PETE 220

RESERVOIR ROCK PROPERTIES

CORING AND CORE HANDLING

FALL 2016 2017

Dr. Mahmut Parlaktuna, Dr. alar
Snayu
mahmut@metu.edu.tr,

Petroleum and Gas Engineering

Subject
Rock
Fluid (Oil, Gas, Brine)
Rock & Fluid Interaction

Scientific
Physics
Chemistry
Math
Geology
Geophysics
Fluid mechanics

Techniques
Lab measurements
Field techniques
Mapping
Computer
applications
Modeling
English language

Synthesis
Utilization

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

PROPERTIES TO BE EVALUATED
Basic rock properties:
permeability, porosity, and fluid saturation.
Special physical characteristics of rocks:
capillary pressure, relative permeability, wettability

All these analysis are generally used as basic

data for any reservoir engineering study of a
conventional reservoir.

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

DATA SOURCES
- cores,
- well logs,
- pressure transient analysis

Formation
Evaluation
The process of using borehole
measurements to evaluate the
characteristics (geological,
petrophysical, geomechanical) of
subsurface formations

Borehole Data

Well tests
Wireline Logs
Cores & Cuttings

Petroleum System Processes

Petroleum System Elements

Gas
Cap

Oil

Entrapment
Accumulation

Water

Seal Rock
Reservoir
Rock

Migration
120 F
Source
Rock

Generation

350 F
24803

Anticlinal Theory
Petroleum Accumulates in Structural Closure

Gas
Oil
Water

Rocks and properties of

Interest
Source rocks Generation efficiency
Reservoir rocks - Recovery efficiency
Cap (cover) rock Sealing efficiency

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

CORE
A core is a sample of rock from the well
section, generally obtained by drilling into
the formation with a hollow section drill
pipe and drill bit. There is a facility to
retain the drilled rock as a cylindrical
sample with the dimensions of the
internal cross sectional area of the cutting
bit and the length of hollow section.

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

CORING

Drilling
Coring
Coring Program

Problems involved

Company policy

Rock Bit

Cuttings

Core (Diamond) Bit

Core

Coring Program Depending

On
Coring objectives
Drilling
Geological
Reservoir Engineering
Production Engineering

Company policy

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

Use of Core Data

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

Use of Core Data

Specific Objectives

Conventional
Cores
6 m (20 ft) core
at each run

Diamond Cores
Better recovery, core breaks less
20 m (60 ft) core at each run

Wireline
Core
5 m (15 ft) core at
each run
Small diameter inner
barrel is run inside
the drill pipe
No need for pulling
drill string up

Sidewall
Cores
After drilling possible
sampling method
Percussion: Driving
explosive charged
hallow cylinder or
Rotary

Preserved Cores
Preserve from mechanical damage

Rubber sleeved
Keep frozen

Preserve wettability

Wrap in saran film and Al-foil

Immersion in wax (Core SealTM)
Keep in a tube filled with brine

Oriented Cores
Scratched for in situ positioning

Handle Carefully
The value of a core plug is
more than the value of the
same weight of gold

Conventional Wellsite
Procedures

Clean mud off on the derrick floor

Mark depths by taking core lost

intervals into account

Wellsite core description

Place cores in labeled trays, boxes

or tubes

Transfer to laboratory

Core Segment (3 ft)

Epoxy Resin
Injection

Core Recovery
(%)core length
Recovered

. 100
Drilled core length

Lost Core may Suggest

Faulting
Porous zone
Unconsolidated bed
Solution cavity
Salt

Core Numbering
Tray 12

Tray 8

Tray 5

Tray 1

Core 1 (44 ft) Core 1

Recovery 73%
Core 2
Core 3

Core 4
S. Saner 30

Core
Numbering
Core-1 60 ft
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9

Core-2 58 ft
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9
Core-1

Core-3 33 ft
12 11 10 9

Core-2
Core-3
Core-4

Core-4 60 ft
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9

Trays

DBase

Report

Report

Report

4b

Report

6b

5b

Profile perm

1/3 Slab

Report

6c

Geological
description

Digital
image scan

Report

Report

12a

Petrography (TS,
SEM, XRD)

Basic core
tests , k, g

5c

11a

Epoxy impregnated TS &

other samples
End
pieces

Repair
improper
plugs

Plug
1/3

Fix pieces
Mark depths
Mark orientation
Mark whole cores
Mark for V&H
plugs

Receive
Open
Clean
Storage boxes

2/3

GR Scan
Dens scan

4a

Cut whole cores

Slab (1/3 & 2/3)
Cut biscuits-if needed
Drill plugs
Veneer cut-if needed

5a

Trim

6a

Soxhlet
cleaning

7a

Endface
grinding

8a

Oven dry
&
Vacuum
cool

9a

Digital
plug
photos

Basic Core Analysis

Flow Chart

10a

Dimensions,
wt measure,
plug
description

DBase

Report

Report

Report

4b

Report

6b

5b

Profile perm

1/3 Slab

Report

6c

Geological
description

Digital
image scan

Report

Report

12a

Petrography (TS,
SEM, XRD)

