METHOD TO ESTIMATE SELECTED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF A ROCK SAMPLE

专利摘要:
method and system for multi-energy computer tomographic debris analysis. it is a method and system that are provided for preparing a plurality of debris or other rock fragments or other porous media, such as debris from a drilling gap or multiple gaps, for computerized tomographic scanning at the same time. a method and system is also provided to allow the organization of mass quantities of debris or other rock fragments obtained from intervals of a well to more accurately categorize debris to assist selections thereof, for more detailed rock analysis, such as as with the use of without and fib-without systems are provided. a method and system is also provided to allow the frequency of occurrence characterization of facies from a depth range using drill debris or other rock fragments. computerized systems, computer readable media, and programs to perform the methods are also provided.
公开号:BR112014029563B1
申请号:R112014029563-8
申请日:2013-05-09
公开日:2021-07-20
发明作者:Avrami Grader；Naum Derzhi；Bryan Guzman
申请人:Lngrain, Inc；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

[001] This patent application claims benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of the earlier Provisional Patent Applications US 61/646,045, filed May 11, 2012, and 61/652,567, filed May 29, 2012, the which are now incorporated in their entirety by way of reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] This invention relates to the field of digital rock physics and, more particularly, to methods for selecting drill debris or other rock fragments for further analysis and for characterizing the frequency of occurrence of facies of a depth interval with the use of drilling debris or other rock fragments.
[003] Estimating rock properties, such as porosity, total organic content, permeability, and composition, and so on, has substantial significance, as to characterize the economic value of reservoir rock formations. Laboratory analysis of rock samples can be difficult and time-consuming. Physical laboratory experiments are difficult to perform due to the size and shape of the debris. Devices for generating digital images of rock samples became available. These devices include, for example, computer tomography (CT) devices, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) devices, and FIB-SEM (focused ion beam combined with SEM) devices.
[004] Along with technological advances to help analyze geological attributes, advances in workflow were created. For example, one workflow has been shown to have three basic steps of (a) 3D CT imaging and/or FIB-SEM imaging (focused ion beam combined with SEM); (b) digital volume segmentation to quantitatively identify components, including mineral phases, filled organic pores, and gas-free inclusions; and (c) computations of TOC (Total Organic Content), porosity, pore connectivity, and permeability in the three geometric axes. Sisk et al, SPE 134582, "3D Visualization and Classification of Pore Structure and Pore Filling in Gas Shales", 2010. Using FIB-SEM technology, a sample is analyzed in three dimensions by creating a plurality of images in two dimensions. The segmentation process can be completed by assigning gray scale bands to attributes, and volumes can be constructed in a way that shows the distributions of these attributes in three dimensions. Curtis et al, SPE 137693, "Structural Characterization of Gas Shales on the Micro- and nanoScales", 2010. Attributes that are present within the rock may include, but are not limited to, pores, organic matter, and rock matrix.
[005] Large samples of porous rock are required in order to obtain estimates of rock properties such as permeability, porosity, total organic content, elasticity and other properties that are typical of facies or an entire underground rock formation. A common sample used to estimate rock properties is a well core. Well cores are very small compared to an entire formation, so multiple well cores are typically removed and analyzed and rock properties are interpolated between the geographic locations of the cores. When rock properties are estimated using digital rock physics, the problem of sample size versus formation size or facies is even more extreme. Digital rock physics techniques for estimating rock properties have the advantage that they can accurately scan and produce digital images of very fine porous structures and can identify small volumes of organic materials present in the porous structure of the rock. However, it is very time-consuming and expensive to digitally scan very large samples to estimate rock properties. For example, shale rocks can have an average pore size of about 0.005 to 1.0 µm and a well core typically can be about 100,000 µm in diameter and 1,000,000 µm or more in length. The volume of such a core is about 8x1015 μm3 while the volume of a single pore in a shale rock is about 5x10’4 μm3, assuming spherical pores to be 0.1 μm in diameter. Thus, the volume of the entire sample (testimony) is almost 20 orders of magnitude (ie, 1020 times) more than the volume of a typical pore. The difference in scale between the sample (testimony) and the pores contained in the sample can complicate pore analysis in the sample. Scanning the entire sample at a resolution high enough to identify all pores can result in a complete assessment of the sample's porous structure. However, scanning the entire sample at a resolution high enough to identify all pores is not practical due to the time and expense required to perform a full scan.
[006] In addition, some underground formations, such as shale rocks, may have many very thin facies, sometimes only a few millimeters or centimeters thick. The accuracy of the core depth estimate is in the order of 3 meters. Holes can be horizontally separated by hundreds or thousands of meters on the surface. Each hole provides a point of information about the underground formation at a specific surface location. The geologist needs to interpolate between borehole locations to estimate the location of a facies of interest between borehole locations. Underground facies typically do not follow straight lines and, therefore, significant errors in facies location estimation can occur. In addition, with the advent of horizontal drilling, the need to have more detailed information about the precise location of facies and facies properties has become more important. It may not be practical to extract horizontal cores from a wellbore and vertical cores may only provide limited data. Witness analysis is not practical in real-time or near real-time. Testimonials need to be extracted and sent to a laboratory for analysis and this can take many days or weeks to complete. As a result, core analysis can have little value for issues that arise when a well is being drilled. Thus, relying on testimonies to estimate the properties of underground formations can have several setbacks.
[007] The present researchers have recognized that there is a need for reliable and accurate categorization, sample selection attributes and debris preparation that can be integrated with high resolution rock sample analysis methods. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[008] An attribute of the present invention is a method and system that assist in the preparation of a plurality of rock fragments, such as debris or other samples of porous media, for computer tomographic scanning at the same time.
[009] An additional attribute of the present invention is a method and system for categorizing rock fragments from one or more drilling intervals using multi-energy digital X-ray scanning and improved processing and analysis of the digital images generated therethrough , for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis.
[010] Another attribute of the present invention is a method and system that assist in selecting an ideal rock fragment from a larger group of rock fragments obtained from the same drilling interval for further detailed analysis.
[011] An additional attribute of the present invention is a method and system to enable the organization of mass amounts of rock fragments obtained from multiple intervals of a well to more accurately categorize rock fragments to aid in selections of rock fragments. themselves for more detailed digital rock analysis, as with the use of SEM and FIB-SEM systems.
[012] An additional attribute of the present invention is a method and system for selecting a rock fragment from a larger group of rock fragments obtained from the same interval under which a further detailed analysis is carried out to characterize the formation rock face or rock facies in the range from which the rock fragments were obtained.
[013] Another attribute of the present invention is a method for characterizing rock fragments from a drilling range with the use of multi-energy digital X-ray scanning and improved processing and analysis of the output generated by it, in which clusters (families ) of individual rock fragments within a given depth range can be identified as having similar density and atomic number, and data values resulting from the analysis of individual rock fragments can be combined with the frequency distribution of the rock fragment between the groupings to provide a frequency distribution (histogram) of property values within a given depth range.
[014] An additional attribute of the present invention is to repeat this analysis through all depth intervals of a well to provide a record that displays the facies frequency distribution over the entire well.
[015] Another additional attribute of the present invention is a system to implement these methods and produce the results, for example, display the results, print the results, store the results in a memory device, or transmit the results to a processor to downstream so that they can be used additionally.
[016] An additional attribute of the present invention is a method and system for estimating rock properties over a period that is short enough in duration to be able to use the estimated rock properties to make decisions during drilling or well completion.
[017] Additional attributes and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the descriptive report that follows, and in part, will be evident from the descriptive report, or may be learned by practicing the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention will be realized and achieved through the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the descriptive report and attached claims.
[018] To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as incorporated and broadly described herein, the present invention relates in part to a method for processing rock fragments for computer tomographic scanning , which comprises positioning a plurality of rock fragments at spatial positions in a stabilizing material to provide a carrier embedded in rock fragments, and performing a multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the carrier embedded in rock fragments comprising the plurality of rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects.
[019] The present invention further relates to a method for preparing rock fragments for computer tomographic scanning comprising the steps of (a) positioning a plurality of rock fragments, such as drilling debris, in spaced positions in a container of foundry, (b) introduce dispersive polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments, (c) harden the polymer to form a carrier embedded in rock fragments, and (d) remove the carrier embedded in rock fragments from the container Of foundry.
[020] The present invention further relates in part to a method for categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis comprising the steps of (a) performing a scan X-ray CT scans of a carrier embedded in rock fragments comprising a plurality of rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects, (b) create digital images of the rock fragments from the CT ray scan multiple energy X, where each of the rock fragments scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a TC value for each voxel thereof, (c) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on the digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises averaging the voxels for each entire rock fragment per sweep. edura of different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs, (d) categorize the apparent density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zef, and data pairs in a single set for a single embedded transporter in separate rock fragments or subsets if more than one carrier embedded in rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (a), and (e) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for additional digital analysis.
[021] The present invention further relates in part to a method for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis, comprising the steps indicated (a) a (d), wherein in step (a), the rock fragments comprise a first plurality of rock fragments which are obtained from the same first interval. The rock fragment embedded carrier may optionally further comprise a second plurality of rock fragments obtained from the same second interval, wherein the first and second intervals are different. Multi-energy X-ray CT scanning may further comprise scanning a second carrier embedded in rock fragments stacked with the first transporter embedded in rock fragments, wherein the second transporter embedded in rock fragments can be obtained from of a second gap which is different from the first gap, and the indicated steps (b), (c) and (d) can also be performed for the second conveyor embedded in rock fragments.
[022] The present invention further relates in part to a method for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis comprising the steps of (a) positioning a plurality of rock fragments at spatial positions in a stabilizing material to provide a carrier embedded in rock fragments, (b) perform a multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the carrier embedded in rock fragments comprising the rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects, (c) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan, where each of the rock fragments is scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a TC value for each voxel thereof, (d) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as pa data processing based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises averaging the voxels for the entire rock fragment by different energy scanning and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs, ( e) categorize the bulk density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zer, and data pairs in a single set for a single embedded transporter where a transporter embedded in rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e), and (f) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis.
[023] The present invention further relates in part to a method for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis comprising the steps of (a) positioning rock fragments from the same drilling range at spaced positions in a foundry container, (b) introduce dispersive polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments, (c) harden the polymer to form a carrier embedded in the rock fragments, (d) remove the rock fragment embedded conveyor from the foundry container, (e) perform a multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the rock fragment embedded conveyor with at least 3 reference objects, (f) create images fingerprints of rock fragments from multi-energy X-ray CT scan, (g) estimate apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of rock fragments as indicated, (h) categorize bulk density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zef, and data pairs in a single set for a single embedded carrier in fragments of rock, all separate conveyors or subsets if more than one conveyor embedded in rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e), and (i) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for additional digital analysis.
