical resistivity of the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the direct sensor assembly includes an acoustic travel time (ATT) sensor operable to measure a length of time it takes to a sound signal to travel through the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the direct sensor assembly includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor operable to measure a radio frequency (RF) signal produced within the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the heating system includes a heating coil incorporated in walls of the reactor vessel. 
     In some embodiments, the heating systems includes a thermal controller in electronic communication with the heating coil. 
     In some embodiments, the heating system includes a temperature probe in electronic communication with the thermal controller. 
     In some embodiments, a pressure control system inlet includes a pressure gauge configured to measure a pressure inside the sealable chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the sensor system is in electronic communication with a data acquisition and processing system (DAPS). 
     In some aspects, a method for evaluating a source rock sample of a subterranean reservoir includes loading the source rock sample into a source rock sample holder sized to be received inside a sealable chamber of a reactor vessel; imposing a thermal transformation on the source rock sample based on a temperature program defined by a user; acquiring a plurality of characteristic measurements from the source rock sample using a sensor system. The plurality of characteristic measurements includes acquiring a plurality of time series of temperature and hydrocarbon component production values using a direct sensor assembly; and obtaining a plurality of kinetic parameters from the temperature and the hydrocarbon component time series using a pyrolysis products sensor assembly. 
     Embodiments of a method for evaluating a source rock sample of a subterranean reservoir can include one or more of the following features. 
     In some embodiments, the method partially filling a volume with a liquid solution. An inside space of the sealable chamber defines the volume. In some cases, the method includes transferring with the liquid solution a plurality of generated products from the source rock sample to a collector assembly. In some cases, the method includes monitoring and sampling the plurality of generated products from the source rock sample with the collector assembly. In some cases, the method includes transferring heat from a heating system to the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes processing the plurality of characteristic measurements from the source rock sample using a data acquisition and processing system (DAPS). 
     In some embodiments, the method includes acquiring the plurality of characteristic measurements from the source rock sample by measuring an electrical resistivity of the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes acquiring the plurality of characteristic measurements from the source rock sample by measuring a length of time it takes to a sound signal to travel through the source rock sample. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes acquiring the plurality of characteristic measurements from the source rock sample by measuring a radio frequency (RF) signal produced within the source rock sample. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of these systems and methods are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of these systems and methods will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic of a subterranean reservoir including source rock. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a pyrolysis system including a source rock sample from the subterranean reservoir. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a source rock sample with a direct sensor assembly with a magnetic induction resistivity-based sensor. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a direct sensor assembly with magnetic induction resistivity-based sensing components. 
         FIG. 5  is an example chart of a measured resistivity of a source rock sample. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a source rock sample with a direct sensor assembly with an acoustic travel time-based sensor. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a direct sensor assembly with acoustic travel time-based sensing components. 
         FIG. 8  is an example chart of a measured travel time of a sound signal through a source rock sample. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a source rock sample with a direct sensor assembly with a magnetic resonance-based sensor. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of a direct sensor assembly with magnetic resonance-based sensing components. 
         FIG. 11  is an example chart of measured magnetic fields at different sources within a source rock sample. 
         FIG. 12  is a flow chart showing a relationship between components in the pyrolysis system. 
         FIG. 13  is a flow chart showing a workflow for acquiring time series production values using a direct sensor assembly. 
         FIG. 14  is a flow chart showing a workflow for obtaining a plurality of kinetic parameters from the time series values obtained in  FIG. 13  using a pyrolysis product sensor assembly. 
         FIG. 15  is an example chart showing a plurality of time series production values obtained with direct sensor assembly. 
         FIG. 16  is an example chart showing a calculated production ratio for a hydrocarbon component. 
         FIG. 17  is an example chart showing a calculated production rate from the production ratio chart in  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is an example chart showing a constant rate for hydrocarbon component generation. 
         FIG. 19  is an example chart showing a relationship between a constant rate and a temperature. 
         FIG. 20  is a block diagram of an example computer system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This specification describes pyrolysis tools and sensing methods that can be used to evaluate a source rock sample from the subterranean reservoir. The pyrolysis tool includes a reactor vessel, an environmental control system, a sensor system, and data acquisition and processing system (DAPS). The reactor vessel has a body with an open end and a cover attached to the body, a source rock sample holder, a heating system, and a collector assembly. The body and the cover form a sealable chamber. The source rock sample holder is inside the sealable chamber. The source rock sample holder contains the source rock sample during transformation and preserves the residual for laboratory analysis. The environmental control system includes a set of active and passive elements that regulate temperature and pressure inside the reactor vessel. 
     The sensor system of these pyrolysis tools includes a direct sensor assembly and a pyrolysis products sensor assembly. The direct sensor assembly is inside the sealable chamber and includes elements within the source rock sample holder. In some tools, the elements of the direct sensor assembly are disposed on or in the source rock sample itself. The pyrolysis products sensor assembly is inside the reactor vessel and is in fluid communication with the collector assembly of the reactor vessel. The sensor system includes sensors, instrumentation and signal processing circuits, receivers, transmitters, and data storing and processing devices. The sensor system acquires real-time measurement data of the source rock sample and transfers it to the DAPS system for analysis and calculations. 