Basic core
tests , k, g

5c

11a

Epoxy impregnated TS &

other samples
End
pieces

Repair
improper
plugs

Plug
1/3

Fix pieces
Mark depths
Mark orientation
Mark whole cores
Mark for V&H
plugs

Receive
Open
Clean
Storage boxes

2/3

GR Scan
Dens scan

4a

Cut whole cores

Slab (1/3 & 2/3)
Cut biscuits-if needed
Drill plugs
Veneer cut-if needed

5a

Trim

6a

Soxhlet
cleaning

7a

Endface
grinding

8a

Oven dry
&
Vacuum
cool

9a

Digital
plug
photos

Basic Core Analysis

Flow Chart

10a

Dimensions,
wt measure,
plug
description

Receive Clean Arrange

Receive
Open
Clean
Storage boxes

Core
Database
Identif Hole
icationRefere Company Name
#
nce #

Property
Name

Asses Length Length Property Core

# of Length Length
NT
Core
sment on Hand on Hand Referenc Labe
Box Drilled Drilled Other Info
S#
Location
#
(Ft.)
(M)
e#
l
es (Ft.)
(M)

GB001

0243

Brunswick Mining &

Smelting
Corporation Ltd.

Gilman
Brook

21J No
/10 Data

No Data No Data

031

GB001

Madran
Shed
37B1r01

26

495.3

151

No Data

GB002

0244

Brunswick Mining &

Smelting
Corporation Ltd.

Gilman
Brook

21J No
/10 Data

No Data No Data

031

GB002

Madran
Shed
37B1r08

16

318.2

97

No Data

GB-840245
001

Brunswick Mining &

Smelting
Corporation Ltd.

Gilman
Brook

21J No
/10 Data

No Data No Data

031

GB- Madran
84Shed
001 37B1r12

19

332.6

101.4

boxes 6, 8-11, 24 missing

GB-840246
002

Brunswick Mining &

Smelting
Corporation Ltd.

Gilman
Brook

21J No
/10 Data

No Data No Data

031

GB- Madran
84Shed
002 37B1r18

16

280

85.37

No Data

GB-840247
003

Brunswick Mining &

Smelting
Corporation Ltd.

Gilman
Brook

21J No
/10 Data

No Data No Data

031

GB- Madran
84Shed
003 37B1r22

40

708

215.85

No Data

BH-793066
001

Miramichi Lumber
Company Ltd.

Burnt Hill 21J

No
Tungsten /10
Data
Deposit W

410

125

197

BH- Madran
79Shed
001 88B1r08

21

410

125

logs, analyses for Wo, Mo,

Ag, Bi, and Sn in F'ton Core
Bldg.

BH-793067
003

Miramichi Lumber
Company Ltd.

Burnt Hill 21J

No
Tungsten /10
Data
Deposit W

787.2

240

197

BH- Madran
79Shed
003 88B1r12

39

787.2

240

logs, analyses for Wo, Mo,

Ag, Bi, and Sn in F'ton Core
Bldg.

BH-793068
005

Miramichi Lumber
Company Ltd.

Burnt Hill 21J

No
Tungsten /10
Data
Deposit W

380.4

116

197

BH- Madran
79Shed
005 88B1r20

19

380.48

116

logs, analyses for Wo, Mo,

Ag, Bi, and Sn in F'ton Core
Bldg.

BH-793069
006

Miramichi Lumber
Company Ltd.

Burnt Hill 21J

No
Tungsten /10
Data
Deposit W

738

225

197

BH- Madran
79Shed
006 88B2r03

38

738

225

logs, analyses for Wo, Mo,

Ag, Bi, and Sn in F'ton Core
Bldg.

