A method for rapid determination of oil and water content in geological formations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a rapid, non-destructive method using Fast Neutron Resonance Transmission Radiography to accurately determine oil and water content in geological cores, aiding in petro-physical property evaluation.

Contribution

It presents a novel neutron-based technique for simultaneous, rapid quantification of oil and water in geological formations, improving over traditional methods.

Findings

Successfully measured oil and water fractions in sandstone and limestone samples.

Enabled calculation of porosity and fluid saturations from neutron data.

Demonstrated applicability to various formation types including shales and oil sands.

Abstract

A novel method utilizing Fast Neutron Resonance Transmission Radiography is proposed for rapid, non-destructive and quantitative determination of the weight fractions of oil and water in cores taken from subterranean or underwater geological formations. Its ability to distinguish water from oil stems from the unambiguously-specific energy-dependence of the neutron cross-sections for the principal elemental constituents. Furthermore, the fluid weight fractions permit determining core porosity and oil and water saturations. In this article we show results of experimental determination of oil and water weight fractions in 10 cm thick samples of Berea Sandstone and Indiana Limestone formations, followed by calculation of their porosity and fluid saturations. The technique may ultimately permit rapid, accurate and non-destructive evaluation of relevant petro-physical properties in thick intact cores. It is suitable for all types of formations including tight shales, clays and oil sands.