Petrography (Thin Section Interpretation)
Our trained and specialized Petrographers utilize thin section slides created from drill cuttings, core plugs, or core representing the reservoir of interest. Petrographic examination and imaging is conducted using a Nikon E400 polarizing transmitted light microscope combined with a Nikon Digital Camera (DL-05). In certain cases, imaging in polarized light is used to highlight hair-line fractures in thin sections made with a fluorescent epoxy (such as Rhodamin B). High quality images and annotated interpretations accompany every petrographic report (thin section microphotograph plates).
Our detailed, complete and integrated petrographic reports incorporate observations and interpretations on the mineralogy of framework grains, grain size, sorting and other textures, rock type (Folk and/or Dunham Classification), cements and/or authigenic minerals, diagenesis (paragenesis), reservoir characterization (porosity types and architecture), reservoir facies identification and potential formation damage issues and recommendations.
The petrographic analyses we provide has proven to be beneficial to our clients in sedimentological characterization of reservoirs, exploration within hydrocarbon prone areas, identifying and completing by-pass and pay zones, identifying fractures and faults, planning for offset drilling or twinning of wells, and identification and mitigation of potential risks associated with completion and production, for example.
Petrographic analysis is integrated with all other supplied data, and in particular is often supplemented by results from additional analyses such as PSD, XRF, XRD, and SEM.
