Optimizing subterranean treatment characteristic by digital geoinformatics

摘要

Methods for acquiring, cataloguing, and analyzing digital core samples taken of subterranean formations are disclosed. One embodiment provides a method that includes obtaining an image or a series of images of at least a portion of a subterranean formation; simulating, by a computing device, a fracturing characteristic of the subterranean formation based on the image or the series of images; and cataloguing the image or the series of images in a formation fingerprinting database.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
obtaining a digital core sample of a subterranean formation comprising: an image or a series of images of a core sample, a drill cutting, or both from the subterranean formation having a fracturing characteristic, wherein the image or series of images are obtained under dynamic conditions to show a time-dependent change in the core sample, the drill cutting, or both and by a technique selected from the group consisting of: scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, x-ray computed tomography scanning, nuclear magnetic resonance, and any combination thereof; simulating, by a computing device, the fracturing characteristic of the subterranean formation selected from the group consisting of: fracture density, fracture distribution, fracture mechanism, fracture pattern, chemical bonding of the subterranean formation, and any combination thereof using a numerical method; and searching for a homologous digital core sample or a nearest homologous digital core sample in a formation fingerprinting database that includes digital core samples for a plurality of subterranean formations that do not correspond to the subterranean formation from which the core sample, the drill cutting, or both were obtained.