ABSTRACT
Understanding the reservoir through laboratory analysis and digital rock imaging is one of the building blocks of petroleum reservoir development. This chapter focuses on the measurements and data acquired in the laboratory from unconventional reservoir rock samples and is aimed at characterizing the lithology and measuring the properties needed for reservoir modeling and hydraulic fracture stimulation. One goal of this chapter is to provide overviews of the analytical techniques and digital imaging methods used for specific data types and to discuss the strengths and limitations of each technique. All analytical procedures have limitations; the overviews discuss the impact of those limitations generally in relation to mudstone (also known as shale) reservoirs. As with much of the industry, this chapter includes the analysis of coalbed methane reservoirs, and tight-gas and tight-oil reservoirs, but the focus is on the analysis of mudstone reservoirs.