[024] The present invention further relates in part to a method for estimating selected physical properties of a rock sample, which comprises the indicated steps (a) to (i) and the additional steps of: (j) extracting the at least one selected rock fragment or other rock sample from the transporter, (k) create 2D digital images of the selected rock fragment using an SEM, (1) estimate at least one of porosity, organic matter content, and mineralogy from the images created in step (k), (m) select a sub-area of the images created in step (k), which may comprise at least one of relatively high porosity and high content of organic matter or other attributes of interest , (n) image the selected sub-area of step (m) with a FIB-SEM, (o) create 3D digital images from the imaging in step (n), (p) segment the 3D digital images of step (o ) to identify voxels such as pore, rock or organic matter, and (q) estimate r the rock properties from the segmented images.
[025] The present invention further relates in part to a method for characterizing the frequency of occurrence of facies of a depth range with the use of rock fragments, which comprises steps (a) to (e) described below . In step (a), a multiple energy X-ray CT scan of a plurality of at least 3 reference objects at two or more different energy levels is performed. In step (b), the digital images of the rock fragments are created from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan, in which each of the rock fragments scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a value. of TC for each voxel of it and for each energy level. In step (c) the apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments are estimated as data pairs based on the digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average of the voxels for each entire rock fragment by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs. In step (d), the apparent density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zef, and data pairs are categorized and the clusters are identified, where the clusters identify respective different rock facies of the depth range. In step (e) , a distribution of frequency of occurrence of the rock fragments in relation to the clusters is determined based on (i) the number of rock fragments in each cluster, and (ii) the number of total rock fragments. The frequency of occurrence distribution of rock fragments is related to the frequency of occurrence distribution of the facies identified in the depth interval.
[026] The present invention further relates to a method for determining a physical property of a depth range of a rock formation, which comprises steps (a) to (g) described below. In step (a), a sample from a depth range of a rock formation is obtained, wherein the sample comprises a plurality of rock fragments. In step (b), the plurality of rock fragments from the depth range and at least three reference objects are imaged using dual energy X-ray CT scanning. In step (c) , the apparent density, RhoB , θ effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments are estimated as data pairs based on the digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the mean of the voxels for each entire rock fragment by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs. In step (d), the apparent density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zef, and data pairs are categorized and the clusters are identified, where the clusters identify respective different rock facies of the depth range. In step (e), a physical or chemical property of at least one rock fragment of each of the different facies is determined, where the physical or chemical property determined is the same for each rock fragment of the different facies of the at least one. rock fragment. In step (f), the frequency distribution of each of the different facies is calculated based on (i) the number of total rock fragments in the plurality of rock fragments, and (ii) the number of total rock fragments in each one of the different facies of the plurality of different facies. In step (g) , a physical property of the depth interval is determined based on (i) the determined physical or chemical property of the rock fragments from the different facies, and (ii) the frequency distribution of each of the different facies.
[027] The present invention further relates in part to a system to organize and categorize rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for the selection of a rock fragment for further analysis, which comprises (a) a station of preparation comprising a plurality of rock fragments from the same drilling range positioned at spaced apart locations in a foundry container, wherein the rock fragments are embedded in a stiffened polymer to provide a carrier embedded in rock fragments, (b) a A multi-energy X-ray CT scanning device that has a stage with the ability to retain one or more carriers embedded in rock fragments in a stacked arrangement and a plurality of reference objects, which can optionally be surrounded by a glove. cylindrical attenuation to improve image quality while scanning them, and (c) one or more systems s computer operable to estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, as data pairs per individual rock fragment (all slices per rock fragment) in digital images obtained from performing the scan of the fragments. rock, and send the results to at least one device to display, print, or store computations results. The glove material is selected based on bulk density and effective atomic number so that the X-ray attenuation is in the same range as the rock fragments.
[028] Computer systems, computer readable media, and programs to perform the methods are also provided.
[029] It should be understood that both the above general descriptive report and the detailed description below are only exemplary and explanatory and are intended only to provide a further explanation of the present invention as claimed.
[030] The attached engravings, which are incorporated and constitute a part of this patent application, illustrate some of the modalities of the present invention and together with the descriptive report, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. Engravings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Similar numerals in the engravings refer to similar elements in the various views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTURES
[031] Figure 1 is a flowchart that describes a method according to an example of the present patent application.
[032] Figure 2 is a top view of a mesh that can be used to retain debris at distant locations according to an example of the present patent application.
[033] Figure 3 is a photograph of a foundry container that contains a conveyor embedded in debris according to an example of the present patent application.
[034] Figure 4 is a photograph of a pile of conveyors embedded in debris according to an example of the present patent application.
[035] Figure 5A is a photograph of a scanning device stage of a dual energy CT (DE) scanning device with a stack of conveyors embedded in debris and reference objects positioned therein according to an example of present invention.
[036] Figure 5B is a photograph of an attenuation sleeve that can be used with the stage as shown in Figure 5A according to an example of the present patent application.
[037] Figure 6 is a CT image of the debris scanned in the DE CT scanning device cited in Figure 5A from which the atomic number and density maps are calculated according to an example of the present invention.
[038] Figure 7 is an effective atomic number (Zef) map of the debris from the DE CT microscan of a carrier embedded in debris cited in Figure 6 according to an example of the present invention.
[039] Figure 8 is a density map (RhoB) of the debris from the DE CT microscan of a conveyor embedded in debris cited in Figure 6 according to an example of the present invention.
[040] Figure 9 is a plot of apparent density and effective atomic number for debris on different conveyors embedded in debris ("facies"), which is used to identify subsets of debris in each facies for selection of debris for detailed analysis according to an example of the present invention.
[041] Figure 10 is a 2D SEM image of sample B3 indicated in Figures 6 to 9 according to an example of the present invention.
[042] Figure 11 is a 2D SEM image of sample D2 indicated in Figures 6 to 9 according to an example of the present invention.
[043] Figure 12 is a plot of porosity and total organic content (TOC) estimated from 2D image analysis on selected samples indicated B3 and D2 according to an example of the present invention.
[044] Figure 13 is a 3D FIB-SEM scan image at 15 nm per voxel for the sub-area identified by the square in Figure 11 of FIB-SEM according to an example of the present invention.
[045] Figure 14 is a 3D FIB-SEM scan image at 15 nm per voxel of selected grades of the sub-area identified by the square in Figure 11 of FIB-SEM according to an example of the present invention.
[046] Figure 15 is a graph of porosity, materials, connected porosity, and permeability from SCAL computations performed in the selected debris sub-area indicated in Figure 12 according to an example of the present invention.
[047] Figures 16A and 16B are a flowchart describing a method according to an example of the present patent application.
[048] Figure 17 is a system according to an example of the present patent application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[049] The present invention relates in part to a method that enables the organization of quantities of obtained from one or more intervals of a well to more accurately categorize the debris to aid in debris selections from the same for digital analysis of more detailed rock. The method of the present invention makes it possible, for example, to filter through a large number of rock fragment samples obtained from a single well interval or multiple well intervals to identify a sample or samples from the same for each interval that would be a better candidate for use in more detailed analyzes used to obtain estimates of rock properties of the formation or facies from which the rock fragments are obtained. For example, rock fragments can be selected using a method of the present invention that may better typify or otherwise have more relevant content or attributes for use in more detailed imaging systems such as high resolution CT , SEM, or FIB-SEM, which generate imaging data that can be used in computing and ascending scaling of rock properties of interest. The method of the present invention can thus reduce or avoid unforeseen events and inaccuracies that may arise from using more randomly selected rock fragments for such detailed analyses.
[050] The method of the present invention, for example, can enable the organization of a mass amount of rock fragments based on data plots of apparent density (RhoB) and effective atomic number (Zee) generated for obtained rock fragments from one or more intervals, based on multi-energy X-ray CT scans of the rock fragments. Unique rock fragment sample preparation techniques and systems are provided which can enable the method to be deployed at the same time on rock fragments at separate intervals of the same well. The apparent density and atomic number data plots generated for rock fragments obtained from different intervals can be displayed as different families or subsets on the same apparent density versus atomic number plots effective to show the distribution and amounts of data pairs in each family or subset. This integrated way of submitting and presenting results can facilitate the selection of rock fragments from among the various intervals, such as to identify better or more desirable candidates for more detailed analysis, such as by SEM/FIB-SEM.
[051] The present invention relates in part to a method for processing rock fragments for computer tomographic scanning in which a plurality of rock fragments, such as drill debris, can be positioned in spatial positions in a stabilizing material to provide a transporter embedded in rock fragments. A multi-energy X-ray CT scan can be performed on the embedded rock fragment carrier comprising the plurality of rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects. The stabilizing material can be a pre-formed material or a formed-in-place material that can retain the rock fragments in a fixed position relative to each other during pre-sweep handling and sweeping. The stabilizing material can be a material that can provide a unitary mass or stable structure in which rock fragments can be positioned in position relative to each other. The stabilizing material may be a material that can be digitally distinguished or removed in relation to the results of multiple energy level scans performed on the rock fragments while located in the stabilizing material.
[052] The present invention further relates in part to a method that enables the production of multiple energy computer tomographic (CT) scanning of rock fragments to provide information that is valuable at least due to the fact that clusters ( families) of individual rock fragments within a given depth range can be identified as having similar density and atomic number, as seen from a dual energy CT scan. Apparent density (RhoB) and effective atomic number (Zef) data plots can be generated for rock fragments obtained from a depth range based on dual energy X-ray CT scans of the rock fragments. The data plotted in the apparent density and atomic number data plots generated for rock fragments can be categorized as different groupings or families. Such groupings may indicate different rock facies. The frequency of occurrence distribution of rock fragments between clusters can describe the frequency of occurrence distribution of the identified facies across all depth intervals can provide a record that displays this facies frequency distribution across the entire well. This record can aid in the interpretation of downhole formations and enable the interpreter to also correlate rock fragments in one depth range with rock fragments in a neighboring range. The "frequency of occurrence distribution" cited herein can also be characterized as a population frequency distribution, and the "frequency of occurrence" can also be characterized as a population frequency.
[053] The present invention further relates in part to a method for determining a physical property of a depth range of a rock formation through the use of a determined physical or chemical property of rock fragments, such as drilling debris, of different facies in the depth range, and the frequency distribution of each of the different facies in the depth range. The method may include taking a sample from a depth range of a rock formation, for example, a sample composed of a plurality of rock fragments such as drill debris. The plurality of rock fragments can then be separated into a plurality of clusters, and each rock fragment in the sample can be classified as a member of one of a plurality of clusters (families). As indicated, such groupings may indicate different rock facies. The discussion in this document refers to facies in this context. The plurality of rock fragments may compose a plurality of different facies, for example two or more, three or more, or four or more different facies. A physical or chemical property of at least one exemplary or representative rock fragment of each of the plurality of different facies can then be determined. One or more rock fragments by facies can be analyzed for this purpose for a plurality of the scanned clusters for which the indicated apparent density and effective atomic number data plots were produced, and not all clusters need necessarily be analyzed to a determination of ownership thereof. The same physical or chemical property can be determined for one or more rock fragments representative of the clusters. In some cases, the determination may involve determining the physical or chemical property of a plurality of rock fragments from each of the different facies and averaging a physical or chemical property value to determine an average property for each of the different facies .
