Ibrahim Olgun Ugurlu
Senior Sedimentologist&Whole-Core CT Rock Imaging Lead
Turkish Petroleum Corporation
Ibrahim Olgun Ugurlu is a senior sedimentologist and whole-core CT rock imaging lead at the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) with over nine years of experience in sedimentology, core description, and digital rock characterization. He integrates X-ray CT imaging with sedimentological analysis to visualize sedimentary structures, track facies changes. His recent work focuses on deep-water turbidite systems and CT-based rock typing—developing innovative approaches to evaluate core quality, identify lithological variability, and support SCAL sampling strategies.
Participates in
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Primary Energy Supply
Advances in Geoscience
Forum 05 | Technical Programme Hall 1
29
April
14:30
16:00
UTC+3
Core data has traditionally served as the foundational reference for formation evaluation by providing direct measurements of reservoir petrophysical properties. Following core retrieval, plugs intended for special core analysis (SCAL) are preserved, while routine analysis plugs must undergo extensive cleaning to remove hydrocarbons and salts, typically through Soxhlet extraction using hot toluene and methanol. This cleaning process can extend over several weeks, depending on factors such as rock permeability, pore structure complexity, and the type of hydrocarbons present. In this context, emerging digital imaging technologies, such as whole-core computed tomography (CT) scanning, have become particularly valuable by offering a rapid, nondestructive method for detailed core characterization and representative sample selection.
Whole-core CT imaging is a widely adopted technique in the oil and gas industry for assessing the internal structure of core samples. It enables quick visualization of core tubes for sample selection and provides critical geological and petrophysical insights, including the identification of fractures, facies transitions, and porosity variations. A major advantage of X-ray CT imaging lies in its ability to generate continuous, high-resolution images coupled with quantitative data essential for core evaluation. In this study, standard whole-core CT scanning was conducted at a single high-energy setting (140 kV) to primarily capture density variations along the core length, and the extracted data were utilized for porosity prediction. These continuous datasets are particularly valuable during the early phases of core analysis programs for characterizing reservoir heterogeneity and optimizing SCAL sample selection.
The primary objective of this study is to accelerate porosity estimation by integrating whole-core CT scanning, 3D virtual core plug acquisition, and quantitative CT data analysis, while also examining CT responses across different Winland r35 rock types.
The 3D virtual core plugging technique, a relatively recent innovation, involves creating digital replicas of core plugs of any desired diameter using specialized software. In this study, approximately seventy virtual plug samples were acquired from 30-meter-long sandstone and carbonate cores. Virtual plug porosity was calculated through correlations established between bulk density and CT numbers and compared with laboratory-measured helium porosity. A strong correlation was observed between the CT-derived and helium porosity values, as evidenced by a high coefficient of determination (R²).
This integrated approach not only streamlines early-stage porosity estimation but also significantly enhances SCAL sampling strategies, offering particular advantages in thinly laminated, fractured, and heterogeneous cores where physical plug acquisition can be operationally challenging.
Co-author/s:
Hasan Caglar Usdun, Senior Geologist, Turkish Petroleum Corporation.
Whole-core CT imaging is a widely adopted technique in the oil and gas industry for assessing the internal structure of core samples. It enables quick visualization of core tubes for sample selection and provides critical geological and petrophysical insights, including the identification of fractures, facies transitions, and porosity variations. A major advantage of X-ray CT imaging lies in its ability to generate continuous, high-resolution images coupled with quantitative data essential for core evaluation. In this study, standard whole-core CT scanning was conducted at a single high-energy setting (140 kV) to primarily capture density variations along the core length, and the extracted data were utilized for porosity prediction. These continuous datasets are particularly valuable during the early phases of core analysis programs for characterizing reservoir heterogeneity and optimizing SCAL sample selection.
The primary objective of this study is to accelerate porosity estimation by integrating whole-core CT scanning, 3D virtual core plug acquisition, and quantitative CT data analysis, while also examining CT responses across different Winland r35 rock types.
The 3D virtual core plugging technique, a relatively recent innovation, involves creating digital replicas of core plugs of any desired diameter using specialized software. In this study, approximately seventy virtual plug samples were acquired from 30-meter-long sandstone and carbonate cores. Virtual plug porosity was calculated through correlations established between bulk density and CT numbers and compared with laboratory-measured helium porosity. A strong correlation was observed between the CT-derived and helium porosity values, as evidenced by a high coefficient of determination (R²).
This integrated approach not only streamlines early-stage porosity estimation but also significantly enhances SCAL sampling strategies, offering particular advantages in thinly laminated, fractured, and heterogeneous cores where physical plug acquisition can be operationally challenging.
Co-author/s:
Hasan Caglar Usdun, Senior Geologist, Turkish Petroleum Corporation.
