Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R68641/01
Title:	Characterisation of the Physical Properties of Porous Media (Rugose Surfaces) Using Incident Light (POROPTIC)
Principal Investigator:	Player, Professor MA
Other Investigators:	Hurst, Professor A Watson, Professor J
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	H R H Ltd Shell
Department:	Engineering
Organisation:	University of Aberdeen
Scheme:	LINK
Starts:	18 March 2002	Ends:	17 June 2004	Value (£):	170,293
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Displays Lasers & Optics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
This project aims to bring about a step change in the characterisation of hydrocarbon reservoirs by devising a novel optical laser device that can be used to rapidly measure porosity and permeability at the wellsite during drilling. The Department of Engineering will provide the methods and instrumentation that will allow relevant information on grain and pore sizes to be extracted from optical images of surfaces. This encompasses experimental and theoretical research on the sensing hardware and algorithms, delivery of a functional pre-prototype system for laboratory and field testing and design studies towards a completed, low-cost commercial instrument. There will be input to other areas of the programme, namely linking rugosity parameters to rock structural parameters, and carrying out laboratory and field-testing. The Department of Geology & Petroleum Geology will provide characterisation from a range of porous media that are typical of, and include, hydrocarbon reservoirs. This work will include creation of a unique database for grain and pore size and distribution of typical reservoir rocks. During this stage of the work, information will be transferred to the design process, so facilitating optimal instrument design. As various pre-prototype components and instruments become available they will be tested using a series of controlled experiments. The linkage between material characterisation, experiments designed to characterise materials, and design and development of the instrument is a vital aspect of the research that will be achieved by the integrated work programme.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.abdn.ac.uk