[054] Data that is unexpected can be checked and outliers, such as outliers on a chart, can be eliminated if the given property does not fit an expected range of values, for example if it does not fit a range of values determined based on deeper or shallower depth intervals of the same rock formation, and/or based on a range of values determined by a neighboring rock formation. By neighbor is meant within 50 yards (45.72 meters), within 100 yards (91.44 meters), within 1,000 yards (914.4 meters), or within half a mile (804, 67 meters), for example.
[055] For each of the different facies in the sample, the frequency distribution of rock fragments from that facies can be calculated based on the number of total rock fragments in the sample and the number of total rock fragments from each of the different facies , in the sample. A physical property of the depth interval can then be determined based on the determined physical or chemical property of the rock fragments from the different facies and the frequency distribution of each of the different facies.
[056] The rock formation can be an underground rock formation, for example, in which an oil or gas well can be drilled. In some cases, the physical property that must be determined may be bulk density, average porosity, average total organic content, and/or average porosity associated with total organic content. In some cases, the method may additionally involve taking a sample from a different depth range of the rock formation and using the same or a different method to determine a physical property of the different depth range. As with the sample removed from the first depth interval, the physical property determined can be compared with a physical property determined previously for the same physical property determined interval can be verified to be approximately the same as the physical property determined previously for the neighboring rock formation. .
[057] An analysis of one or more rock fragments, such as drill debris, selected from each of the clusters of interest within a given depth range can be performed using, for example, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam-SEM (FIB-SEM), CT scanning, digital rock physics (DRP) techniques, petrographic techniques, or combinations of these, or any method applicable to an individual rock fragment. As indicated, the data obtained from such an analysis can then be considered representative of the entire cluster from which the rock fragments were selected. For example, if a representative rock fragment selected from a cluster is determined to have a particular property value, that particular property value of the selected rock fragment can be used as the property value applied to all other fragments of rock of the same cluster in median property value calculations for the given depth range. Or, as indicated, the property can be determined for a plurality of different rock fragments from a given cluster (eg 2, 3, 4, 5, or more), and an average value of the property can be calculated and used as representative of the entire cluster. Combining the data values resulting from analysis of individual rock fragments with the rock fragment's frequency distribution across clusters can provide a frequency distribution (histogram) of property values within a given depth range. From this distribution, several statistical measures can be computed, which can provide a statistical upward scaling of rock properties. For example, if groupings based on such an analysis can be classified as "commercial value layer" or "non-commercial value layer", then the frequency sum of commercial value layer groupings becomes a measure of the ratio of permoporous thickness and full thickness.
[058] An example might be obtaining porosity (eg average porosity), total organic content (TOC), density, and/or porosity associated with TOC values, in an individual rock fragment. After performing this analysis for a selected rock fragment representative of each identified cluster in a given depth range, and combining the values with the frequency distribution of rock fragments, the frequency distributions (histograms) of these values can be obtained in depth range or in range. The median porosity of the depth range, its median TOC, and so on, can be calculated. Groupings can be classified as those with high porosity and/or high TOC according to one or more selected criterion value(s), such as "commercial value layer," and other groupings that do not meet the values Selected criterion(es) can be classified as "non-commercial-value layer," and the ratio of permoporous thickness to total depth range thickness can be calculated as a sum of the frequencies of commercially valuable layer groupings.
[059] For the purposes of the present invention, "rock fragments" may be rock samples obtained during drilling or other extraction activities, such as at a well site or potential well site or nearby, or other locations. For purposes of the present invention, "debris" can refer to drill debris obtained while drilling a wellbore through subsurface formations. Information on how drilling debris can be obtained or recovered from wells for use in digital rock physics is generally known. For example, the assignee's US Patent Nos. 8,081,796 and 8,155,377, and the assignee's Provisional Patent Application No. US 61/535,601 (Ganz), published as US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0073207 Al, provide information in this context, patents and patent applications which are incorporated herein in their entirety by way of reference. For example, drill cuttings can be extracted from a drilling fluid by means of a vibrating screen or similar device. Drilling debris can be classified and grouped based on when it reaches the surface. Drilling debris can be grouped so that the coordinates of the downhole from which it was produced can be estimated. The pooled drill debris can be stored in a bag, container or similar device for further processing. Optionally, the drill debris can then be further classified by size. The depth range or drilling range from which debris is collected and stored in the bag, or other container, for further processing can be, for example, about 10 feet (3.04 meters) from about 10 feet. from 10 feet (3.04 meters) to about 50 feet (15.24 meters), or from about 20 feet (6.09 meters) to about 30 feet (9.14 meters), or another distance or range of distances.
[060] It should be understood that drill debris is just one example of rock formation samples that can be used with the present invention. Any other source of a rock formation sample, for example, micro-cores, crushed or broken core pieces, sidewall cores, outcrop extraction, and the like, can provide rock fragment samples suitable for analysis using methods. according to the invention. Consequently, the invention is not limited in scope to the analysis of drill debris. Drilling debris is used for the sake of illustration in examples provided in this document. As indicated, the microtestimony can be used as the rock fragment samples. Microtestimony can be generated continuously while drilling with industrially available drill bits, where a microteam broken by the drill can be brought to the surface above the annular space along with the drilled debris. The microtessage sizes can have shapes with dimensions that can be determined in part by the drill, and can be from about 5mm to about 25mm in diameter and from about 6mm to about 50mm in length. , or other sizes. However, it will be appreciated that the ability to apply the method and system of the present invention to waste may be particularly advantageous for the reasons indicated herein. For example, debris can be obtained from many wells for which core is not available or readily available. In addition, when a plurality of rock fragments is obtained from the same drilling interval for processing by a method of the present invention, all rock fragments can be of the same type, as all drill cuttings, or all microtestimony, and so on, or combinations of different types of rock fragments obtained for the same drilling interval can be used.
[061] Referring to Figure 1, a process flow is illustrated which includes the initial selection of debris samples from a drilling range (101), steps related to debris preparation or CT X-ray scanning step multiple power (102A (or 102B), 103, and 104; or 120), a step related to positioning a conveyor embedded in debris or stack of such conveyors in a TC scanner stage (105), related steps to multi-energy X-ray CT scan (106 to 107), debris categorization and selection steps (108 to 110) based on estimated apparent density (RhoB) and effective atomic number (Zef) for debris based in their scan images, selected debris extraction (separation) from its polymeric carrier (111), and additional detailed analyzes on extracted debris and rock property ascending computations and scaling (112 to 117). A method of the present invention may be based on a subset of these steps that would not require all of them. For example, the progression of steps to categorization of the apparent density and effective atomic number data pairs and the ability to perform an improved debris selection on it for more detailed analysis (109 to 110) is an advantageous and useful attribute of present invention.
[062] Regarding step 101 in Figure 1, the debris can be visually selected as they are isometric in dimension and appear to accurately describe the entire sample of all debris contained in the range in relative abundance. For the purposes of this document, "isometric" means a three-dimensional shape that has a maximum dimension that is not significantly larger than the minimum shape dimension, e.g., a shape that is not flaky or chip-like. For example, the debris can have a maximum shape size/minimum shape size ratio of from 1 to about 5, or other values that are unrelated to flake-like or chip-like shapes. Isometric samples can provide better imaging on a CT scanning device as opposed to a sample that is not isometric in shape. In addition, the debris used in the methods of the present invention can be the original debris obtained from the well or sub-samples obtained from the original debris. The debris can have a maximum diameter, for example, from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm, or from about 0.7 mm to about 4 mm, or from about 0. 8mm to about 3mm, or from about 1mm to about 2mm, or other sizes. As will be discussed in more detail in this document, the size of the debris can be coordinated with the 1 mesh aperture size of an optional mesh-type support that can be used with the debris in a method of the present invention.
[063] In step 102A, the debris is situated in a foundry container at locations spaced apart from each other on the inner bottom of the container, as part of its preparation for CT scanning, as described in this document. This positioning of the debris in the container at distant locations can be done individually. The positioning of the debris in the container can be done in such a way that the debris is moved away while situated, or it can be done by depositing the debris on the bottom of the container in possible contact with each other and then moving it at the spaced locations. A stabilizer material for the debris can be formed in place after depositing the debris in the container, such as through the use of a hardenable material, such as a hardenable polymer material, as an encapsulating material. In alternative step 102B to step 101A, a polymeric mesh or mesh-like material can be used to help retain the sample, categorize, and space the debris in the container as part of its preparation for CT scanning, as described herein. An example of the mesh is shown in Figure 2. Mesh 200 is a polymeric material that has strands, polymeric fibers, or other small diameter elongated members 201 and 202 arranged to intersect in a regular pattern that defines openings 203 that have a substantially uniform gap size. The polymeric mesh is commercially obtainable, for example, in roll forms 210 which can be unwound to provide substantially flat yarns or lengths of material from which the mesh pieces can be cut or punched. The mesh can be cut into discrete pieces that have circle shapes, for example, but without limitations to that shape. The circles can have sizes, for example, from about 5mm to about 50mm, or from about 10mm to about 45mm, or from about 15mm to about 35mm, or from about 20mm to about 30mm, or about 25mm, or other sizes. This dimension may only be limited as a practical matter by the limitations of the scanning device being used. If an objective allows a larger Field of View (FOV) to scan larger diameter cups with larger diameter mesh inserts can be used. The mesh polymer can be, for example, a thermostable or thermoplastic material. The mesh polymer can be, for example, epoxy resin, polypropylene, polyethylene, or other polymeric materials. As will be discussed in more detail, it may be beneficial to use a mesh polymer that is the same or similar to a resin used to embed and encapsulate the debris in a subsequent step of the method, as similar polymeric materials can attenuate X-rays in a similar range. . In addition, images from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the debris and mesh can be dynamically ranged in such a way as to allow both the epoxy resin and mesh to be digitally removed from the image so that leave only debris before calculations (eg this may be due to the large difference in density and atomic number of both the mesh and the epoxy (similar) of the encapsulated samples within). This can result in better debris imaging as the polymer mesh and encapsulating resin will not interfere with the TC values in the debris. The individual debris from a sample range can be individually encased in separate individual frames contained in the plastic mesh. As indicated, the size of the debris can be coordinated with the mesh opening sizes of the mesh used to hold it. For example, knowing the sizes of debris that must be analyzed, a mesh can be selected by defining mesh openings which have sizes that allow a debris to be hand-cut into a single mesh opening while being held by the surrounding grid that defines that opening. mesh. The mesh opening can be a size smaller than the dimension of the debris that is to be coined and stuck in it. As can be seen in Figure 2, the mesh can define a regular organized grid of openings and these grid openings can have xy coordinates assigned to them, which can be used to track the respective locations of particular debris as the method progresses. debris is trapped in the mesh. The number of debris that can be positioned in the mesh, if used, is not particularly limited otherwise than by the number of mesh openings or frames presented by the mesh used. For example, from about 1 to about 50 debris, or from about 5 to about 40 debris, or from about 10 to about 30 debris, or other numbers of debris, that have a Sizes from about 1 mm to about 2 mm, can be fitted into the openings of a 25 mm (1 inch) piece of circular mesh. Other numbers of debris in the mesh can be used. Adding known materials for orientation can help improve sample selection after multi-energy CT scan processing.