     The devices, systems, and methods described in this specification can accurately evaluate a source rock sample during artificial maturation experiments. Specifically, the design of the reactor vessel allows measurements on the source rock sample during thermal degradation (e.g., pyrolysis) in the absence of oxygen. The reactor vessel also allows characterization and measurements on products derived from the degradation process. The measurements can be used to determine characteristics of the source rock sample from subterranean reservoirs and derived products to help enhance the hydrocarbon extraction activity. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic of a subterranean reservoir  100  including source rock  102 . The subterranean reservoir  100  includes multiple geological layers and regions  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 . The subterranean reservoir  100  includes a porous layer(s) that allows natural gas  108  to be contained within the layer(s) and to move from point to point within the layer(s). An impermeable layer  110  (e.g., caprock) overlays the porous layer(s). This impermeable layer  110  has a curved or dome-shape and prevents the gas  108  contained in the porous layer(s) from rising to the surface of the ground. It may also prevent the lateral movement of the gas  108  outside the porous layer(s). The source rock  102  is a natural sedimentary rock found in a subsurface geologic formation containing a significant amount of organic matter (e.g., approximately above 1% by mass total organic carbon). The source rock  102  undergoes various levels of thermal maturation. Artificial maturation experiments that include pyrolysis systems can be used to evaluate the source rock  102  samples from subterranean reservoirs to enhance hydrocarbon extraction activity. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a pyrolysis system  130  including a source rock sample  136  (e.g., from subterranean reservoir  100 ). In a subterranean reservoir, anoxic environments (i.e., oxygen-free environment) surround organic-rich sediments containing hydrogen-rich kerogens (e.g., source rock). The pores of the source rock are filled with brackish or salty water. The pyrolysis system  130  can be used for the evaluation of source rock samples during artificial maturation experiments. The pyrolysis system  130  includes a reactor vessel  132 , an environmental control system  137 , a sensor system  139 , and data acquisition and processing system (DAPS)  164 . The reactor vessel  132  can be made from metal-based material such as stainless steel or aluminum, copper, metal-based composite, or combinations of these materials. The reactor vessel  132  includes a body  133  with an open end and a cover  135  attached to the body, a source rock sample holder  134 , a heating system  144 , and a collector assembly  142 . The body  133  and the cover  135  form a sealable chamber  146 . The sealable chamber  146  maintains the anoxic environment for the source rock sample  136  under evaluation. The inner volume of the sealable chamber  146  is partially filled with a liquid solution. The liquid solution typically includes artificial seawater that closely simulates the composition of the liquid in the subsurface reservoir that fills the pores of the source rock. The liquid solution allows a transfer of generated products  148  (e.g., oil or gas) during the reaction to the collector assembly  142  for monitoring and sampling. The collector assembly  142  collects the generated products  148  and classifies them into designated oil section  152  and gas section  150  as part of the assembly  142 . The collector assembly  142  includes a measurement tool  151  (e.g., ruled level scale) that measures the fluid level or collects measurements at a preset time intervals for both the oil section  152  and the gas section  150 . These measurements are used for sampling analysis. The collector assembly  142  includes an outlet valve  154  positioned at an outside end. The outlet valve  154  controls the release of oil and gas from the reactor vessel  132 . The liquid solution inside the reactor vessel  132  also allows a heat transfer to the source rock sample  136  from the heating system  144 . The heating system  144  (e.g., a heating coil) is positioned along the inner walls of the reactor vessel  132 . The heating system  144  is connected to a thermal controller  160  that allows a user to interact with the environment inside the reactor vessel  132 . The heating system  144  and the thermal controller  160  are part of the environmental control system  137 . 
     The environmental control system  137  includes additional active and passive elements that continuously interact with the environment inside the reactor vessel  132 . The active and passive elements include temperature and pressure control and monitoring elements. For example, a temperature probe  161  is connected to the thermal controller  160  and measures the temperature inside the reactor vessel  132 . The pressure control elements include a pressure control inlet  155  that allows access to the reactor vessel  132 . The pressure control inlet  155  includes a pressure gauge  158  that measures the pressure inside the reactor vessel  132 , and a control valve  156  that allows to vent off gases from the reactor vessel  132 . The elements of the environmental control system  137  have the role to constrain the pressure and temperature conditions inside the reactor vessel  132  and conform to pre-assigned experimental values by the user. This enables a safe operation of the reactor vessel  132 . 
