ABSTRACT

Digital rock methodology combines modern microscopic imaging with advanced numerical simulations of the physical properties of rocks. Elastic-wave propagation modeling, directly from rock microstructure to estimate effective elastic properties, is integral to this technology. Additionally, we determine the permeability of the digitized rock samples. The goals of this paper are to describe and understand how laboratory experiments couple with digital rock physics results. For a Berea Sandstone sample, we measure pressure-dependent velocities and permeability. Different approaches, with different resolution, are used to characterize the pore geometry of the selected sample. These include two different kinds of X-Ray tomography, electron probe micro analysis, scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion. Knowing the pore size distribution, we suggest a strategy for calibrating digital rock physics results.

Keywords:
effective elastic property, simulation, upstream oil & gas, rock sample, laboratory measurement, mechanical property, elastic property, imaging, watershed segmentation, experiment
Subjects:
Reservoir Characterization, Seismic processing and interpretation
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2011. Society of Exploration Geophysicists
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