[064] As indicated in step 103 of Figure 1, debris positioned in a foundry container in a spaced-apart arrangement, without a mesh or with a mesh used to position debris therein, can be further formed and stabilized in an isometric format which is convenient for handling and analysis in methods of the present invention by encapsulating and embedding the debris in a polymer while in the spaced arrangement, while positioned in the unmeshed container or in the mesh if used. As indicated, debris can be individually positioned on the bottom of a foundry container at spaced locations therein, or a mesh with debris retained in positions therein can be positioned within a foundry container, prior to introducing an encapsulating material. The foundry container can be a cylindrical cup or other container with an open mouth. For example, mesh, if used, and debris can be placed on the inner bottom of the container. To fit inside the cylindrical foundry container, the mesh can be cut into a circle of equal or smaller diameter than the opening defined by the foundry container to fit the sample cup. The mesh, if used, can be cut either before or after placing the debris in it, as long as the trimmed piece includes the debris to be analyzed. The hardenable polymer can be poured into the casting cylinder in sufficient quantity to surround and embed the debris and any used mesh. The flow of the encapsulating polymer can be controlled to reduce or avoid moving the debris around when in contact with the polymer so that the debris remains spaced after it has been covered by the polymer. The hardenable polymer can be a curable thermostatic resin or a thermoplastic. The curable epoxy resin can be used as the hardenable polymer, or other hardenable resins. For example, an epoxy resin that is already dispersible can be used, and when it is desired to cure it, a catalyst is added and mixed which starts a chemical reaction in the epoxy resin that will cause it to cure for the time required. designated cure for that particular epoxy. UV curable resins can be used. Isocyanate resins can be used. If a thermoplastic is used, the material can be softened by heating to become shear and dispersive enough, and upon cooling it can harden in place. Once the molten resin has hardened, a debris embedded carrier is formed which can be removed from the casting cylinder and used in further processing in accordance with methods of the present invention.
[065] As illustrated in Figure 3, for example, a cylindrical cup 303 is shown which contains a conveyor embedded in debris 300 that has a plurality of debris 301 embedded in epoxy resin 302. The mesh, if present, is not visible in that view. The epoxy/resin was poured into the cylindrical cup over the debris and any mesh and to assemble the debris. The assembly of the debris can be done under vacuum or not. This choice may depend on the type of epoxy/resin used, and sample lithology. Vacuum can be used, for example, where it is desirable to use a resin that also seeps into the pores of the debris. If pore infiltration is not desired or necessary, a more viscous resin can be used as long as it is dispersive enough to completely surround the debris, and any mesh, and displace all or essentially all of the air. The epoxy/resin is then cured or made curable. Cure time may depend on the type of epoxy used, temperature, exposure to UV light, catalyst loading, and the like. Once cured, the carrier embedded in debris is removed from the sample cup. The foundry cup material is not limited as long as it can release the conveyor embedded in debris for removal, for example an epoxy cup or other material that will release epoxy encapsulated debris and any mesh. A release agent can also be used, which can be wiped off the inside of the cup before placing the debris and any mesh contained in the cup and before pouring the epoxy resin. The debris-embedded conveyor that can be removed from a cylindrical casting cup in this way illustrated may be disc-shaped or cylindrical chip-shaped. Cylindrical shaped objects can provide better CT scan results, so this shape may be desirable for conveyors embedded in debris, but is not limited thereto. The debris embedded conveyor, such as a disc-shaped one, may have a thickness, for example, from about 2 mm to about 5 mm, or from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, or from about 2 mm to about 4 mm. from about 2mm to about 3mm, or other thicknesses. Embedding resin or plastic provides a uniform physical thickness to separate debris from an embedded conveyor from debris from others, which, as described in this document, can be stacked together to perform simultaneous scanning and integrated analysis of its results. in methods of the present invention.
[066] Alternative preparation methods (eg, pre-sweep) for the debris may include, for example, excluding the use of mesh with the recognition that it may be more difficult to pour the encapsulating resin into the debris and maintain it. them in a fixed position. An X-ray absorbable filler can be used with the epoxy or other polymeric encapsulating material, for example, which can enhance X-ray TC. As another alternative preparation method, a preformed stabilizing material can be used to retain the plurality of debris or other rock fragments in positions spaced apart from each other. As shown in Figure 1 (and Figure 16A), as another option, selected drill cuttings or other rock fragments from a drilling range in step 101 (or step 601 respectively) can be collectively positioned in a pre-stabilizing material. - formed in step 120 (or step 625 respectively), rather than forming the stabilizing material around the rock fragments in place by means of the indicated steps 102A or 102B, 103 and 104 (or by means of steps 602A or 602B, 603 , and 604 respectively). The resulting debris embedded conveyors, such as disc-shaped conveyors or conveyors with other shapes formed by means of step 120 (or step 625) can be used in step 105 (or step 605). Locations spaced apart from the debris can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional in the stabilizing material. A preformed stabilizing material used in this manner can be putty, bone, foam, or other stabilizing materials. Using a preformed stabilizing material to retain the rock fragments can eliminate the need to use a foundry container shown in an example in this document.
[067] As indicated in step 105 of Figure 1, a plurality of conveyors embedded in debris can be formed in a similar manner for different batches of debris obtained for the same or different or different intervals. Then, these different conveyors that have similar geometries but different sets of debris can be stacked for scanning stage positioning of a CT scanning device. For example, Figure 4a shows a stack 400 of four different conveyors embedded in debris 400A, 400B, 400C, and 400D. Other numbers of carriers can be stacked together, for example, from about 2 to about 25, or from about 5 to about 20, or from about 10 to about 15, or other numbers of the same. Although the method of the present invention can provide additional advantages when applied to multiple debris embedded conveyors stacked together for CT scanning and post CT scan analysis at the same time, the method can also be applied to a single debris embedded conveyor if wanted. This method allows the sample size (total number of debris) to be increased by multi-energy X-ray CT scanning. This can provide the flexibility to either scan multiple ranges of debris in a single scan, or scan a larger debris distribution to a single range in a multi-energy X-ray CT scan. The unique debris sampling techniques and preparation systems of the present invention can be used, for example, to position debris obtained from the same range in isometric positions laterally (eg, xy) relative to each other on a cylindrical carrier to CT scan, such as multiple energy X-ray scanning. The preparation method further enables debris obtained from different intervals of the same well to be positioned isometrically vertically (eg z direction) relative to each other when the separate conveyors are stacked in a generally cylindrical shape that can be positioned in a stage of a CT scanning device, such as a multiple energy X-ray scanning device. The cylindrical shape can reduce noise, which can provide better images and fewer artifacts. Multiple conveyors in addition to the mesh add dimension to categorize debris.
[068] The conveyor embedded in debris, or stack of conveyors, can be positioned in one stage of a CT scanning device (105) . Reference objects can be included in the stage with conveyors (106). Figure 5A, for example, shows a scanning device stage 500 of a dual energy CT (DE) scanning device with a stack of carriers embedded in debris 501 and at least three reference objects 505A, 505B, and 505C. With respect to the three or more reference objects, these objects can be liquid or solid materials such as polymers, metals, minerals or chemical compounds. Each of the reference objects may have a different effective atomic number and/or apparent density than each of the other reference objects. Reference objects are generally homogeneous and made of materials with different known effective atomic numbers and densities. Density and atomic number values of the reference objects should cover the expected range of densities and atomic numbers in the target object under investigation. Types of materials, use, and arrangement of calibration materials are further described, for example, in the assignee's Provisional Patent Application No. 61/511,600 (Derzhi et al.), published as Patent Application Publication No. US. 2013/0028371 Al, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by way of reference. Components 503A and 503B, such as glass cylinders (or epoxy cylinders of the same epoxy used for sample impregnation), can be used to clamp the stack of carriers 501 between them in the stage. Also, the entire stage can have an attenuation sleeve positioned around the specimens, calibration rods, and the fasteners (top and bottom cylinders) . An attenuating sleeve 510 in this context is illustrated in Figure 5B. This sleeve can provide additional attenuation in the sample that can improve image quality in the multi-energy X-ray CT scan itself. Other components shown in Figure 5A refer to the structural components of the stage that are not important to the discussion of the method and system of the present invention.
[069] The stack of conveyors embedded in debris or the single conveyor, as positioned in the scanning device stage, can then be scanned using a multiple energy X-ray CT scanning device (107) . The CT scanning device can be used at a nominal resolution, for example, from about 10 µm to about 50 µm, or from about 10 µm to about 45 µm, or from about about 45 µm 10 µm to about 25 µm, or from about 10 µm to about 15 µm, or other values. There is no specific theoretical limit on the lower resolution size limit. Conveyors embedded in debris are X-ray scanned using double energies or more than two energies.
[070] The CT values generated by the scanning device are reconstructed for each energy scan. The TC values of the debris are separated from each other and incorporate the transporter using a threshold and other segmentation techniques. TC values can be averaged for each debris in each energy sweep. The averaged CT values obtained for each energy sweep are processed to estimate the bulk density, RhoB, effective atomic numbers, and Zef, for each debris in each debris embedded conveyor (108). Methods to reconstruct the dataset and estimate bulk density, RhoB, effective atomic numbers, and Zef, for debris, for example, by adapting the methodologies as described in US Provisional Patent Application 61/511,600 (Derzhi et al. al.) of the assignee indicated, published as Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0028371 Al, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes methods that can be used in this document to calculate RhoB and Zefa of multiple energy, eg high and low energy, CT values. For example, a sample scan can be performed, a 3D image is obtained with CT value for each voxel, similar to the method indicated in the embedded patent application, and then all voxels associated with each debris can be removed and averaged. is calculated on them. Thus, each debris can have an average value. This is done for each different energy scan (eg high and low energy scans) . So, if a dual energy sweep is performed, each of the debris has a TC value with a high average and a low. These two values for each of the debris and each of the reference objects can be used to process and compute the apparent density and effective atomic number.
[071] Figure 6 shows a CT image of the debris from which the apparent density and atomic number maps are calculated, which are based on DE CT microscans of the debris obtained from four well intervals and prepared in a stack of conveyors to scan at the same time as described in this document. Figure 7 shows an effective atomic number (Zef) map of the debris from the DE CT microscan of transporters embedded in debris. Figure 8 shows a density (RhoB) map of debris from DE CT microscan of carriers embedded in debris. Using the DE microscan results, a facies list based on both mineralogy and density in all of the debris can be created.
[072] For example, Figure 9 is a plot of apparent density, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, for debris on different conveyors embedded in debris ("families"). In Figure 9, the bulk density, RhoB, increases in value along the geometric y axis from top to bottom. This plot makes it possible to categorize all debris in a scan. The plot may enable selection of a representative or exemplary debris of your own for further analysis (eg step 110 in Figure 1), such as using SEM, FIB-SEM, or both (eg steps 112 to 117 in Figure 1). The different groupings have corresponding data points (data pairs) numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 in this illustration. These different groupings indicate respective "facies" in this illustration, as indicated in the Figure. In Figure 9, the data points of the different clusters have been marked with identification numbers adjacent to them so that the corresponding facies 1, 2, 3 or 4 can be understood. This categorization of apparent density, RhoB, effective atomic number, Zef, and data pairs into clusters can be done based on similar density and effective atomic number values. There is no theoretical limit to the number of facies that can be assigned as long as it does not exceed the total number of debris and can be discerned from the plot in Figure 9. For example, facies subset 1 tends to show higher density and lower Zef, the subset of facies 2 (which includes debris B3) tends to show higher density and higher Zef, the subset of facies 3 (which includes debris D2) tends to show lower density and lower Zet, and the subset of facies 4 tends to show higher density and higher Zef in relation to at least facies 3.
[073] Furthermore, although steps 108 to 109 in Figure 1 (and steps 608 to 609 in Figure 6A) illustrate the method using atomic number (Zer values), the atomic number can be converted to cutoff transverse photoelectric absorption (Pe), and Pe can be used in methods of the present patent application. Photoelectric absorption may alternatively be referred to as the photoelectric effect index ("PEF"). Pe (or PEF) can be calculated from the atomic number (Zef) by the equation: Pe = {Zef/10)3,b6. Cross plots of RhoB and Pe (or PEF) in Cartesian coordinates, for example, can be generated and used in the methods of the present application, as in a manner similar to that shown in this document for the cross plots of RhoB and Zef.
