Imperial College London
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ProfessorMartinBlunt

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Earth Science & Engineering

Chair in Flow in Porous Media
 
 
 
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Contact

 

+44 (0)20 7594 6500m.blunt Website

 
 
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Location

 

2.38ARoyal School of MinesSouth Kensington Campus

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Summary

 

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Saif:2017:10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.039,
author = {Saif, T and Lin, Q and Butcher, AR and Bijeljic, B and Blunt, MJ},
doi = {10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.039},
journal = {Applied Energy},
pages = {628--647},
title = {Multi-scale multi-dimensional microstructure imaging of oil shale pyrolysis using X-ray micro-tomography, automated ultra-high resolution SEM, MAPS Mineralogy and FIB-SEM},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.039},
volume = {202},
year = {2017}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The complexity of unconventional rock systems is expressed both in the compositional variance of the microstructure and the extensive heterogeneity of the pore space. Visualizing and quantifying the microstructure of oil shale before and after pyrolysis permits a more accurate determination of petrophysical properties which are important in modeling hydrocarbon production potential. We characterize the microstructural heterogeneity of oil shale using X-ray micro-tomography (µCT), automated ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MAPS Mineralogy (Modular Automated Processing System) and Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM). The organic-rich Eocene Green River (Mahogany zone) oil shale is characterized using a multi-scale multi-dimensional workflow both before and after pyrolysis. Observations in 2-D and 3-D and across nm-µm-mm length scales demonstrate both heterogeneity and anisotropy at every scale. Image acquisition and analysis using µCT and SEM reveal a microstructure of alternating kerogen-rich laminations interbedded with layers of fine-grained inorganic minerals. MAPS Mineralogy combined with ultrafast measurements reveal mineralogic textures dominated by dolomite, calcite, K-feldspar, quartz, pyrite and illitic clays along with their spatial distribution, augmenting conventional mineral analysis. From high resolution Backscattered electron (BSE) images, intra-organic, inter-organic-mineral, intra- and inter-mineral pores are observed with varying sizes and geometries. By using FIB milling and SEM imaging sequentially and repetitively, 3-D data sets were reconstructed. By setting 3-D gradient and marker-based watershed transforms, the organic matter, minerals and pore phases (including pore-back artifacts) were segmented and visualized and the pore-size distribution was computed. Following pyrolysis, fractures from the mm-to-µm scales were observed with preferential propagation along the kerogen-ric
AU  - Saif,T
AU  - Lin,Q
AU  - Butcher,AR
AU  - Bijeljic,B
AU  - Blunt,MJ
DO  - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.039
EP  - 647
PY  - 2017///
SN  - 0306-2619
SP  - 628
TI  - Multi-scale multi-dimensional microstructure imaging of oil shale pyrolysis using X-ray micro-tomography, automated ultra-high resolution SEM, MAPS Mineralogy and FIB-SEM
T2  - Applied Energy
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.05.039
UR  - http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000407188500051&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/53192
VL  - 202
ER  -
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