     The reactor vessel  132  also includes the source rock sample holder  134  that is seated inside the sealable chamber  146 . The source rock sample holder  134  contains the source rock sample  136  during thermal transformation and preserves the residual for experimental analysis. In some implementations, the source rock sample holder can be permanently installed in the reactor vessel, with a permanent wiring, and with a universal termination that can be connected to various sensor types. In some implementations, the source rock sample holder can be removable with one or more permanently installed sensors and a build-in wiring that connects to the sensor controllers. The source rock sample holder  134  includes elements from the sensor system  139  that allow real-time data acquisition of the source rock sample  136  and the product&#39;s parameters generated from the pyrolysis process. The sensor system  139  includes a direct sensor assembly  139   a  that is associated with the source rock sample holder  134  inside the sealable chamber  146 . The direct sensor assembly  139   a  measures properties of the source rock sample  136  placed onto the source rock sample holder  134 . The sensor system  139  also includes a pyrolysis products sensor assembly  139   b  that communicates with the collector assembly  142  of the reactor vessel  132  via the liquid solution. The direct sensor assembly  139   a  can be attached to or part of the source rock sample holder  134 . For example, a receiver coil  140  is inside the source rock sample  136  and an emitter coil  138  is placed partially around the circumference of the source rock sample  136 . The set of coils  138 ,  140  are in connection to a sensor controller  162  via leads  162   a  and  162   b . The set of coils  138 ,  140  allow electromagnetic measurements to be performed on the source rock sample  136  and the products of the pyrolysis reaction in real-time. The sensor controller  162  receives the measurements from the set of coils  138 ,  140  in the form of electrical current, and converts the signal into measurement data. The sensor controller  162  communicates with DAPS  164  to transfer the measurement data for analysis and calculations. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a source rock sample  136  with a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with a magnetic induction resistivity (MIR)-based sensor. The MIR sensor measures the electrical resistivity of the source rock sample  136 . The receiver coil  140  inside the source rock sample  136  and an emitter coil  138  placed partially around the circumference of the source rock sample  136  are the main components of the direct sensor assembly  139   a  with the magnetic induction resistivity (MIR)-based sensor. The set of coils  138 ,  140  induce and receive an electric signal from the source rock sample  136 , respectively. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram  184  of a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with a magnetic induction resistivity-based sensing components. Diagram  184  shows an electrical circuit functionality of the direct sensor assembly  139   a  with magnetic induction resistivity-based sensing components. The magnetic induction resistivity sensing operates by application of a high-frequency alternating current (AC) applied to an emitter coil that generates a varying magnetic field near the sample under evaluation. In this example, the AC  185  is applied to induction coil  138  that is placed around the circumference of source rock sample  136 . The induction coil  138  induces a secondary current into the source rock sample  136  through a varying magnetic field. The generated magnetic field from the source rock sample  136  is detected by the receiver coil  140 . The magnitude of the received signal is proportional to the intensity of the induced current and evaluates the electrical conductivity of the source rock sample  136 . The detected signal is amplified with an amplifier  186  and converted with a converter  188  to digital information received by DAPS  164  for analysis. Electrical resistivity and reciprocal electrical conductivity are parameters related to the ability of a sample to conduct electricity. As the source rock sample maturation progresses, hydrocarbons are generated from the organic matter disseminated within the source rock. The hydrocarbons progressively occupy the pore space displacing the interstitial saltwater saturated in the sample at the beginning of the experiment. This effect is detected by the induction resistivity sensor and converted to an electrical signal for analysis. 
       FIG. 5  is an example chart  208  of a measured resistivity of a source rock sample  136 . Chart  208  shows a set of simulations for the data generated from the resistivity measurement sensor for the increasing hydrocarbons saturation inside the source rock sample pores. The simulations are calculated using the Archie Equation (Eq.1): 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     S 
                     w 
                     n 
                   
                   = 
                   
                     
                       R 
                       w 
                     
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         
                           ϕ 
                           m 
                         
                         × 
                         
                           R 
                           t 
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   Eq 
                   . 
                      
                   
                     ( 
                     1 
                     ) 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     where S w  is water saturation of an uninvaded zone, n is a saturation exponent, R w  is formation water resistivity at formation temperature, ϕ is porosity, m is cementation exponent, and R t  is true resistivity of the formation. The calculations from Equation 1 represent the empirical relationship between the source rock properties, water, and hydrocarbon saturation, and apparent resistivity applied on the samples with known porosity. The three curves in  FIG. 5  each represent a simulation result for different porosity (e.g., 10%, 15%, and 20%) of a source rock sample. The results show the higher porosity in the sample results in higher contrast of resistivity between water-saturated and hydrocarbons-saturated pore space. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a source rock sample  136  with a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with acoustic travel time (ATT)-based sensor. The ATT sensor measures the length of time it takes for a sound signal to travel through a source rock sample. The main components of the direct sensor assembly  139   a  are the acoustic source  232  and the geophone  228 . The acoustic source  232  and the geophone  228  are placed inside the source rock sample  136 . 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram  254  of a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with an acoustic travel time-based sensing components showing the ATT sensor being used for evaluation of the source rock sample  136 . An electrical signal is generated by the signal source  256  and converted to an acoustic signal by the acoustic source  232 . The acoustic signal is applied on one side of the source rock sample  136  and it transits through the sample then the geophone  228  receives the signal on the other side of the source rock sample  136 . In one example, the ATT sensor is connected to a sensor controller  162  that can include an integrated processor. The integrated processor can measure the length of time for the signal being fired by the acoustic source  232  and received by the geophone  228 . The acoustic velocity is different between the generated hydrocarbons and original interstitial water. During the maturation experiment of the source rock, as the hydrocarbons progressively displace water the travel time of the sound changes. Specifically, since the hydrocarbons present a more rigid environment than the displaced water, the travel time of the sound signal increases linearly with the hydrocarbon saturation. 