[074] After micro CT analysis by X-rays, SEM analysis in 2D can be started on selected samples (for example, debris B3 and D2 in the example above provided in this document) (112) . Before SEM scanning can be performed, selected debris is removed from conveyors. For example, selected debris can be exposed by laser cutting and pulled out. Isolated debris is scanned at these steps. The 2D images shown in Figures 10 and 11, and the plot of porosity versus total organic content shown in Figure 12, based on the SEM analysis, provide information that verifies the selection method used based on the density plot. apparent versus effective atomic number, as illustrated in Figure 9, returns useful data about the debris pulled out of the well. For example, it can be clearly seen that D2 debris is a better candidate for detailed analysis than debris (B3). Debris B3 exhibits induced fractures (Figure 10), such as man-made/drill-made fractures, and would not be recommended for rock property computations. D2 debris does not exhibit induced fractures, and would be recommended for computations. Figure 12 shows data points for about 20 SEM images removed at the same depth as debris B3 and D2. Figures 13 and 14 show 3D voxel images obtained using a FIB-SEM for the subarea identified by the square in Figure 11. Figure 15 provides graph rock properties computed from the analysis of the indicated subarea of the D2 debris . The equipment used for the 3D scans can be, for example, a Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM). A method and system as described by Carpio et al in Provisional Patent Application number US 61/547,090, published as Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0094716 A1, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by way of reference, or similar method and systems can be used to segment the 3D image. Segmentation can be used at least in part to identify pores, grains, organic content, and porosity associated with organic content in the images. Once segmented images have been produced, rock properties can be computed.
[075] In the methods of the present invention, the estimated properties for debris or other porous media can be optionally scaled up to further estimate the properties of larger volumes of porous media, such as rock facies or underground reservoirs. Special core analysis (SCAL) computations, for example, can be performed on selected debris to produce rock properties such as permeability, relative permeability, capillary pressure, and so on. RCAL (routine testimony analysis) computations can also be done. These types of values can be very important in understanding the best way to complete a well from a reservoir quality perspective. For example, SEM/FIBSEM properties on debris can be scaled up to selected facies within the measured depth range from which the debris(s) originated (originated).
[076] The rock types to which a method of the present invention can be applied are not necessarily limited. The rock sample can be, for example, organic mud rock, shale, carbonate, sandstone, limestone, dolomite or other porous rocks, or any combination thereof.
[077] As indicated, Patent Application Number US 61/511,600, published as Patent Application Publication Number US 2013/0028371 A1, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, describes methods that may be used in this document to calculate RhoB and Zef from multiple-energy TC values, for example, high and low energy. The method for estimating the apparent density and/or effective atomic number of a target object may involve, for example, one or more of the following steps that can be performed once or multiple times: i. scan two or more reference objects and three or more calibration objects; ii. obtain a functional relationship between apparent density error and effective atomic number using scan values of reference objects and calibration objects; iii. scan the target object and three or more calibration objects; iv. obtain uncorrected effective atomic number and density for the target object; v. obtain apparent density corrections using the functional relationship between apparent density error and effective atomic number of the reference objects, and the effective atomic number for the target object; and vi. obtain corrected bulk density using bulk density corrections. Additional details on this methodology are included in the incorporated patent application publication noted herein.
[078] Referring to Figures 16A to 16B, in another method according to an example of the present application, a process flow is illustrated that includes steps 601 to 623 and 625. The process flow as illustrated in these figures comprises a initial selection of debris samples from a depth range (drilling) (step 601), steps related to debris preparation for multi-energy X-ray CT scanning (steps 602A (or 602B), 603, 604 and 605; or steps 625 and 605), steps related to multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning (steps 606 to 607), categorization of RhoB and Zef data pairs and identification of clusters or families (step 609), a determination of occurrence frequency distribution for debris among clusters and facies (step 610), a step of selecting a representative debris from each cluster based on the apparent density (RhoB) and effective atomic number (Zef) estimated for the debris the part go from scan images of them (step 611), an extraction (separation) of selected debris from its polymeric carrier (step 612), additional detailed analyzes on the extracted debris and rock property computations (steps 613 to 617), a statistical ascending scaling of rock properties, such as a calculation of a depth range weighted median property value (step 618), an identification of commercially valuable layer clusters, and a calculation of a permoporous thickness to thickness ratio range total depth (619), a repeat of the analysis of steps 601 to 610 after step 610 for different depth intervals along the well, such as across all depth intervals in the well (step 620), and provide a record which displays the facies frequency distribution across the well, such as the entire well (step 621), a repeat of the analysis of steps 601 to 618 (after step 618) or steps 601 to 619 (after step 619) for different depth intervals along the well, such as across all depth intervals in the well (step 622), and provide a record that displays the facies frequency distribution along the well. of the well, as well as the whole well (step 623). A method of the present invention may be based on a three-step subset and not all illustrated steps are necessary.
[079] Regarding step 601 in Figure 16A, debris can be visually selected that are isomeric in dimension and that appear to accurately describe the entire sample of all debris within the range with respect to abundance. The debris can have an aspect ratio of about 0.2 to 1, or other values that do not relate to flake-like or scrape-like shapes. Debris can have maximum diameters indicated. In step 602A in Figure 16B, the debris is placed in a foundry bin at locations spaced apart from one another on the inner bottom of the bin as part of the preparation for the CT scan as described herein. In step 602B, as an alternative, the indicated polymeric mesh or a sieve-like material can be used to assist in sample retention, categorization and spacing of the debris as part of your preparation for the CT scan, as described in this document. As indicated in steps 603 to 604 of Figure 16A, the debris placed in the foundry container can be stabilized and formed into an isometric format that is convenient for administration and analysis in methods of the present invention by encapsulating and embedding the debris in a polymer and then curing the polymer, without mesh or while retained in mesh. A cylindrical cup 303 as shown in Figure 3 can be used to form an embedded conveyor with debris 300 that has a plurality of debris 301 embedded in resin 302. The curing and encapsulation procedure used for this embodiment may be similar to that described. for steps 103 and 104 of the method shown in Figure 1. As indicated in step 605 of Figure 16A, and similar to step 105 of the method shown in Figure 1, a plurality of conveyors embedded with debris can be formed in this similar manner for different batches of debris obtained for the same or different intervals or both of the well. So these different conveyors that have similar geometries but different sets of debris can be stacked up for placement in a scanning stage of a CT scanning device. The conveyor embedded with debris or stack of conveyors can be placed in one stage of a CT scanning device (step 605). The indicated reference objects can be included in the stage with conveyors (step 606) . Figure 5A shown shows a scanning device stage 500 of a dual energy CT (DE) scanning device with a stack of embedded conveyors with debris 501 and at least three reference objects 505A, 505B, and 505C, which can be used for that example of a method according to the present application. The stack of conveyors embedded with debris or the single conveyor, as positioned in the scanning device stage, can then be scanned using a multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning device (step 607). The CT scanning device can be used in similar resolution as indicated for step 107 of Figure 1. Conveyors embedded with debris can be subjected to X-ray scanning using double energies or more than two energies as indicated for step 107 of Figure 1. The averaged CT values generated for each of the energy scans can be processed to estimate bulk density, RhoB, and effective atomic numbers, Zef, for each debris in each debris embedded conveyor (step 608), which may be similar to that indicated for step 108 of the method shown in Figure 1.
[080] Figures 6 to 9 may have similar relevance to this example of a method of the present application as indicated for the method shown in Figure 1. Additionally, groupings classified as facies 1 to 4 can be used to identify respective facies different from rock of the depth range from which the debris is obtained. The frequency of occurrence distribution can be determined for debris within clusters and the indicated facies (step 610). For example, by determining a frequency distribution of occurrence of debris in relation to clusters, based on a frequency of debris in each cluster of clusters and the total number of debris, the frequency distribution of occurrence of debris can be said if correlate to the frequency distribution of occurrence of facies identified in the depth interval. As indicated, the analysis of steps 601 to 610 can be repeated for different depth intervals within c) well, such as across all depth intervals of the same or a range of different intervals (step 620). A log can be provided that displays the facies frequency distribution across the well, such as the entire well or other well interval ranges (step 621).
[081] As indicated, a physical or chemical property of at least one exemplary or representative drilling debris of each of the different clusters or facies of a depth range can be calculated after identifying the clusters. After X-ray CT microanalysis, for example, 2D SEM analysis can start on selected debris from clusters for this purpose. At least one representative debris can be selected from each cluster for analysis related to property calculation (step 611). In some cases, a plurality or all of the debris from a cluster may also be selected as being representative debris from a given cluster. If multiple debris from a cluster are selected, then property determination may involve averaging a determined physical or chemical property value for each selected debris from the same cluster to determine an average property value for the cluster.
[082] For example, in relation to debris selection and additional analysis for property estimation, debris from two different clusters in the example above, particularly, debris B3 from facies 2 and debris D2 from facies 3, are identified and used in this document for illustration. Other debris selected from the other clusters can be processed similarly as shown in this document for debris B3 and D2. Before the SEM sweep can be performed, selected debris is removed from conveyors (step 612). For example, selected debris can be exposed by laser cutting and removed. The isolated selected debris is subjected to SEM scanning to produce 2D SEM images of the selected debris (step 613). The 2D SEM images that are produced for the indicated illustrative debris B3 and D2 are shown in Figures 10 and 11, respectively. Figure 12 shows data points for about 20 SEM images taken at the same depth as the illustrative debris B3 and D2. Figures 13 and 14 show 3D voxel images obtained using a FIB-SEM for the subarea identified by the square in Figure 11 (steps 614 to 615). Figure 15 provides a graph of rock properties computed from the analysis of the indicated sub-area of D2 debris. Other debris selected from the other clusters can be processed similarly as shown herein for debris D2 to determine rock properties thereof. The equipment used for 3D scans can be, for example, a Scanning Electron Microscope of Focused Ion Beam (FIB-SEM). The indicated method and system, or similar methods and systems, can be used to segment the 3D image. Segmentation can be used at least in part to identify pores, grains, organic content and porosity associated with organic content in the images (step 616) . For example, once segmented images have been produced, rock properties can be computed for each of the selected debris (step 617). As indicated, determining a rock property for a debris can involve multiple different types of steps involving, for example, SEM scanning, FIB-SEM scanning, digital image processing and manipulations, and computations (eg, calculations, estimates and similar).
[083] The computed rock property or properties for a selected debris from each cluster can be considered representative of other debris in the same cluster or family. Using the frequency distribution clustering, a statistical ascending scaling of rock properties can be performed (step 618), for example, a weighted median property value for a depth range can be calculated using the following equation:
, where i is the number of clusters, n is the total number of clusters, F is the number of debris in cluster i, P is the property value of the representative debris for cluster i, and m is the total number of debris from all groupings. Hypothetical Example of Median Property Calculation Value for a Depth Range
[084] A hypothetical non-limiting example of applying this equation to calculate median porosity (eg, mean porosity) for a depth range from which debris is obtained is provided as follows, where reference is made to the data pairs shown for Facies 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Figure 9. Facies 1: 3 debris = Fi Facies 2: 6 debris - F2 Facies 4: 2 debris = F4
[085] A debris selected by facies (clustering) is investigated for the same selected property, such as porosity in this illustration: Facies 1 selected debris porosity: = 2% = 0.02 = Pi; Facies 2 porosity of selected debris: = 1% = 0.01 = P2; Facies 1 selected debris porosity: = 7% = 0.07 = P3; Facies 1 selected debris porosity: = 3% = 0.03 = P4.
[086] The use of the equation indicated above to calculate a median porosity for the depth range provides the following reasons:

