Events

Speaker: Dr. Amos Nur, Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, Stanford University

Title of Seminar: "The Future Impact of Digital Rock Physics (DRP)"

Abstract: DRP began to emerge in the early 1990’s and has led to many remarkable technology developments since. However in general we have failed to demonstrate the actual useful applications of this technology to meet some of the grand challenges facing us (Fig.1). So in this talk I want to discuss what is next for Digital Rock Imaging and Computing. Digital Rock Physics was initially conceived to be ideal for dealing with rock properties and processes problems that are difficult or often impossible to do in lab experiments or with idealized models. These include: 

1. Developing massive property data sets to determine multidimensional interrelations of physical properties (e.g., seismic velocities – perm – NMR – Kr – Pc) and their dependence on pore pressure and non-hydrostatic stress; the coupled physical processes that depend on time, temperature, pore fluid chemistry, and flow velocity.
2. With fewer assumptions and more rigor replace idealized models of pore space architecture, fluid flow, and deformation especially Reactive fluids: transport, diffusion, dissolution, precipitation, and diagenesis
3. Help to upscale from pore to core to well to reservoir.

Some obvious impact of massive rock property data sets and property interrelations includes:

1. Populate billions of cells in reservoir simulators.
2. Transform 3D and 4D seismic data to reservoir properties
3. Delineate detailed property trends in rock types/flow units/facies
4. Simulate formation damage and fine migration around the borehole
5. Understand the reasons for poor oil recovery (30% instead of 60%)
6. Simulate the effects of reactive fluids – CO2, salt water, chemicals
7. Simulate diagenetic processes in rock (dissolution, precipitation, pressure solution, vein formation, fault healing and sealing)

Biography: Amos Nur was the founder and director of the Rock Physics and Borehole Geophysics in Stanford University since 1977. He has served as the Wayne Loel Professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University since 1988. He was chair of the Geophysics Department, Stanford from 1986-1991 and from 1997- 2000. Amos has earned his BS in geology at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and his Ph.D. in Geophysics at MIT in 1969.

Amos is the recipient of the American Geophysical Union’s Macelwane Award in 1974, SEG Distinguished Lecturer in 1997 and the AAPG Distinguished Lecturer in 1998. He was elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (2001), a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (1976); Fellow, Geological Society of America (1980); Fellow, California Academy of Science (1990); an honorary member of the Society of Exploration Geophysics (1996): and the Ewing medallist of the Society of Exploration Geophysics (2011).

Amos has conducted extensive research relating Rock Physics and especially seismic monitoring and digital rock physics to 3-D and 4-D seismic imaging. His has also published results on faulting physics, crustal plate tectonics, and the relations between earthquakes and archaeology.

Amos is author or co-author of over 250 papers and 3 books.