Argile Analytica

Services

Drill Cuttings

Adequately collected, washed, and sampled drill cuttings can bear a wealth of information with regards to reservoir quality and are being used at Argile Analytica extensively for Petrographic and other analyses such as XRD, XRF, PSD, Rock-eval, biostratigraphy and vitrinite reflectance, etc.  In addition, trained geologists and wellsite geologists (utilizing a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereomicroscope) examine and analyze the drill cuttings to create lithologic logs, and are able to describe in considerable detail the mineralogy, sediment textures, cements, hydrocarbon shows, and reservoir quality (estimation of total porosity and permeability) of the stratigraphy that is being drilled through.  Photographic imaging can also be done of the drill cuttings in reflected light up to 40x magnification.  Lithologic descriptions and other analyses of drill cuttings may be completed at a later time, if not at the well site.  In effect, drill cuttings represent a fairly continuous record of stratigraphy, and can be a very valuable sedimentological and geological data source, especially in Alberta and the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin.

The AER Core Research Facility in Calgary, AB, has a comprehensive library of stored drill cuttings from wells drilled all over Alberta that are available to the public.  Some operators may also choose to keep and store a proprietary set of drill cuttings from wells they drill.

Argile Analytica provides short-term sample storage and drill cutting washing services.