[087] As illustrated, a median porosity of 4.318% was calculated for the depth range using the indicated equation. A similar calculation scheme can be applied to estimate other median properties for a depth range, such as total organic content, density and the like.
[088] Other methods of statistical ascending scaling of rock properties can also be used. From the given determined frequency distributions of property values over a depth range, various statistical measures can be computed. For example, if groupings based on such an analysis can be classified as "commercial value layer" or "non-commercial value layer", then the sum of the frequency of commercial value layer groupings becomes a measure of permoporous thickness to thickness ratio total. Another example might be to obtain porosity (eg average porosity), total organic content (TOC), density and/or porosity associated with TOC values, in an individual debris, as illustrated above. After performing this analysis for a representative debris selected from each cluster identified in a given depth range, and combining the values with frequency distribution debris, the frequency distributions (histograms) of these values can be obtained in the range or in the depth range. The median porosity of the depth range, its median TOC, and so on, can be calculated. The porosity associated with TOC can be an indication of the maturity of the rock from which the debris is obtained and can be used as a formation or facies evaluation criterion. Groupings can be classified, such as those with high porosity and/or high TOC, according to one or more selected criterion value(s), such as "commercial value layer", and other groupings that do not satisfy the Criterion value(s) can be classified as "non-commercial value layer", and the ratio of permoporous thickness and total depth range thickness can be calculated as the sum of the frequencies of the commercial value layer groupings (step 619) . As indicated, the analysis of steps 601 to 618 or 601 to 619 can be repeated for different depth intervals along the well, such as across all depth intervals in the well or a range of different intervals (step 622). A log can be provided that displays the facies frequency distribution across the well, such as the entire well or other well interval ranges (step 623).
[089] The present invention further comprises a system for deploying one or more of the methods as described above. As illustrated in Figure 17, for example, system 1000 may include a debris sample preparation station 1001 for preparing embedded conveyors with debris as described herein. Three-dimensional (3D) images of debris embedded in a conveyor or stacked conveyors are generated by multiple-energy CT scanning device 1002. The 3D image output 1003 from scanning device 1002 can be transferred to a computer 1004 which has program instructions to perform the indicated 3D image analysis to organize the debris into categories based on apparent density and effective atomic number data pairs and select a debris or debris from them for further detailed analysis using SEM 1005 and FIB-SEM 1006, which generates the respective image outputs 1007 and 1008, which are analyzed in computer 1004 or another computer to perform the indicated data and simulation analysis to generate sample/result modeling output that can be transmitted to one or more devices 1009, such as a display, a printer, a data storage medium, or any combination thereof.
[090] The system may further comprise one or more computer systems for processing images and computing rock properties. For example, the system may comprise one or more computer systems which may comprise software for capturing images, processing images, segmenting images, estimating rock properties, and any combination thereof. Image processing can be done, for example, with data visualization and analysis software adapted for use in the present methods. Data visualization and analysis software can be used to process the images to make calculations for cropping the image matrix. After cropping the matrix, the image can be segmented. The data visualization and analysis software utilizes several sets of image processing procedures that include (a) noise reduction; (b) identification of grain boundaries based on grayscale 3D surface gradients found in the original image; and (c) limitation based on that image enhancement and focus sharpening adjustment. Other sets of segmentation procedures can also be used, such as those described, for example, in US Patent Number 6,516,080 (Nur) and in Patent Application Publication Number US 2009/0288880 (Wojcik, et al.) , which are incorporated herein in their entirety by way of reference. The segmentation method described above incorporates Provisional Application of US 61/547,090 (Carpio, et al.), published as Patent Application Publication Number US 2013/0094716 A1, can also be used.
[091] The system of the present invention can be located and used off-site or on-site in relation to where samples are obtained. If used off-site, samples can be transported to the location where the system is located. If used on-site, the system can optionally be used in a mobile compartment such as a trailer, van, bus or similar device; so that it can be transported to a well site and analyzes are done on-site.
[092] It should be understood that the methods described in this document may be deployed in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or any combination thereof. For example, the 3D image output of the X-ray multiple-energy scanner and the 2D image output of a SEM and/or FIB-SEM can be transferred to a respective computer which has program instructions to execute the 3D or 2D image analysis applicable herein to generate output/results that can be transmitted to one or more devices, such as a display device, a printer, a data storage medium or any combination thereof. Computer programs used for 3D image analysis and computations can be stored, as a program product, on at least one computer-usable storage medium (eg, a hard drive, a flash memory device, a disk compact disk/magnetic tape or other media) associated with at least one processor (e.g. a CPU) that is adapted to run the programs, or may be stored on an external computer-usable storage medium that is accessible to the computer processor. The computer may include one or more system computers, which may be deployed as a single personal computer or as a computer network. However, those skilled in the art will note that deployments of the various sets of procedures described in this document can be practiced on a variety of computer system configurations, including hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) servers, handheld devices, systems with multiprocessors, programmable consumer or microprocessor-based electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframes, and the like. Units of a system including the scanning device, the computer and output display and/or external data storage can be connected together for communication (eg data transfer, etc.) via any connection to wires, radio frequency communications, telecommunications, internet connection or other means of communication.
[093] The present invention also includes the following aspects/modalities/features in any order and/or in any combination:
[094] 1. The present invention relates to a method for processing rock fragments for computerized tomographic scanning which comprises positioning a plurality of rock fragments at positions of space in a stabilizing material to provide an embedded carrier with rock fragments, and performing a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded conveyor with rock fragments comprising the plurality of rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects.
[095] 2. The method of any modality/resource/appearance preceding or following, wherein the stabilizing material is a hardenable polymer, bone, putty or foam.
[096] 3. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, where the rock fragments are drill debris, microcores, crushed or broken core pieces, sidewall cores or outcrop extraction.
[097] 4. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing rock fragments for computed tomographic scanning comprising the steps of (a) positioning a plurality of rock fragments held at spaced apart positions in a foundry container; (b) introducing dispersible polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments; (c) hardening the polymer to form an embedded carrier with rock fragments; and (d) removing the carrier embedded with rock fragments from the foundry container.
[098] 5. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the positioning of step (a) further comprises retentively embedding the rock fragments in a mesh, and step (b) comprises introducing the dispersible polymer in the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments and mesh.
[099] 6. The present invention also relates to a method for categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis comprising the steps of: (a) performing a scan of multiple-energy X-ray CT of a first carrier embedded with rock fragments comprising a first plurality of rock fragments; (b) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan, where each of the first plurality of rock fragments scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a value of CT for each voxel thereof; (c) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the first plurality of rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average of the voxels for each entire rock fragment by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs; (d) categorize the bulk density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, data pairs in a single set for a single embedded transporter with an embedded transporter with rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (a) ; and (e) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis.
[100] 7. The method of any preceding or following modality / resource / aspect, in which the first plurality of rock fragments is obtained from the same first interval.
[101] 8. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the conveyor embedded with rock fragments further comprises a second plurality of rock fragments obtained from the same second interval, wherein the first and the second intervals are different.
[102] 9. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein performing the multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of step (a) further comprises scanning a second conveyor embedded with fragments of rock stacked with the first rock fragment embedded conveyor, wherein the second rock fragment embedded conveyor comprises a second plurality of plurality of rock fragments obtained from a second interval which is different from the first interval, and the steps (b), (c) and (d) are also carried out for the second conveyor embedded with rock fragments.
[103] 10. The present invention also relates to a method for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis which comprises the steps of: (a) positioning a plurality of rock fragments at positions of space in a stabilizing material to provide an embedded carrier with rock fragments; (b) perform a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded conveyor with rock fragments comprising the rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects; (c) creating digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan, where each of the rock fragments being scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a CT value for each voxel of it; (d) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zet, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average voxels for the rock fragment integer by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs; (e) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, into a single set for a single embedded transporter with rock fragments or spaced subsets if more than one embedded transporter with rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e) ; and (f) select at least one piece of rock from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis.
[104] 11. The present invention also relates to a method for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selecting a rock fragment for further digital analysis comprising the steps of: (a) positioning fragments of rock from the same drilling range at spaced apart positions in a foundry container; (b) introducing dispersible polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments; (c) hardening the polymer to form an embedded carrier with rock fragments; (d) removing the conveyor embedded with rock fragments from the foundry container; (e) performing a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded carrier with rock fragments comprising the rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects; (f) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan; (g) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments as indicated; (h) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, into a single set for a single embedded transporter with rock fragments or spaced subsets if more than one embedded transporter with rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e) ; and (i) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis.
[105] 12. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the rock fragments comprise rock fragments having a maximum diameter of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.
[106] 13. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, where the rock fragments have an aspect ratio of 0.2 to 1.
[107] 14. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein the rock fragments comprise shale rock fragments.
[108] 15. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein positioning comprises retentively embedding rock fragments in a mesh.
[109] 16. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein the polymer comprises curable epoxy.
[110] 17. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the multiple-energy X-ray CT scan comprises a dual energy X-ray CT scan.
[111] 18. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect further comprising: (i) repeating steps (a) to (d) for rock fragments from a plurality of different drilling intervals prior to drilling step (e) to provide a plurality of carriers embedded with rock fragments; (ii) stacking the plurality of conveyors embedded with rock fragments in a scanning stage of a multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning device and optionally surrounding the scanning device stage by an x-ray attenuating sleeve ; (iii) perform a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the stack of conveyors embedded with rock fragments; (iv) carry out steps (f) to (i) for at least two of the conveyors embedded with rock fragments.
[112] 19. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/appearance, wherein the foundry container has a cylindrical shape.
[113] 20. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein about 10 to about 15 rock fragments are positioned in the foundry container in step (a).
