Method and system of showing heterogeneity of a porous sample

Abstract

A system and method for showing heterogeneity of a porous sample by evaluating the porous sample to generate a digital core image, performing segmentations on the digital core image using multiple approaches to obtain a segmented volume, dividing the segmented volume into one or more sub-volumes of differing size, calculating one or more petrophysical or fluid flow parameters or porosity from the one or more sub-volumes, and presenting data as a structure composed of grid blocks representing an exact representation of the one or more sub-volumes positioned according to a spatial location of the one or more sub-volumes based on selected parameters or values from the one or more petrophysical or fluid flow parameters or porosity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for showing heterogeneity of a porous sample comprising:
 evaluating the porous sample to generate a digital core image;   performing a plurality of segmentations on the digital core image using a plurality of approaches to obtain a segmented volume;   dividing the segmented volume into at least one sub-volume of differing size;   calculating at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity from the at least one sub-volume; and   presenting data as a structure composed of grid blocks representing an exact representation of the at least one sub-volume positioned according to a spatial location of the at least one sub-volume based on selected parameters or values from the at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segmentations comprise binarizations and the segmented volume comprises a binary volume. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing data of the structure for presentation in a 2D or 3D format. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating the porous sample is performed using at least one from a group consisting of X-ray scanning, computed tomography scanning, scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy. 
     
     
         5 . A system for showing heterogeneity of a porous sample comprising:
 a plurality of measurement and testing equipment configured to evaluate the porous sample to generate a digital core image; and   a computing system comprising:
 a data repository configured to store the digital core image, 
 a digital core modeling tool configured to:
 perform a plurality of binarizations or segmentations on the digital core image using a plurality of approaches to obtain a binary or segmented volume; 
 divide the binary or segmented volume into at least one sub-volume of differing size; and 
 calculate at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity from the at least one sub-volume, and 
 
 a display configured to present data as a structure composed of grid blocks representing an exact representation of the at least one sub-volume positioned according to a spatial location of the at least one sub-volume based on selected parameters or values from the at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity. 
   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the data repository is further configured to store data of the structure for presentation in a 2D or 3D format. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of measurement and testing equipment is further configured to evaluate the porous sample using at least one from a group consisting of X-ray scanning, computed tomography scanning, scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for showing heterogeneity of a porous sample, the instructions when executed by a computer processor comprising functionality for:
 evaluating the porous sample to generate a digital core image;   performing a plurality of binarizations or segmentations on the digital core image using a plurality of approaches to obtain a binary or segmented volume;   dividing the binary or segmented volume into at least one sub-volume of differing size;   calculating at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity from the at least one sub-volume; and   presenting data as a structure composed of grid blocks representing an exact representation of the at least one sub-volume positioned according to a spatial location of the at least one sub-volume based on selected parameters or values from the at least one petrophysical or fluid flow parameter or porosity.