       FIG. 8  is an example chart  276  of a measured travel time of a sound signal through a source rock sample  136 . The distribution chart  276  shows a set of simulations for the measured travel time of a signal through the source rock sample using the ATT sensor as the sample undergoes thermal aging. Chart  276  shows as the hydrocarbons saturation increases in the sample pore the signal travel time increases linearly. The simulations are based on the Wyllie time-average equation that empirically relates the acoustic velocity of a porous rock to the properties of the rock matrix and fluids present within the pores, applied on samples with known porosity. The three curves each represent a simulation result for different source rock sample porosity. The higher the porosity results in a larger contrast of travel time between water-saturated and hydrocarbons saturated pore space. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a source rock sample  136  with a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based sensor. The NMR sensor measures the Radio Frequency (RF) signal produced by a cycle of magnetic perturbation/relaxation acting upon the hydrogen atoms composing the water and hydrocarbons present within the source rock sample. Based on the intensity and other parameters of the RF signal the state of the source rock maturity is evaluated. In this example, the main components of the NMR direct sensor assembly  139   a  are a permanent magnet  300 , an RF coil circuit  298 , and an RF antenna circuit  296 . The permanent magnet  300  has a U-shape and partially encloses the source rock sample  136 . The RF coil circuit  298  and the RF antenna circuit  296  are connected with the sensor controller  162 . 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram  320  of a direct sensor assembly  139   a  with magnetic resonance-based sensing components. A permanent magnet  300  is used to apply a magnetic field on the source rock sample  136 . The magnetic field aligns the spins of hydrogen nuclei of the interstitial fluids within sample  136  to the permanent magnetic field. An electrical signal is generated by the RF pulse generator  322 , and after being amplified with amplifier  186  it is applied to the RF coil  298 . The RF signal generated creates a pulsating magnetic field over source rock sample  136  which disturbs the nuclei with the aligned spin. Between the induced pulses, the spin relaxation generates a response RF signal that is conditioned by the properties of the interstitial fluids within the sample pores. More specifically, the response signal is fading away in time with a characteristic relaxation time. The relaxation time depends on the content and volume of the hydrogen-containing fluids in the pore space. The received signal is amplified and transferred to the DAPS  164  after conversion to digital format. A series of relaxation times coming from various atomic sources are recorded and processed by the DAPS  164 . 
       FIG. 11  is an example of distribution curves of measured magnetic fields at different sources within a source rock sample  136 . Chart  342  presents a set three of simulations for the MRL sensor measurement response for various content of the pore space. The attenuation curve, marked with an interrupted line for each relaxation signal (e.g., M1, M2, M3) is different for each location and type of content within the hydrogen bearing fluids in the source rock sample  136 . A multitude of relaxation time can be obtained based on the configuration of the sensor controller in a predefined series. The series of relaxation times are convoluted by DAPS  164  to create signal envelopes for fluid and pore typing analysis. Based on the NMR data processed, the content of hydrocarbons generated can be determined. 
       FIG. 12  is a flow chart  362  showing a relationship between components in the pyrolysis system. The components in the pyrolysis system act in synchronized mode to enable continuous evaluation of the source rock sample and monitoring of generated products during the maturation experiment. As shown in chart  362 , the real-time communication between components allows measurements to be obtained and adjusted during the thermal maturation of the source rock sample. In this example, the flow chart  362  shows one example of the layout of the main components as well as the relationships between them. At the start of the maturation experiment, the DAPS  164  allows coordination between components for control and data acquisition. The thermal controller  160  activates the heating system  144  that maintains and changes the temperature according to a predefined program or user commands stored in DAPS  164 . The thermal controller  160  is connected to a temperature probe  161  placed inside the reactor vessel  132 . The reactor vessel  132  maintains a feedback loop between the heating system  144  and the thermal controller  160 . As the maturation experiment progresses, the source rock sample  136  undergoes a physical transformation. The sample transformation is sensed by the sensor system  139  and reported to the sensor controller  162 . Simultaneously, the products  148  (e.g., hydrocarbon and nonhydrocarbon components) generated during the source rock transformation are collected by a collector system  142 , and their amount is quantified by the components quantifier and analyzer unit  164   b . The measurements obtained from the source rock sample  136  by the sensor system and the measurements from the generated products  148  are reported to the DAPS  164  through each component data link. The DAPS  164  stores the data for integration and analysis. The environmental control system  137  regulates the environment within the reactor vessel  132 . The environmental control system  137  obtains continuous measurements of the environment. In some examples, the measurements can be sent to DAPS  164  for storage or to initiate an action by a user and by the DAPS  164  for other components within the system. In some examples, a user interface  164   a  can be implemented into the pyrolysis system. The user interface  164   a  can receive commands and report data to a user. In other examples, some of the components present in this chart  362  can be removed or rearranged. 
