Carl Zeiss Sdn Bhd: Holistic Rock Characterisation - Tackling Heterogeneity of Scale in 3D
Accurately characterising rocks in three-dimensions (3D) is essential if we are to understand the macrostructure and microstructure controls on their physical properties, and the controls on the physical transport imposed by the nature of their pore networks. The challenges presented by characterising rocks in 3D are numerous, for example:
• by their nature, rock cores are heterogeneous over length scales which requires the microscopic characterisation of a large number, perhaps thousands, of samples
• microstructures are challenging to image significantly with 3D techniques. There is a balancing act between resolution and sample size, and between resolution and sample representativity. Techniques such as micro-tomography (uCT) require progressively smaller samples to achieve the highest image resolutions. Resolution can be pushed to the level of nano-porosity with the use of a focused-ion-beam scanning-electron-microscope (FIB-SEM), but sample representativity is further compromised. At the highest resolutions we may be observing 1mm diameter cores with uCT, or a volume of hundreds of microns with FIB-SEM
• characterisation may also be realised with 2D techniques by scanning a large number of samples and using newly developed techniques to model a 3D volume from these, but in every case, 3D and 2D, we need to consider data handling, access, and size
Over this presentation we will be discussing the detail behind these challenges and presenting some of the latest advances in imaging technology and Artificial Intelligence that when brought together offer means by which lithological sequences may be characterised, at macro and micro scale, in 3D.