First Non-Contact Mini-Permeameter

Dr. Naim Al-Jabari^*, Dave Bowen, Prof. Brian Smart, Dr. Jim Somerville
Heriot-Watt University Petroleum Institute, Edinburgh, UK
^*Now at Halliburton, Kuwait

This paper was prepared for presentation at the International Symposium of the Society of Core
Analysts held in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, 27-30 August, 2012

Abstract:
Minipermeameters are gaining an increased interest in the petroleum industry due to being the main tools for non-destructive, fast and relatively cheap permeability measurement on core samples. This paper discusses a recently patented novel technique development for measuring permeability based on the pressure-decay technique but without touching the core sample. The exact range of permeability that the device would be able to measure is still under study. The non-contact mini-permeameter has been tested in both synthetic and real rock samples and compared with the latest commercially available mini-permeameter. The results are by far more accurate, precise and faster than current available mini-permeameters. The measurement time for each point is approximately 5 ms with a distance 0.04 mm between measured points compare to few minutes measurement time and 0.1 mm at best in other pressure-decay minipermeameters. This makes the non-contact permeameter over 12,000 times faster. This allows permeability maps to be generated on slabbed core in a matter of hours instead of days or months. The concern of breaking a core sample while sealing the minipermeameter probe to take a measurement is eliminated. The fact that no contact is required with the core sample allows the measurement to be made on any rock surface as long as 5 mm2 area is available below the probe. The new device is small and can be used on site geological surveys. This new development of a non-contact sensing permeameter is part of a bigger routine core analysis system that aims at measuring almost all rock properties in a non-contact non-destructive fashion before and after core cleaning and with minimum core slabbing.

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About the Society of Core Analysts

Objectives
The name of this organization is the Society of Core Analysts (SCA) and was founded in 1986. This organization is a Chapter-at-Large of The Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA) and is established with two objectives:

• To promote the aims, purposes, and membership of the SPWLA which is a non-profit scientific organization.
• To serve the interests of all persons who use or obtain reservoir evaluation information from rock and core samples.

As a guide for fulfilment of the first objective, this Chapter stands responsible to, and subject to, the rules and regulations of the SPWLA.

As a means toward the second objective this Chapter will sponsor technical speakers, projects, and presentation of papers dealing with formation evaluation. This Chapter will hold membership open to all core analysts, log analysts, geologists, geophysicists engineers, service company personnel and all others interested in the study of rocks and their interstitial fluids. This Chapter will also actively encourage membership and participation in the activities of the SPWLA.

Website: www.scaweb.org