Fracability Measurement via Core Fracture Density Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing rock fracability in subterranean formations are inefficient, as they rely on limited data and manual analysis, which hinders accurate hydraulic fracturing planning and well drilling operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize high-resolution core images and artificial intelligence to automatically count artificial fractures, generate fracture density curves, and create fracability models, enabling a more precise measurement of rock fracability through the correlation of fracture density with mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual analysis methods are used to assess rock fracability, then the process is simple to implement, but the measurement precision and productivity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis with an automated computer-based system that captures core images and uses image processing algorithms to automatically count fractures and generate fracability models, thereby improving both precision and productivity simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies of rock cores through high-resolution imaging, allowing multiple analyses to be performed on the same physical sample without additional manual work, thus improving productivity while maintaining measurement precision through repeated digital processing
2Reliability
If limited data is used for fracability assessment, then the analysis is faster, but the reliability of the fracability model deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary high-resolution imaging and fracture counting on multiple core samples from different geographical locations before model generation, ensuring comprehensive data is prepared in advance to improve model reliability without extending the actual modeling time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal fracability model that integrates data from multiple geographical locations and core samples, allowing the same modeling framework to process diverse data sets and generate reliable predictions across different formations
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive core imaging and AI analysis are implemented, then the fracability measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary computer-based image processing system that bridges the simple core sampling process and the complex fracability modeling, handling the complexity of fracture counting and analysis while presenting simplified results to users
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating a fracability model of a subterranean formation. The method includes coring and collecting rock cores from a plurality of geographical locations in the subterranean formation, capturing a plurality of core images of the rock cores, generating, by a computer processor and based on the plurality of core images, a plurality of artificial fracture counts of the rock cores, computing, by the computer processor and based on the plurality of artificial fracture counts, a first fracture density curve corresponding to a first geographical location of the plurality of geographical locations, generating, by the computer processor and based on the first fracture density curve, a first fracability measure curve of the rock cores, and generating, by the computer processor and based at least on the first fracability measure curve, a fracability model of the subterranean formation.