[114] 21. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein the conveyor embedded with rock fragments is disc-shaped.
[115] 22. The method of any preceding or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the conveyor embedded with rock fragments is disk-shaped and has a thickness of about 2 mm to about 5 mm.
[116] 23. The method of any modality/feature/aspect preceding or following, wherein performing the multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded conveyor with rock fragments is carried out in the presence of at least three materials of calibration.
[117] 24. The present invention also relates to a method for estimating selected physical properties of a rock sample, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning rock fragments from the same drilling range at distant positions in a container of foundry; (b) introducing dispersible polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments; (c) hardening the polymer to form an embedded carrier with rock fragments; (d) removing the conveyor embedded with rock fragments from the foundry container; (e) perform a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded conveyor with rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects; (f) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan; (g) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments as indicated; (h) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, into a single set for a single embedded transporter with rock fragments or spaced subsets if more than one embedded transporter with rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e) ; (i) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis; (j) extracting the at least one selected rock fragment from the transporter; (k) create 2D digital images of the selected rock fragment using an SEM; (l) estimate at least one of porosity, organic matter content, and mineralogy from the images created in step (k); (m) select a sub-area of the images created in step (k), which can comprise at least one of relatively high porosity and high organic matter or other resources of interest; (n) image the sub-area of step (m) with a FIB-SEM; (o) create 3D images from the imaging in step (n); (p) segment the 3D images from step (o) to identify voxels such as pore, rock or organic matter; and (q) estimate rock properties from segmented images.
[118] 25. The method of any previous or following modality / feature / aspect, wherein the positioning of the rock fragments in step (a) comprises positioning the rock fragments at locations distanced from a polymeric mesh that has a circular shape that fits into an internal opening defined by the casting container.
[119] 26. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein the polymer comprises curable epoxy.
[120] 27. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect further comprising: (i) repeating steps (a) to (d) for rock fragments from a plurality of different drilling intervals prior to drilling step (e) to provide a plurality of carriers embedded with rock fragments; (ii) stacking the plurality of conveyors embedded with rock fragments in a scanning stage of a multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning device; (iii) perform a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the stack of conveyors embedded with rock fragments; (iv) carry out steps (f) to (q) for at least two of the conveyors embedded with rock fragments.
[121] 28. The present invention relates to a method for characterizing the frequency of occurrence of facies of a depth range using rock fragments comprising: (a) performing a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of a plurality of rock fragments of a depth range with at least 3 reference objects at two or more different energy levels; (b) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multi-energy X-ray CT scan, in which each of the rock fragments scanned at two or more different energy levels returns for each energy a value of CT for each voxel thereof; (c) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average voxels for each rock fragment integer by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs; (d) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, and identify clusters, where the clusters identify respective different rock facies of the depth interval; and (e) determine a frequency distribution of rock fragments in relation to the clusters based on the number of rock fragments in each cluster and the total number of rock fragments, where the frequency distribution of the rock fragments. The rock is correlated with the frequency distribution of the facies identified in the depth interval.
[122] 29. The method of any preceding or following modality/feature/aspect further comprising the steps of: (i) repeating steps (a) to (e) for a plurality of different additional depth intervals throughout a little; and (ii) form a record that displays facies frequency distributions for a plurality or all of the different depth intervals along the well.
[123] 30. The method of any modality/resource/aspect preceding or following, in which the categorization of the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, into clusters, comprises grouping data pairs that have similar apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, in their respective clusters.
[124] 31. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect which further comprises the steps: (f) selecting a rock fragment from each cluster; (g) determining a rock property value for the same rock property is a representative rock fragment selected from each cluster to provide respective determined rock property values; and (h) calculate a weighted median rock property value for the depth range based on the determined rock property values and the frequency of occurrence of the clusters.
[125] 32. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect which further comprises the steps: (f) selecting a rock fragment from each cluster; (g) determine a rock property value for the same rock property for the selected rock fragment for each cluster to provide determined rock property values; and (h) determining a frequency distribution of property values in the depth range.
[126] 33. The method of any modality / resource / aspect preceding or following, where the same rock property is total porosity, total organic content, porosity associated with total organic content or permeability.
[127] 34. The method of any modality/resource/aspect preceding or following which further comprises classifying clusters that have (i) a porosity value that satisfies a predetermined criterion, (ii) a total organic content value that satisfies a predetermined criterion, or (iii) both as commercially valuable layer, and calculating a ratio of permoporous thickness to total thickness for the depth range as a sum of the frequencies of the commercially valuable layer clusters.
[128] 35. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect further comprising, prior to step (a): (i) positioning at least a portion of the plurality of rock fragments of a range of depth at locations spaced apart within an internal opening defined by a casting container; (ii) introducing dispersible polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments; (iii) hardening the polymer to form a carrier embedded with rock fragments that can be subjected to CT scanning by X-rays; (iv) removing the embedded carrier with rock fragments that can be subjected to X-ray CT scanning of the foundry container; and (v) for any remaining rock fragments of the plurality of rock fragments not included in the portion of the plurality of rock fragments of step (i), repeat steps (i) to (iv) one or more times until all the plurality of rock fragments is provided in an embedded carrier with rock fragments that can be subjected to CT scanning by X-rays.
[129] 36. The present invention also relates to a method for determining a physical property of a depth range of a rock formation comprising: (a) obtaining a sample of a depth range of a rock formation, wherein the sample comprises a plurality of rock fragments; (b) image the plurality of rock fragments from the depth range with at least 3 reference objects using dual energy X-ray CT scanning; (c) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average voxels for each rock fragment integer by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs; (d) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, and identify clusters, where the clusters identify respective different rock facies of the depth interval; (e) determining a physical or chemical property of at least one rock fragment of each of the different facies, wherein the physical or chemical property determined is the same for each rock fragment of the different facies of the at least one rock fragment; (f) calculate the frequency distribution of each of the different facies based on the total number of rock fragments in the plurality of rock fragments and the total number of rock fragments of each of the different facies among the plurality of different facies; and (g) determine a physical property of the depth interval based on the determined physical or chemical property of the rock fragments of the different facies and the frequency distribution of each of the different facies.
[130] 37. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect, wherein the rock formation comprises an underground rock formation.
[131] 38. The method of any modality / resource / aspect preceding or following, in which the physical property comprises one of apparent density, average porosity, average total organic content, average porosity associated with the total organic content.
[132] 39. The method of any modality/resource/aspect preceding or following, wherein step (e) comprises determining the physical or chemical property of a plurality of rock fragments from each of the different facies and determining the average of a physical or chemical property value to determine an average property for each of the different facies.
[133] 40. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect further comprising taking a sample from a different depth range of the rock formation and determining a physical property of the different depth range.
[134] 41. The method of any preceding or following modality/resource/aspect further comprises comparing the physical property determined in the depth range with a previously determined physical property in the same depth range of a neighboring rock formation and verifying that the The physical property determined is almost the same as the physical property previously determined for the neighboring rock formation.
[135] 42. The present invention also relates to a system for organizing and categorizing rock fragments in a digital X-ray scan for selection of one comprising: (a) a preparation station comprising a plurality of rock fragments of the same drilling range positioned at locations spaced apart from a polymeric mesh that has a snap-on shape within an internal opening defined by a foundry container, in which the rock fragments are embedded in a hardened polymer to provide an embedded carrier with fragments of rock; (b) a multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning device that has a stage with the ability to retain one or more conveyors embedded with rock fragments in stacked arrangement and a plurality of reference objects while scanning them and which optionally includes an attenuation sleeve that surrounds the scanning device stage; and (c) one or more computer operating systems to estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, as data pairs for voxel layers (slices) in digital images obtained by scanning the rock fragments as indicated , and send the results to at least one device to display, print, or store computations results.
[136] 43. The present invention also relates to a system for characterizing the frequency of occurrence of facies of a range of depth using rock fragments comprising: (a) a preparation station comprising a plurality of rock fragments from the same depth range positioned at spaced apart locations within an internal opening defined by a foundry container, where the rock fragments are embedded in a hardened polymer to provide an embedded carrier with rock fragments; (b) a multiple-energy X-ray CT scanning device that has a stage with the ability to retain one or more carriers embedded with rock fragments that hold the plurality of rock fragments in stacked arrangement and a plurality of objects of reference while scanning them and optionally including an attenuation sleeve that surrounds the scanning device stage; and (c) one or more operable computer systems to (i) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on the digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises averaging the voxels for each entire rock fragment by different energy sweep and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs, (ii) plotting the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zer, for categorization and identification of clusters, in which the categorized clusters identify respective different rock facies of the depth interval, (iii) determine a frequency distribution of occurrence of the rock fragments in relation to the clusters based on the number of rock fragments in each cluster and the total number of rock fragments, where the frequency distribution frequency distribution of occurrence. the facies identified in the depth range, and (iv) send the results to at least one device to display, print or store computations results.
[137] 44. The present invention also relates to a computer program product on a computer-readable medium which, when performed on a processor in a computerized device, provides a method for performing one or more or all computations. indicated steps of any of the methods described in this document.
[138] The present invention may include any combination of these various features or embodiments above and/or below as set forth in sentences and/or paragraphs. Any combination of features disclosed herein is considered part of the present invention and no limitation is intended with respect to combinable features.
[139] Applicants incorporate the entire contents of all references cited in this disclosure. Additionally, when an amount, concentration or other value or parameter is given either as a range, preferred range or a list of higher preferred values and lower preferred values, this is to be understood as a specific disclosure of all ranges formed from any pair of any range limit or upper preferred value and any range limit or lower preferred value, regardless of whether the ranges are separately disclosed. When a range of numerical values is cited in this document, unless otherwise stated, the range is intended to include the endpoints of the range and all integers and fractions within the range. It is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific values cited when defining a range.
[140] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention cover other modifications and variations of this invention provided they are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