       FIG. 13  is a flow chart  382  showing a workflow for acquiring time series production values using a direct sensor assembly  139   a . At step  384 , the source rock sample  136  is loaded into the reactor vessel  132  specifically, it is placed into the source rock sample holder  134 . The reactor vessel  132  is filled with the liquid solution (e.g., artificial seawater) and it is closed and sealed. At step  386 , a temperature program for the maturation experiment is defined within the DAPS  164  by a user. The temperature program includes a suite of time markers and a corresponding configuration setting for a temperature controller  160 . The temperature program initiates tasks in the temperature controller  160  to attain and maintain a predefined temperature value inside the reactor vessel  132 . At step  388 , a data acquisition program is defined within the DAPS  164 . The data acquisition program includes a suite of time markers and a corresponding configuration setting for one or more sensor systems, components quantifier, and analyzers, or environmental monitoring (e.g., data acquisition instruments). The data acquisition program initiates tasks on the data acquisition instruments that result in parameters measured and data sent to the DAPS  164 . At step  390 , a measurement of the hydrocarbon component production is acquired using the data acquisition instruments. At step  392 , the temperature value is adjusted to a level according to a pre-defined temperature program using the temperature controller  160 . At step  394 , the DAPS  164  associates a temperature value and the measured hydrocarbon component production value with the current time marker. At step  396 , if the experiment time defined in the temperature program or data acquisition program is not exhausted, a new measurement of hydrocarbon production is requested from the data acquisition instruments (step  400 ) and the workflow returns to step  390 . In event that the experiment time is exhausted (step  398 ), the time series of temperature and hydrocarbon component production values are reported to the user or saved to a data repository within the DAPS  164 . Based on the time series production values obtained in this workflow, the described systems and methods additionally aim to evaluate characteristics of the sampled source rock that can be used in oilfield production development. For example, a plurality of kinetic parameters can be derived based on the time series collected of the source rock sample for the hydrocarbon components. The kinetic parameters can be used to predict the potential volume of oil in an oilfield. 
       FIG. 14  is a flow chart  420  showing a workflow for obtaining a plurality of kinetic parameters from the time series values from  FIG. 13  using a pyrolysis product sensor assembly. At step  422 , a time series of temperature and hydrocarbon component production values are acquired following the workflow described in  FIG. 13 . At step  424 , a production ratio (Y) for each hydrocarbon component production value (P) is calculated based on a maximum production estimated value (P max ) at the end of the experiment using Equation 2: 
         Y=P/P   max   Eq. (2)
 
     At step  426 , a production rate at each time in the time series is derived by interpolation based on a combination of production ratio values in the vicinity of the time and the time interval between production ratio values using Equation 3: 
         dY ( t )/ dt ≃[ Y ( t+Δt )− Y ( t )]/Δ t   Eq. (3)
 
     At step  428 , a rate constant is obtained at each time in the time series based on the production rate and production ratio corresponding to each time in the time series. For a reaction, X⇒Y and k=rate constant, the production rate is: 
         dY ( t )/ dt=−dX ( t )/ dt=k·X ( t )  Eq. (4)
 
     From mass conservation, a production rate is calculated using Equation 5: 
         Y ( t )=1− X ( t )→ dY ( t )/ dt=k (1− Y ( t ))  Eq. (5)
 
     The rate constant is obtained using Equation 6: 
         k =[ dY ( t )/ dt ]*[1/(1− Y ( t ))]  Eq. (6)
 
     At step  430 , a set of kinetic parameters is derived from a mapping relationship between the rate constant values and the temperature values of the time series using equations 1 and 2. At step  432 , the process is terminated and the set of kinetic parameters for the hydrocarbon component is reported. 
     In summary, the steps of flow chart  420  involve normalizing the production values, determining the rate constants for production rate, and extracting the kinetic parameters from a plot of rate constants versus temperature. 
       FIGS. 15-19  show examples of graphical representations of successive steps to obtain the kinetic parameters as explained in the steps of flow chart  420 . The kinetic parameters are obtained based on a set of simulated production data as can be generated using the described pyrolysis systems and methods. 