Mark Up

Fix pieces
Mark depths
Mark orientation
Mark whole cores
Mark for V&H
plugs

Laboratory Sampling

Every 10 ft (3 trays) one (1 ft) whole

core

Every foot one horizontal plug

Every 10 ft vertical plug

Conventional Plug
Numbering
Core-1

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9
1

Core-2

Trays

3 .....60 Plugs

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9

61 62........105

Core-3

12 11 10 9

106 .....126

Core-4

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9

127 128....183

Spectral Gamma & Density

Scans

S. Saner 39

Core Spectral Gamma Ray Log

Core Density Log

Slabbing & Plug Drilling

Cut whole cores

Slab (1/3 & 2/3)
Cut biscuits-if needed
Drill plugs
Veneer cut-if needed

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

CORE PLUG
A core plug is a much
smaller portion of the
whole core sample
1.0 or 1.5 inch in
diameter
Length = 2 Diameter

Core Plugs

Slab and Plug

Slabbed & Drilled Except Whole

Core

Trimming
Trimming for even circular surfaces
Appropriate length
Plug end pieces for thin section
petrography

ROCK PROPERTY DETERMINATION

Cleaning of Core plugs

Cleaning
Soxhlet hot toluene and alcohol circulation
Forced cleaning by CO2 and hot toluene
injection

Endface Grinding
Parallel circular surfaces (0.002
inch accuracy)

Drying
Vacuum oven 80-110C
Humidity controlled oven (60C, 45%
humid)

* Cooling under vacuum

Plug Images

13

14

15

17

18

19

16

20

DigitalPlugPhotos

01/96

02/96

03/96

04/96

05/96

06/96

07/96

08/96

Weight &
Dimensions
Sample

Depth

Weight

Length

Avg. Lng.

Diameter

Avg. Dia.

Bulk Vol

Remarks

Repaired

No

(ft)

(gm)

(cm)

(cm)

(cm)

(cm)

(cc)

Plugs

13,251.0

13,252.0

13,253.0

171.460

176.930

175.100

5.752

3.843

5.757

3.839

5.760

5.755

3.846

5.753

3.840

5.753

3.844

5.750

3.837

5.746

3.837

5.746

5.747

3.838

3.842

66.733

Hz fractures / split

3.837

66.455

Hz fractures / hold

5.752

3.837

5.739

3.837

5.739

3.830

5.742

3.838

5.740

5.739

3.838

3.836

66.331

Hz fractures / hold

5.742

3.838

5.731

3.837

Core Plug Repair

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Basic Petrophysical
Properties

k
g

Core image

DIGITAL
CORE
IMAGING
Image database
Slab images
Circumferential images
Core re-orientation
Digital core imaging camera system

Correlation with well logs

Unrolled image

CORE
DESCRIPTION
International
standards
Spreadsheet database
Lithic log plots

0.001

MERCURY INJECTION
Pore interconnectivity

0.010

10000

0.100

1000

1.000

100

10.000

10

100.000
0.40

C a p i l l a ry Pre s s u re (p s i )

R einjection

Po re T h ro a t S i z e (m i cro n )

THIN SECT, SEM-EDS, XRD, XRF etc.

Mineral characterization
Clay minerals
Pore characterization

Withdrawal

I n c re m e n t a l S a t u r a t i o n ( % )

ROCK & PORE

CHARACTERIZATION

100000
Injection

1
0.35

0.30

0.25

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00

Mercury Injected (cc)

0.5
(Sample 13/96)
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0.001

0.01

0.1

Pore Throat Radius (micron)

10

100

DBase

Report

Report

Report

4b

Report

6b

5b

Profile perm

1/3 Slab

Report

6c

Geological
description

Digital
image scan

Report

Report

12a

Petrography (TS,
SEM, XRD)

Basic core
tests , k, g

5c

11a

Epoxy impregnated TS &

other samples
End
pieces

Repair
improper
plugs

Plug
1/3

Fix pieces
Mark depths
Mark orientation
Mark whole cores
Mark for V&H
plugs

Receive
Open
Clean
Storage boxes

2/3

GR Scan
Dens scan

4a

Cut whole cores

Slab (1/3 & 2/3)
Cut biscuits-if needed
Drill plugs
Veneer cut-if needed

5a

Trim

6a

Soxhlet
cleaning

7a

Endface
grinding

8a

Oven dry
&
Vacuum
cool

9a

Digital
plug
photos

Basic Core Analysis

Flow Chart

10a

Dimensions,
wt measure,
plug
description

Core Reports

Core database

Core GR and Density Logs

Profile Permeability
Core Images
Plug Images
Geological description
Petrographic Analyses
Basic Core Data

Stored Material

Drill Cuttings (Washed, Unwashed)

Core
Whole Core Samples
2/3 Portion
1/3 portion - Only for Archiving
Biscuits
- Only for Archiving

Plugs (V, H)
Plug End Pieces
Thin Sections

Special Core Analyses

Water Oil Saturation

Electrical Measurements
Geomechanical Tests
Acoustic Tests
Capillary Pressure Tests
Centrifuge
Porous Plate
Mercury
Relative Permeability tests
Wettability Tests
Recovery Tests

Safety Comes
First
High pressure
High Temperature
Hazardous chemicals