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Analysis of ZTE MRI Application to Sandstone and Carbonate
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  • Kyle Covington,
  • Alexander Goroncy,
  • Teresa Lehmann,
  • Zuhao Kou,
  • Heng Wang,
  • Vladimir Alvarado
Kyle Covington
University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Alexander Goroncy
University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences
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Teresa Lehmann
University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences
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Zuhao Kou
University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science
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Heng Wang
University of Wyoming
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Vladimir Alvarado
University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Wyoming
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Abstract

Techniques such as micro-tomography (µCT) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods have been used to characterize porous media for decades. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers direct visualization of pore architecture through a vast number of pulse sequences. In this work, we tested the MRI pulse sequence Zero Echo Time (ZTE) in the study of sandstone and carbonate. ZTE has been used previously to image highly porous geological material with relative success. In this research, ZTE was used to study porous systems tighter than those previously reported. We show that ZTE can resolve not only pore systems, but also a combination of fractures and pores simultaneously. Additionally, Pore Cluster Analysis (PCA), combined with ZTE, can be used to analyze connectivity of relatively large volume core plugs. By combining Time-Domain NMR pore-size analysis and PCA, we show that careful selection of resolution is necessary to understand transport in porous media.
01 May 2020Submitted to AIChE Journal
02 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
02 May 2020Assigned to Editor
06 May 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Jul 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Major
04 Aug 20201st Revision Received
31 Aug 2020Submission Checks Completed
31 Aug 2020Assigned to Editor
08 Sep 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
26 Sep 2020Editorial Decision: Accept
16 Dec 2020Published in AIChE Journal. 10.1002/aic.17074