       FIG. 15  is an example chart  452  showing a plurality of time series production values obtained with direct sensor assembly. The production data is then normalized to total production value to obtain a production ratio at each time step.  FIG. 16  is an example chart  472  showing a calculated production ratio for a hydrocarbon component. The normalized production data is used to obtain the production rate at each time step.  FIG. 17  is an example chart  492  showing a calculated production rate from the production ratio chart in  FIG. 16 . The production rate can be extracted by interpolating a first derivative of the normalized production trend. From the first-order rate law of the chemical reaction that converts the original organic matter into a hydrocarbon component, a rate constant can be extracted by solving the differential equation relating the production rate to the production value.  FIG. 18  is an example chart  512  showing a constant rate for hydrocarbon component generation. The kinetic parameters represent the equivalent activation energy (Ea) kcal/mol and frequency factor (A) h −1  and are obtained from the slope and intercept of a linear fit line that best matches the mapping relationship between the reaction rate and the reaction temperature.  FIG. 19  is an example chart  532  showing a relationship between a constant rate and a temperature and calculated using Equation 7: 
         k ( T )= A ·Exp[− E   a /( R·T )]→Ln( k ( T ))=Ln( A )− E   a /( R·T )  Eq. (7)
 
     where T is the reaction temperature, R is the universal gas constant (8.31446 J·K −1 ·mol −1 ), A is a frequency factor, E a  is the equivalent activation energy. A linear curve fit for the plotted points Ln (k (T)) to 1/T is calculated using Equation 8: 
         y ( x )= a+b ( x )  Eq. (8)
 
     with intercept a=Ln (A) and slope b=−E a /R, a represents the oil saturation ratio within the sample under evaluation and b represents the measured resistivity in ohms-meters (Ω·m). 
     In some implementations, the described configuration of the pyrolysis system can be modified. For example, in addition to the measurements obtained from the source rock sample, the reactor vessel may include elements to obtain measurements from the generated hydrocarbon and nonhydrocarbon fluid components. For example, measurements from the fluid components can be collected by an inverted funnel system and directed to a marked column outside the reactor vessel. After phase separation, the progress of the generation process may be observed and recorded by an operator or by a specialized device that reads the fluids level and transmits the recorded data to the DAPS. In other examples, for very small volumes of fluids, an in-line detection method such as absorbance, fluorescence, infrared, Raman spectroscopy, or other similar methods to detect low hydrocarbon concentrations can be used. Similarly, mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatography MS, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) MS could be used as in-line or on small aliquots of the production fluids, hydrocarbons, and aqueous, to detect changes in the organic composition and aqueous composition. For example, ICP-MS can be used to detect changes in the salinity or trace ions that are released from the source rock sample. The recorded data can be converted into volume and mass of hydrocarbons generated based on the marked column specifications and recorded along with the time of reading or with the temperature value inside the reactor vessel. In another example, the time series may be correlated with real-time information from the source rock sample to obtain derived characteristics of the source rock such as generation kinetics, maturity indicators, source richness, or combinations thereof. 
       FIG. 20  is a block diagram of an example computer system  552  used to provide computational functionalities associated with described algorithms, methods, functions, processes, flows, and procedures described in the present disclosure, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. The illustrated computer  558  is intended to encompass any computing device such as a server, a desktop computer, a laptop/notebook computer, a wireless data port, a smartphone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a tablet computing device, or one or more processors within these devices, including physical instances, virtual instances, or both. The computer  558  can include input devices such as keypads, keyboards, and touch screens that can accept user information. Also, the computer  558  can include output devices that can convey information associated with the operation of the computer  558  The information can include digital data, visual data, audio information, or a combination of information. The information can be presented in a graphical user interface (UI) (or GUI). 
     The computer  558  can serve in a role as a client, a network component, a server, a database, a persistency, or components of a computer system for performing the subject matter described in the present disclosure. The illustrated computer  558  is communicably coupled with a network  554 . In some implementations, one or more components of the computer  558  can be configured to operate within different environments, including cloud-computing-based environments, local environments, global environments, and combinations of environments. 
     At a high level, the computer  558  is an electronic computing device operable to receive, transmit, process, store, and manage data and information associated with the described subject matter. According to some implementations, the computer  558  can also include, or be communicably coupled with, an application server, an email server, a web server, a caching server, a streaming data server, or a combination of servers. 
     The computer  558  can receive requests over network  554  from a client application (for example, executing on another computer  558 ). The computer  558  can respond to the received requests by processing the received requests using software applications. Requests can also be sent to the computer  558  from internal users (for example, from a command console), external (or third) parties, automated applications, entities, individuals, systems, and computers. Each of the components of the computer  558  can communicate using a system bus  564 . In some implementations, any or all of the components of the computer  558 , including hardware or software components, can interface with each other or the interface  556  (or a combination of both), over the system bus  564 . Interfaces can use an application programming interface (API)  568 , a service layer  570 , or a combination of the API  568  and service layer  570 . The API  568  can include specifications for routines, data structures, and object classes. The API  568  can be either computer-language independent or dependent. The API  568  can refer to a complete interface, a single function, or a set of APIs. 
