US 11,668,847 B2
Generating synthetic geological formation images based on rock fragment images
Mahdi A. AbuAli, Dhahran (SA); and Mokhles Mustapha Mezghani, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/516,302.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/133,518, filed on Jan. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0214466 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. G01V 1/28 (2006.01); G01V 1/50 (2006.01); G01V 1/30 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 1/282 (2013.01) [G01V 1/306 (2013.01); G01V 1/50 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of rock fragment images, wherein each of the rock fragment images represents respective rock fragments obtained from a subsurface formation during well bore drilling;
selecting, by the one or more processors, one or more portions of the rock fragment images; and
generating, by the one or more processors, a geological formation image based on the one or more selected portions of the rock fragment images, wherein the geological formation image is indicative of one or more geological characteristics of the subsurface formation along the well bore, and wherein the geological formation image is generated by extrapolating at least a portion of the geological formation image based on the one or more selected portions of the rock fragment images,
wherein generating the geological formation image comprises combining the one more selected portions of the rock fragment images into the geological formation image, and
wherein the geological formation image comprises:
a first instance of a first selected portion of the rock fragment image representing the subsurface formation at a first depth, and
a second instance of the first selected portion of the rock fragment image representing the subsurface formation at a second depth different from the first depth,
wherein the first instance of the first selected portion of the rock fragment image is identical to the second instance of the first selected portion of the rock fragment image.