权利要求:
Claims (4)
[0001]
1. Method for estimating selected physical properties of a rock sample, characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of: (a) positioning rock fragments from the same drilling range at distant positions in a foundry container; (b) introducing dispersible polymer into the foundry container to encapsulate the rock fragments; (c) hardening the polymer to form an embedded carrier with rock fragments; (d) removing the conveyor embedded with rock fragments from the foundry container; (e) perform a multi-energy X-ray CT scan of the embedded conveyor with rock fragments with at least 3 reference objects; (f) create digital images of the rock fragments from the multiple-energy X-ray CT scan, where each of the rock fragments scanned at two or more different energy levels returns a CT value for each voxel of it; (g) estimate the apparent density, RhoB, and the effective atomic number, Zef, for each of the rock fragments as data pairs based on digital images of the rock fragments, which comprises determining the average voxels for each rock fragment integer by scanning different energy and processing the average values for each rock fragment to provide the data pairs; (h) categorize the apparent density data pairs, RhoB, and effective atomic number, Zef, into a single set for a single embedded transporter with rock fragments or spaced subsets if more than one embedded transporter with rock fragments of different intervals is scanned in step (e); (i) select at least one rock fragment from the set or subsets as applicable for further digital analysis; (j) extracting the at least one selected rock fragment from the transporter; (k) create 2D digital images of the selected rock fragment using an SEM; (l) estimate at least one of porosity, organic matter content, and mineralogy from the images created in step (k); (m) select a sub-area of the images created in step (k), which can comprise at least one of relatively high porosity and high organic matter or other resources of interest; (n) image the sub-area of step (m) with a FIB-SEM; (o) create 3D images from the imaging in step (n); (p) segment the 3D images from step (o) to identify voxels such as pore, rock or organic matter; and (q) estimate rock properties from segmented images.
[0002]
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning of the rock fragments in step (a) comprises positioning the rock fragments at locations distanced from a polymeric mesh that has a circular shape that fits within an opening internal defined by the foundry container.
[0003]
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the polymer comprises curable epoxy.
[0004]
4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: (i) repeating steps (a) to (d) for rock fragments from a plurality of different drilling intervals before step (e) to provide a plurality of carriers embedded with rock fragments; (ii) stacking the plurality of conveyors embedded with rock fragments in a scanning stage of a multi-energy X-ray CT scanning device; (iii) perform a multiple-energy X-ray CT scan of the pile of rock embedded carrier fragments; (iv) carry out steps (f) to (q) for at least two of the conveyors embedded with rock fragments.

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同族专利:

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公开号 | 公开日

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EP2847580A1|2015-03-18|

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AU2013259470A1|2014-11-27|

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BR112014029563A2|2017-06-27|

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CO7121321A2|2014-11-20|

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CA2872067C|2018-09-11|

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WO2013169973A1|2013-11-14|

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CN104428661A|2015-03-18|

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US9746431B2|2017-08-29|

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CA2872067A1|2013-11-14|

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US20130301794A1|2013-11-14|

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法律状态:
2018-12-04| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|

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2019-11-26| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|

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2021-06-29| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

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2021-07-20| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 09/05/2013, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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US201261646045P| true| 2012-05-11|2012-05-11|

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US61/646,045|2012-05-11|

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US201261652567P| true| 2012-05-29|2012-05-29|

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US61/652,567|2012-05-29|

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PCT/US2013/040259|WO2013169973A1|2012-05-11|2013-05-09|A method and system for multi-energy computer tomographic cuttings analysis|

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