SPE Live: Digital and Physical Core Analysis - Data Comparison, Integration, and Challenges

Digital rocks include various subsurface formation imaging such as logging while drilling, wireline logging, and seismic imaging, as well as imaging rock samples on the surface. The focus of this SPE Live meeting is on digital rocks that are derived from formation samples (cores, sidewalls, cuttings) on the surface. The term “digital rock” means that we build multi-dimensional multi-scale digital description of a rock that allows us to compute various properties such as: fluid flow, mechanical, electrical, magnetic, acoustic, and mineralogical, to name a few. We discuss how does digital rock analysis fit into the formation evaluation and reservoir engineering processes. It is a relatively new technology, and its advantages and limitations need to be considered. Multi-dimensional simulations of physical processes provide the option to derive properties for difficult rocks, explore the effects of parameter variabilities, reduce/quantify uncertainties, and leverage complex laboratory-derived data. Digital rock analysis is here to stay, and we believe it will eventually become an integral part of core analysis programs.

Moderated by Zoya Heidari, Associate Professor at UT Austin.
Speaker: – Denis Klemin, Digital Rock Domain Champion at SLB

Held on Wednesday, August 9th, 2023