Core Analysis of Reservoir Rock Systems

Core analysis is an essential source of quantitative data on reservoir properties. These data are used for modeling the distribution and flow of oil and gas reservoirs, CO2 and hydrogen storage, and flow behavior in geothermal reservoirs. While several books cover core analysis for practitioners, this book fills a gap through introducing laboratory equipment and procedures used in core analysis and the theoretical aspects of the parameters. It offers detailed instructions on experimental execution for those with limited or no experience including risk analysis for high safety.

• Emphasizes the basic characterization of porous materials for multiphase flow, specifically consolidated natural materials.
• Features methods commonly used in the special core analysis within the oil and gas industry, extending to the emerging field of gas storage with occasional references to research-oriented equipment.
• Offers detailed descriptions of laboratory exercises and instructions on data analysis suitable for student work.
• Includes solutions to some exercises to demonstrate the application of measured parameters in reservoir evaluation.
• Provides a unique combination of brief discussions on the basic theory of parameters, explanations of experimental principles, detailed experimental procedures according laboratory standards, and data analysis, with multiple laboratory-related example problems.

This concise and practical workbook is written for everyone interested in practical measurements of parameters needed for analysis of fluid flow in porous media, specifically students, or for starting staff in the laboratory preferably with a background in geosciences or fluid mechanics, or related topics.

Hassan Karimaie is the holder of a BSc and an MS from Abadan Institute of Technology (AIT) and Tehran University, respectively, in petroleum engineering. He completed his PhD in 2007 and his postdoctoral degree in 2012, both on reservoir engineering, at NTNU in Norway. Throughout his academic journey, he has made significant contributions by teaching graduate-level reservoir engineering courses at NTNU, IIT Madrass, KNUST, and various other universities and oil companies. He has published more than 60 papers in esteemed journals and supervised many master’s and PhD students. Hassan has more than 30 years of industrial experience, having worked as staff and provided consultancy services to several oil companies. He received the SPE/EAGE Award in 2009 and was selected as a distinguished lecturer by EAGE in 2019. His research interests include multiphase flow in fractured porous media, CO2 EOR and storage, heavy oil, and all aspects of core analysis. Hassan is currently serving as Chair of Petroleum Engineering and Associate Professor at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Ghana.

Antje van der Net is since 2019 an Associate Professor in Reservoir Engineering at the Department of Geoscience of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. She is also a research associate at PoreLab, a Norwegian Centre of Excellence. She received a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from Delft Technical University in 2005. She graduated from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland in 2008 with a thesis on the experimental physics on generation, characterization, and solidification of microcrystalline foams. She worked for 11 years in industry, in BASF SE, as laboratory team leader in the physics research department of Wintershall Holding GmbH, and as reservoir engineer in EOR research and project coordination before coming to NTNU. Her topics of research interest are reservoir engineering, experiments, SCAL analysis, enhanced oil recovery, surfactants/low salinity, wettability, streaming potential, convective flow CO2 storage, and foams.

Ole Torsæter is Professor Emeritus in reservoir engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He is also a research associate at PoreLab, a Norwegian Centre of Excellence. Before this, he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oslo. He has been researcher or visiting professor with SINTEF, Phillips Petroleum, ResLab, New Mexico Tech, Texas A & M, University of Bordeaux, and A*STAR, Singapore. Torsæter has supervised 220 Master’s- and 25 PhD-candidates. He has published 200 research papers and edited 8 books. Ole Torsæter has a doctorate degree from NTNU with a thesis on water imbibition in the chalk formations in the Ekofisk Field. Torsæter received the Darcy Technical Achievement Award from the Society of Core Analysts in 2014, the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2016, and the Management and Information Award in 2018 from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Torsæter is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences.