Course Description

Core analysis provides essential laboratory data for reservoir characterization, petrophysical interpretation, reserves estimation, production forecasting, enhanced recovery studies, and the evaluation of geological formations for CO₂ storage. The reliability of engineering and subsurface decisions depends heavily on the quality of core selection, preservation, preparation, testing, interpretation, and data quality control.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Routine Core Analysis and Special Core Analysis for both conventional petroleum reservoirs and CCS applications. It connects laboratory measurements with field-scale decisions, including porosity, permeability, fluid saturation, wettability, electrical properties, capillary pressure, relative permeability, rock mechanics, injectivity, reservoir performance, and containment integrity.

Participants will learn how to design a fit-for-purpose core analysis program, select representative samples, recognize preparation-related bias, compare laboratory methods, interpret RCA and SCAL data, and identify common sources of uncertainty and poor-quality results. Special consideration is given to differences between hydrocarbon systems and CO₂-brine systems, including geochemical reactivity, capillary entry pressure, stress sensitivity, and caprock integrity.

The course includes practical data interpretation, laboratory data quality control, integration with well logs and reservoir models, and hands-on analysis of real experimental datasets. Participants will develop a structured approach to converting laboratory measurements into reliable recommendations for field development or CO₂ storage projects.

Course Objectives

  • Understand the role of core analysis within reservoir characterization, field development, production forecasting, and CCS evaluation.
  • Differentiate between Routine Core Analysis and Special Core Analysis measurements and applications.
  • Develop fit-for-purpose core analysis programs based on reservoir uncertainty and project objectives.
  • Select representative core samples while minimizing geological and sampling bias.
  • Understand core preservation, cleaning, preparation, restoration, and handling requirements.
  • Interpret porosity, permeability, saturation, electrical property, wettability, and capillary pressure measurements.
  • Determine and evaluate Archie parameters, formation resistivity factor, resistivity index, and saturation functions.
  • Compare steady-state, unsteady-state, centrifuge, and other relative permeability measurement methods.
  • Understand laboratory measurement differences between conventional hydrocarbon and CO₂-brine systems.
  • Evaluate geochemical reactions, caprock behavior, stress sensitivity, and rock mechanical test results.
  • Apply systematic QA/QC procedures to laboratory datasets and identify outliers, inconsistencies, and scaling issues.
  • Integrate RCA and SCAL data with well logs, geological models, reservoir simulation, and field development decisions.
  • Prepare a structured core analysis interpretation and recommendations for petroleum development or CO₂ storage.

Audience

Engineers, technicians, supervisors, managers, and other professionals involved in the relevant technical or business function.

Prerequisites

No formal prerequisites are required. Relevant education or industry experience is beneficial.

Course Content

Role and Design of Core Analysis Programs

  • Role of core analysis in reservoir characterization and decision-making
  • Linking laboratory measurements to reserves, recovery, injectivity, and containment
  • Routine Core Analysis and Special Core Analysis workflows
  • Defining reservoir uncertainties and measurement objectives
  • Fit-for-purpose test selection and structured experimental design
  • Screening, detailed, and advanced testing strategies
  • Common causes of ineffective or over-designed core analysis programs

Sample Selection and Preparation

  • Representative sampling under geological heterogeneity
  • Plug samples, whole core, and full-diameter samples
  • Facies-driven sample selection
  • Core preservation, damage prevention, and handling
  • Dean-Stark cleaning and alternative cleaning methods
  • Wettability restoration and preparation-related uncertainty
  • Differences between conventional reservoir and CCS sample preparation

Routine Core Analysis

  • Bulk volume, grain volume, and pore volume
  • Helium porosity and effective porosity
  • Gas and liquid permeability measurements
  • Klinkenberg correction and stress sensitivity
  • Water, oil, and gas saturation measurements
  • Dean-Stark saturation analysis
  • Integration and reconciliation of core and log data
  • Practical RCA data interpretation and QA/QC

Electrical Properties and Saturation Evaluation

  • Formation resistivity factor and resistivity index
  • Archie equation and parameter determination
  • Effects of clay, salinity, temperature, and wettability
  • Application to clean, shaly, and carbonate reservoirs
  • Irreducible water saturation and residual oil saturation
  • Saturation-height functions
  • Laboratory electrical data handling and validation

Capillary Pressure and Wettability

  • Capillary pressure fundamentals and applications
  • Mercury injection, porous plate, and centrifuge methods
  • Conversion of capillary pressure data to reservoir conditions
  • Capillary entry pressure and CCS containment
  • Amott and USBM wettability measurements
  • Impact of wettability on relative permeability and displacement
  • Linking capillary pressure to fluid contacts and column heights

Relative Permeability

  • Relative permeability concepts and flow regimes
  • Oil-water, gas-oil, gas-water, and CO₂-brine systems
  • Steady-state and unsteady-state measurement methods
  • Centrifuge and displacement-based measurements
  • Hysteresis and saturation history
  • Experimental design and boundary conditions
  • Data processing, uncertainty, and quality assessment
  • Transfer of laboratory data to reservoir simulation models

Core Analysis for CCS Applications

  • Differences between petroleum and CO₂ storage samples
  • CO₂-brine-rock interactions
  • Dissolution, precipitation, and changes in porosity and permeability
  • Capillary entry pressure and sealing capacity
  • CO₂-brine wettability and relative permeability
  • Stress sensitivity and injectivity
  • Caprock swelling, mechanical behavior, and leakage risk

Rock Mechanics Testing

  • Uniaxial and triaxial compression testing
  • Brazilian tensile strength testing
  • Stress paths and mechanical properties
  • Application to wellbore stability and hydraulic fracturing
  • Application to production compaction and subsidence
  • Determining CO₂ injection pressure limits
  • Integration with geomechanical models

Advanced Core Analysis Technologies

  • X-ray CT scanning and dynamic flow visualization
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for pore and fluid characterization
  • Digital rock physics
  • Advanced imaging and pore-scale analysis
  • Selection of advanced technologies based on technical value and cost

Data Interpretation, QA/QC and Integrated Workshop

  • Systematic laboratory data screening
  • Outlier and inconsistency detection
  • Cross-property validation
  • Uncertainty and scale management
  • Combined RCA and SCAL interpretation
  • Integration with logs, static models, and reservoir simulation
  • Interpretation of real experimental datasets
  • Preparation of a mini core analysis report
  • Recommendations for field development or CO₂ storage

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