Core Analysis : A Best Practice Guide

Core Analysis: A Best Practice Guide is a practical guide to the design of core analysis programs. Written to address the need for an updated set of recommended practices covering special core analysis and geomechanics tests, the book also provides unique insights into data quality control diagnosis and data utilization in reservoir models.

The book's best practices and procedures benefit petrophysicists, geoscientists, reservoir engineers, and production engineers, who will find useful information on core data in reservoir static and dynamic models. It provides a solid understanding of the core analysis procedures and methods used by commercial laboratories, the details of lab data reporting required to create quality control tests, and the diagnostic plots and protocols that can be used to identify suspect or erroneous data.

• Provides a practical overview of core analysis, from coring at the well site to laboratory data acquisition and interpretation
• Defines current best practice in core analysis preparation and test procedures, and the diagnostic tools used to quality control core data
• Provides essential information on design of core analysis programs and to judge the quality and reliability of core analysis data ultimately used in reservoir evaluation
• Of specific interest to those working in core analysis, porosity, relative permeability, and geomechanics

Colin McPhee is widely recognised as an industry expert in core analysis, petrophysics, geomechanics, and formation damage. His 40 years’ experience includes major integrated petrophysics and geomechanics projects for fields in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the North Sea. Currently, Colin is Global Technical Head for Geomechanics and Rock properties for LR Senergy, advising clients on petrophysical and geomechanical aspects of field development, asset evaluation and well construction.

After working as a wellsite geologist in the North Sea then a geotechnical engineer, Colin joined the Department of Petroleum Engineering in Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh in 1980 where he was responsible for technical and operational supervision of departmental research projects, involving petrophysical core analysis and fluid flow in porous media. He later joined Edinburgh Petroleum Services where he managed its core analysis laboratory equipment division and core testing laboratory, and developed one of the first core analysis audit and laboratory management consultancies in the world. Since then he has managed over 200 core analysis programmes for Helix RDS and LR Senergy and has audited over 50,000 SCAL measurements . His active promotion of closer cooperation between stakeholders and core analysis vendors and his innovative solutions in SCAL data interpretation has ensured that core data are more reliable, robust and representative. Colin developed an industry-leading, independent training course in core analysis data acquisition and utilisation in 1990 and has now taught over 100 courses to over 1500 industry professionals, worldwide. Colin has written several technical papers, regularly presents at industry conferences worldwide and has been a Technical Editor for the Society of Petroleum Engineers Formation Evaluation publication. He was a SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2010-2011, lecturing on core analysis. Colin has a BSc in applied geology from Strathclyde University and a masters in civil engineering from Glasgow University.

Jules Reed is Senergy’s Global Core Analysis Manager and has over 20 years’ experience in routine and special core analysis and coreflooding studies gained with Core Laboratories, Corex UK, ResLab, and most recently, Weatherford Labs where he was Technical Director, Core Services. He has specialized in product development, data quality control, training and design and interpretation of specialist coreflood/dynamic test studies (including CO2, WAG, EOR and IOR). Jules has held several board positions in the Society of Core Analysts including VP Technology and President, and was Chapter Chairman of SPE Trondheim Section

Izaskun Zubizaretta is currently a Principal Core Analysis Specialist with Senergy and has 14 years experience in the interpretation and performance of core analysis, being involved in project management programmes and core data analysis for national oil companies as well as several independent operators.