     The service layer  570  can provide software services to the computer  558  and other components (whether illustrated or not) that are communicably coupled to the computer  558 . The functionality of the computer  558  can be accessible for all service consumers using this service layer. Software services, such as those provided by the service layer  570 , can provide reusable, defined functionalities through a defined interface. For example, the interface can be software written in JAVA, C++, or a language providing data in extensible markup language (XML) format. While illustrated as an integrated component of the computer  558 , in alternative implementations, the API  568  or the service layer  570  can be stand-alone components in relation to other components of the computer  558  and other components communicably coupled to the computer  558 . Moreover, any or all parts of the API  568  or the service layer  570  can be implemented as child or sub-modules of another software module, enterprise application, or hardware module without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The computer  558  includes an interface  556 . Although illustrated as a single interface  556  in  FIG. 10 , two or more interfaces  556  can be used according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. The interface  556  can be used by the computer  558  for communicating with other systems that are connected to the network  554  (whether illustrated or not) in a distributed environment. Generally, the interface  556  can include, or be implemented using, logic encoded in software or hardware (or a combination of software and hardware) operable to communicate with the network  554 . More specifically, the interface  556  can include software supporting one or more communication protocols associated with communications. As such, the network  554  or the interface&#39;s hardware can be operable to communicate physical signals within and outside of the illustrated computer  558 . 
     The computer  558  includes a processor  560 . Although illustrated as a single processor  560  in  FIG. 10 , two or more processors  560  can be used according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. Generally, the processor  560  can execute instructions and can manipulate data to perform the operations of the computer  558 , including operations using algorithms, methods, functions, processes, flows, and procedures as described in the present disclosure. 
     The computer  558  also includes a database  574  that can hold data for the computer  558  and other components connected to the network  554  (whether illustrated or not). For example, database  574  can be an in-memory, conventional, or a database storing data consistent with the present disclosure. In some implementations, database  574  can be a combination of two or more different database types (for example, hybrid in-memory and conventional databases) according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. Although illustrated as a single database  574  in  FIG. 10 , two or more databases (of the same, different, or combination of types) can be used according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. While database  574  is illustrated as an internal component of the computer  558 , in alternative implementations, database  574  can be external to the computer  558 . 
     The computer  558  also includes a memory  562  that can hold data for the computer  558  or a combination of components connected to the network  554  (whether illustrated or not). Memory  562  can store any data consistent with the present disclosure. In some implementations, memory  562  can be a combination of two or more different types of memory (for example, a combination of semiconductor and magnetic storage) according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. Although illustrated as a single memory  562  in  FIG. 10 , two or more memories  562  (of the same, different, or combination of types) can be used according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. While memory  562  is illustrated as an internal component of the computer  558 , in alternative implementations, memory  562  can be external to the computer  558 . 
     The application  566  can be an algorithmic software engine providing functionality according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer  558  and the described functionality. For example, application  566  can serve as one or more components, modules, or applications. Further, although illustrated as a single application  566 , the application  566  can be implemented as multiple applications  566  on the computer  558 . In addition, although illustrated as internal to the computer  558 , in alternative implementations, the application  566  can be external to the computer  558 . 
     The computer  558  can also include a power supply  572 . The power supply  572  can include a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery that can be configured to be either user- or non-user-replaceable. In some implementations, the power supply  572  can include power-conversion and management circuits, including recharging, standby, and power management functionalities. In some implementations, the power-supply  572  can include a power plug to allow the computer  558  to be plugged into a wall socket or a power source to, for example, power the computer  558  or recharge a rechargeable battery. 
     There can be any number of computers  558  associated with, or external to, a computer system containing computer  558 , with each computer  558  communicating over network  554 . Further, the terms “client,” “user,” and other appropriate terminology can be used interchangeably, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the present disclosure contemplates that many users can use one computer  558  and one user can use multiple computers  558 . 
     Implementations of the subject matter and the functional operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, intangibly embodied computer software or firmware, in computer hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Software implementations of the described subject matter can be implemented as one or more computer programs. Each computer program can include one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable computer-storage medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. Alternatively, or additionally, the program instructions can be encoded in/on an artificially-generated propagated signal. The example, the signal can be a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus. The computer-storage medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory device, or a combination of computer-storage mediums. 
     The terms “data processing apparatus,” “computer,” and “electronic computer device” (or equivalent as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art) refer to data processing hardware. For example, a data processing apparatus can encompass all kinds of apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example, a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus can also include special purpose logic circuitry including, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In some implementations, the data processing apparatus or special purpose logic circuitry (or a combination of the data processing apparatus or special purpose logic circuitry) can be hardware- or software-based (or a combination of both hardware- and software-based). The apparatus can optionally include code that creates an execution environment for computer programs, for example, code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of execution environments. The present disclosure contemplates the use of data processing apparatuses with or without conventional operating systems, for example LINUX, UNIX, WINDOWS, MAC OS, ANDROID, or IOS. 
