Hydrocarbon determination in unconventional shale

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10094949-B2
Application number	US-201213663790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2012
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for identifying a fluid and locations of the fluid in a formation of shale having porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures includes: a carrier configured to be conveyed through a borehole penetrating the shale; a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tool disposed at the carrier and configured to perform NMR measurements on the shale, the NMR measurements include a spectrum of transverse relaxation times; and a processor configured to receive NMR measurements on the shale performed by the NMR tool and to identify the fluid and locations of the fluid in the shale using the spectrum of transverse relaxation times.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for identifying a fluid and locations of the fluid in a formation of shale comprising porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures, the apparatus comprising:
a carrier configured to be conveyed through a borehole penetrating the shale comprising porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures;
a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tool disposed at the carrier and configured to perform NMR measurements on the shale comprising porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures, the NMR measurements comprising a spectrum of transverse relaxation times; and
a processor configured to receive NMR measurements on the shale comprising porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures performed by the NMR tool and to identify the fluid and locations of the fluid in the shale comprising porous kerogen material and an inorganic matrix defining pores and micro-fractures using the spectrum of transverse relaxation times.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is hydrocarbon material; and the hydrocarbon material is present in pores in the kerogen material in the shale.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a maximum peak of amplitude of the spectrum occurs at less than ten milliseconds transverse relaxation time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a percentage of the hydrocarbon material by total volume of the shale by integrating the spectrum over time.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water disposed in pores of the inorganic matrix in the shale.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a maximum peak of amplitude of the spectrum occurs at less than 3.3 milliseconds transverse relaxation time.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a percentage of the water by total volume of the shale by integrating the spectrum over time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is liquid hydrocarbon material disposed in pores in the inorganic matrix in the shale.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a maximum peak of amplitude of the spectrum occurs at less than one second transverse relaxation time.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a percentage of the hydrocarbon material by total volume of the shale by integrating the spectrum over time.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a maximum peak of amplitude of the spectrum is in a range of 20 to 200 milliseconds transverse relaxation time.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising estimating a percentage of the hydrocarbon material by total volume of the shale by integrating the spectrum over time.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is liquid hydrocarbon material disposed in the micro-fractures in the shale.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein carrier comprises a wireline, a slickline, a drill string or coiled tubing.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein pores of the porous kerogen material range in size from a nanometer to 100 nanometers.

Assignees

• Chen Jinhong
• Zhang Jilin
• Jin Guodong
• Quinn Terrence
• Frost Jr Elton
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Chen Jinhong
• Zhang Jilin
• Jin Guodong
• Quinn Terrence
• Frost Jr Elton

Classifications

• G01V3/32 Primary

  operating with electron or nuclear magnetic resonance · CPC title

• G01N24/081

  Making measurements of geologic samples, e.g. measurements of moisture, pH, porosity, permeability, tortuosity or viscosity · CPC title