System and method for generating formation cores with realistic geological composition and geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332329-A1
Application number	US-201415111748-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Feb 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for scanning a retrieved geological core sample to produce a digital file representing the core sample. Then the digital file is transmitted to a three-dimensional printer that can execute the digital file to make a geologically, chemically, and structurally equivalent replica of the retrieved geological core sample. The three-dimensional printer can optionally combine a base geological material with one or more additives or with an inert binding agent layer by layer as three-dimensional pixels. The replica core sample can then be used for testing or for other purposes at a greatly reduced cost than retrieving multiple actual core samples. Further, the replica core sample can be reproduced at virtually any location rather than transporting an actual core sample.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
scanning a retrieved geological core sample to produce scan results describing chemical composition of the retrieved geological core sample; generating, via a processor and based on the scan results, instructions describing how to reproduce the chemical composition; and packaging the instructions for transmission to a three-dimensional printer capable of executing the instructions.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein scanning the retrieved geological core sample is accomplished via at least one of x-ray diffraction, x-ray computed tomography, near infrared spectroscopy, a scanning electron microscope, or energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further describe base geological components and additive geological components.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the additive geological components comprise at least one of silicon, aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium oxide, carbonate, or clay minerals.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scan results comprise a collection of three-dimensional pixels, wherein each three-dimensional pixel describes structural properties and mineral composition of a respective portion of the retrieved geological core sample, and wherein the collection of three-dimensional pixels collectively describes structural properties and mineral composition of the retrieved geological core sample.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scan results comprise a collection of non-cube shaped, three-dimensional regions, wherein each non-cube shaped, three-dimensional region describes structural properties and mineral composition of a respective portion of the retrieved geological core sample, and wherein the collection of non-cube shaped, three-dimensional regions collectively describes structural properties and mineral composition of the retrieved geological core sample.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scan results further describe a structure of the retrieved geological core sample.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating the instructions describing how to reproduce the structure of the retrieved geological core sample.

9 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving a file describing a chemical and structural composition of a geological core sample; identifying, from the file, base geological components and additive geological components; and according to the file, reproducing a geologically similar replica core sample by depositing layer upon layer of the base geological components mixed with additive geological components.

10 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , further comprising, as part of the depositing, combining the base geological components and the additive geological components with an inert binding agent.

11 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein the file is a three-dimensional printer file.

12 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein the file specifies geological attributes, the instructions causing the computing device to perform operations further comprising:
identifying, based on the geological attributes, a suitable base geological component and a suitable additive geological component that, when combined, are within a threshold similarity to the geological attributes.

13 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a scaling factor; and reproducing the geologically similar replica core sample further according to the scaling factor, such that the geologically similar replica core sample is a different size than the geological core sample.

14 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein the geologically similar replica core sample is reproduced by depositing layer upon layer via a plaster-based three-dimensional printer using powders for the additive geological components.

15 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein the file describes the chemical composition of the geological core sample as a collection of three-dimensional pixels, wherein each three-dimensional pixel describes structural properties and mineral composition of a respective portion of the geological core sample, and wherein the collection of three-dimensional pixels collectively describes structural properties and mineral composition of the geological core sample.

16 . A system comprising:
a processor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: scanning a retrieved geological core sample to produce scan results describing a chemical composition and a structure of the retrieved geological core sample; generating, based on the scan results, input data for a three dimensional printer describing how to reproduce the chemical composition and the structure; and executing the input data, via the three dimensional printer, to produce a geologically similar replica core sample by depositing layer upon layer of base geological components, additive geological components, and a binding agent.

17 . The system of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
receiving a scaling factor; and producing the geologically similar replica core sample further according to the scaling factor, such that the geologically similar replica core sample is a different size than the retrieved geological core sample.

18 . The system of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
identifying, based on the chemical composition of the retrieved geological core sample, a suitable base geological component and a suitable additive geological component that, when combined, are within a threshold similarity to the chemical composition of the retrieved geological core sample.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein scanning the retrieved geological core sample is accomplished via at least one of x-ray diffraction, x-ray computed tomography, near infrared spectroscopy, a scanning electron microscope, or energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the input data describes the chemical composition and the structure of the geological core sample as a collection of three-dimensional pixels, wherein each three-dimensional pixel describes structural properties and mineral composition of a respective portion of the geological core sample, and wherein the collection of three-dimensional pixels collectively describes structural properties and mineral composition of the retrieved geological core sample.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Nguyen Philip D
• Vo Loan K
• Mock Brian D
• Kralovetz Aaron Christopher

Classifications

• G01N23/20

  by using diffraction of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating crystal structure; by using scattering of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating non-crystalline materials; by using reflection of the radiation by the materials · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• G01N23/2251

  using incident electron beams, e.g. scanning electron microscopy [SEM] · CPC title

• B28B17/0081 Primary

  Process control · CPC title