     A computer program, which can also be referred to or described as a program, software, a software application, a module, a software module, a script, or code, can be written in any form of programming language. Programming languages can include, for example, compiled languages, interpreted languages, declarative languages, or procedural languages. Programs can be deployed in any form, including as stand-alone programs, modules, components, subroutines, or units for use in a computing environment. A computer program can, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data, for example, one or more scripts stored in a markup language document, in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files storing one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code. A computer program can be deployed for execution on one computer or on multiple computers that are located, for example, at one site or distributed across multiple sites that are interconnected by a communication network. While portions of the programs illustrated in the various figures may be shown as individual modules that implement the various features and functionality through various objects, methods, or processes, the programs can instead include a number of sub-modules, third-party services, components, and libraries. Conversely, the features and functionality of various components can be combined into single components as appropriate. Thresholds used to make computational determinations can be statically, dynamically, or both statically and dynamically determined. 
     The methods, processes, or logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable computers executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The methods, processes, or logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, for example, a CPU, an FPGA, or an ASIC. 
     Computers suitable for the execution of a computer program can be based on one or more of general and special purpose microprocessors and other kinds of CPUs. The elements of a computer are a CPU for performing or executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a CPU can receive instructions and data from (and write data to) a memory. A computer can also include, or be operatively coupled to, one or more mass storage devices for storing data. In some implementations, a computer can receive data from, and transfer data to, the mass storage devices including, for example, magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. Moreover, a computer can be embedded in another device, for example, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, or a portable storage device such as a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive. 
     Computer readable media (transitory or non-transitory, as appropriate) suitable for storing computer program instructions and data can include all forms of permanent/non-permanent and volatile/non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices. Computer readable media can include, for example, semiconductor memory devices such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), phase change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory devices. Computer readable media can also include, for example, magnetic devices such as tape, cartridges, cassettes, and internal/removable disks. Computer readable media can also include magneto optical disks and optical memory devices and technologies including, for example, digital video disc (DVD), CD ROM, DVD+/−R, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, HD-DVD, and BLURAY. The memory can store various objects or data, including caches, classes, frameworks, applications, modules, backup data, jobs, web pages, web page templates, data structures, database tables, repositories, and dynamic information. Types of objects and data stored in memory can include parameters, variables, algorithms, instructions, rules, constraints, and references. Additionally, the memory can include logs, policies, security or access data, and reporting files. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry. 
     Implementations of the subject matter described in the present disclosure can be implemented on a computer having a display device for providing interaction with a user, including displaying information to (and receiving input from) the user. Types of display devices can include, for example, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED), and a plasma monitor. Display devices can include a keyboard and pointing devices including, for example, a mouse, a trackball, or a trackpad. User input can also be provided to the computer through the use of a touchscreen, such as a tablet computer surface with pressure sensitivity or a multi-touch screen using capacitive or electric sensing. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user, including to receive user feedback, for example, sensory feedback including visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback. Input from the user can be received in the form of acoustic, speech, or tactile input. In addition, a computer can interact with a user by sending documents to, and receiving documents from, a device that is used by the user. For example, the computer can send web pages to a web browser on a user&#39;s client device in response to requests received from the web browser. 
     The term “graphical user interface,” or “GUI,” can be used in the singular or the plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the displays of a particular graphical user interface. Therefore, a GUI can represent any graphical user interface, including, but not limited to, a web browser, a touch screen, or a command line interface (CLI) that processes information and efficiently presents the information results to the user. In general, a GUI can include a plurality of user interface (UI) elements, some or all associated with a web browser, such as interactive fields, pull-down lists, and buttons. These and other UI elements can be related to or represent the functions of the web browser. 
     Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back end component, for example, as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, for example, an application server. Moreover, the computing system can include a front-end component, for example, a client computer having one or both of a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with the computer. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of wireline or wireless digital data communication (or a combination of data communication) in a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN), a radio access network (RAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), a wireless local area network (WLAN) (for example, using 802.11 a/b/g/n or 802.20 or a combination of protocols), all or a portion of the Internet, or any other communication system or systems at one or more locations (or a combination of communication networks). The network can communicate with, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, frame relay frames, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, voice, video, data, or a combination of communication types between network addresses. 
     The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server can generally be remote from each other and can typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server can arise by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship. 
     Cluster file systems can be any file system type accessible from multiple servers for read and update. Locking or consistency tracking may not be necessary since the locking of exchange file system can be done at application layer. Furthermore, Unicode data files can be different from non-Unicode data files. 
     While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented, in combination, in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations, separately, or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although previously described features may be described as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination. 
     Particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations, alterations, and permutations of the described implementations are within the scope of the following claims as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While operations are depicted in the drawings or claims in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed (some operations may be considered optional), to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking or parallel processing (or a combination of multitasking and parallel processing) may be advantageous and performed as deemed appropriate. 
     Moreover, the separation or integration of various system modules and components in the previously described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation or integration in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. 
     Accordingly, the previously described example implementations do not define or constrain the present disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     Furthermore, any claimed implementation is considered to be applicable to at least a computer-implemented method; a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions to perform the computer-implemented method; and a computer system comprising a computer memory interoperably coupled with a hardware processor configured to perform the computer-implemented method or the instructions stored on the non-transitory, computer-readable medium. 
     A number of embodiments of these systems and methods have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.