DigitalROCK
Predictive Technology for Digital Pore-scale Simulation
DigitalROCK - Pore-Scale Simulation
Powered by SIMULIA’s best-in-class Lattice Boltzmann physics, DigitalROCK® provides the first reliable, predictive technology for digital pore-scale simulation of relative permeability. The ability to accurately simulate two-phase flow, such as oil and water, through reservoir rock was co-developed and extensively validated with oil and gas industry leaders. Electric vehicle manufacturers and other major users of batteries can also benefit from using DigitalROCK to characterize the microstructure of the battery cell.
Available as a web-based application on the cloud, the streamlined DigitalROCK workflow goes from image to results easily and efficiently. Simulation enables unprecedented access to data for the engineers who need it. The user interface is easy and intuitive, and cloud delivery avoids infrastructure, hardware, and IT issues to minimize up-front expenses.
DigitalROCK Features & Benefits
The fastest path from rock to results, the DigitalROCK approach starts by imaging a sample - whether whole core, sidewall/rotary core, or even cuttings. After uploading the image and running selected analyses, users navigate easily through the results to see computed petrophysical properties and 3D visualizations. These results include:
Pore space analysis - Porosity, connected porosity, and pore size distribution.
MICP curves - Digital version of the standard Mercury Injection Capillary Pressure (MICP) test, essential for core analysis.
Absolute permeability - Evaluate porosity-permeability trend; perform multi-directional analysis to evaluate anisotropy.
Relative permeability - Key reservoir model input characterizing multi-phase flow; indicates residual (trapped) oil.
Capillary desaturation - Reveals flow conditions required for secondary or tertiary oil recovery.
DigitalROCK Key Capabilites
Leveraging highly scalable, high-performance computing and patented flow Simulation, DigitalROCK offers:
- Analysis even from a small rock sample; whole core is not required.
- Accurate two-phase relative permeability and capillary pressure results – available in a day.
- MICP and absolute permeabilities in an hour.
- Multi-directional (X,Y,Z) analysis and porosity-permeability trends.
- Streamlined process with intuitive UI usable by anyone.
- Easy collaboration across teams through shared digital library of images and results.
- Easily rerun any digital test with modified conditions to isolate the effects of various properties.
- Quickly access results for analysis or download.
- Dramatically improve analysis time, consistency and reproducibility of essential rock properties.
DigitalROCK Application Solutions
In the oil and gas industry, measures of absolute and relative permeability are critical to helping reservoir engineers and asset managers optimize production. But traditional lab tests can require costly, whole-core samples and take months or even a year to complete. Results often lack accuracy and consistency, adding uncertainty and risk to these important decisions.
By providing accurate, reproducible data faster, SIMULIA’s DigitalROCK solution offers an alternative to physical testing. DigitalROCK uses high-resolution digital images of rock samples to simulate and analyze essential, flow-related properties, including absolute and relative permeability. Multi-phase relative permeability analysis is available digitally for the first time ever – with results dramatically accelerated from months to days. DigitalROCK has been validated with industry partners both for academic test cases and real rock samples. Achieving fast, repeatable results more cost-effectively helps to increase throughput for critical analyses: providing more data, and better data, faster to support reservoir management.
SUMMARY
- Use a fast, cost-effective, and reproducible alternative to physical lab testing.
- Assess the potential for EOR, production, stimulation, and completion.
- Work with even a small rock sample; a whole core is not required.
- Also effective for analyzing the microstructure of battery cells.
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