Petrophysics / Core Analysis Division - Tests And Services...

Special Core Analysis

Petrology
GEOTECH can offer a complete suite of petrology analysis including:
  Thin section preparation
  Petrography
  Photomicroscopy
  X-Ray diffraction analysis
  Scanning electron microscopy


MICP / Seal Capacity Studies
Mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) tests can be performed to evaluate reservoir lithologies in terms of their seal capacities. MICP measurements may be integrated with seismic and microstructural data to provide a robust basis for interpretation of reservoir potential, seal capacity and stability/strength of individual strata. A range of MICP tests are conducted to calculate reservoir efficiency and hydrocarbon column height. The mercury porosimeter used is capable of injecting a non-wetting phase (mercury) in user-defined, step-like pressure increments up to 60,000 psi.

Petrophysical seal capacity studies can benefit greatly from the combination with geochemical analyses designed to determine levels and type of free hydrocarbons present in a (potential) seal.

Click here for more information regarding these techniques

GEOTECH is in the unique position of having more than 20 years experience both in the fields of geochemistry and petrophysics and our laboratory is therefore ideally suited to perform combined petrophysical/geochemical seal capacity studies.


Capillary Pressure Studies
Centrifuge Method - 1 1/2” Plug, Air-Brine, Air-Oil, Oil-Brine
The centrifuge technique, for capillary pressure measurement on core samples, was introduced by Hassler and Brunner (1945) and Slobod et al. (1951). It requires two steps, the measurement of the centrifuge fluid production data and transformation of
that data into capillary pressure curves.

This service is used for determining air-brine, air-oil, oil-brine and brine-oil capillary pressures using the rock ultracentrifuge. The plug sample is saturated with the phase to be displaced (brine or oil) and loaded into a rock ultracentrifuge. The sample is subjected to incremental rotational speeds at a uniform ambient temperature. At each rotational speed, the volume of fluid displaced from the sample is monitored. When equilibrium is established at each pressure point, the rotational speed is increased to the next highest pressure point until a complete curve is obtained.

The centrifuge technique consists of rotating a core at various angular velocities. The core contains two fluids for which capillary pressure is to be determined. In the drainage process, the denser fluid is forced out of the core by rotation. Fluid production, or average fluid saturation in the core, is measured at hydrostatic equilibrium for every rotation speed.