Microtomography helps scientists clone core plug samples

"The core extraction process itself is expensive and technically challenging. After a number of laboratory tests, the samples become unsuitable for further research, which significantly limits the possibility of conducting repeated analyses to study various aspects of fluid behavior inside the rock," says Rail Kadyrov, Senior Researcher of the Laboratory of In-Situ Combustion. "We decided to find out whether it is possible to recreate the structure of such samples with the help of 3D printing, using the data of CT".

First, the scientists obtained detailed three-dimensional images of the internal structure of the rock, including its pore space, using micro-tomography. They then used this data to create digital models of the cores, which they adapted for printing on a 3D printer.

The geologists created artificial copies of the cores using two of the most common printing technologies: FDM (molten plastic filament printing) and DLP (liquid photo polymer printing with light). The results of the study are reported in the journal Scientific Visualization.

"The FDM technology was found to reproduce large pore space elements, but has limitations in accuracy and reproducibility of fine details, leading to overestimation of porosity and permeability of the samples. DLP technology demonstrates greater accuracy in reproducing small pores, but also has limitations due to cracking of porous samples and the presence of polymer resin residue within the pores. Both technologies do not yet allow to perfectly reproduce the complex pore structure of the rock, especially at the microscopic level, but today they already make it possible to obtain multiple physical copies with similar characteristics," Kadyrov notes.

3D printing in the future will make it possible to create many replicas of standard core samples with identical pore space structure, to conduct complex studies and model the behavior of oil and gas in a given space.

In addition, 3D copies are needed for educational purposes—training students and specialists, as well as for testing and calibration of measuring equipment and oil and gas production technologies.

Further research by the project participants will be aimed at improving the accuracy of 3D copies. The team plans to develop more efficient methods of digital tomographic data processing, which will allow the most accurate transfer of the natural shape of the pore space, as well as optimization of 3D printing. The next step that KFU scientists have outlined for themselves is the transition from printing with polymers to printing with materials which are close in composition to reservoir rocks.

More information:
3D-Cloning of Core Plug Structures: Insights and Challenges into FDM and DLP Printing Based on Microtomography Data
sv-journal.org/2025-1/05/

Provided by Kazan Federal University