Uncompromising Tools for Oil and Gas Exploration

Chemostratigraphy is the use of variations in the chemical composition of sedimentary successions to: 

• understand correlative relationships at the basin or field scale

• identify elemental proxies used in paleoecological reconstructions     

• aid in building sequence stratigraphic frameworks 

• identify physical properties of rocks for drilling and compilations

Bruker provides tools for the elemental and chemical analysis of core and cuttings to make chemostratigraphy easy and scalable. Click below to learn more about applying chemostratigraphy to any sized project.

Elemental Analysis is an important tool for the field and petroleum geologist to characterize and identify petroleum- or gas-bearing formations. Drill cuttings, mud, or cores can be analyzed by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). 

• The benchtop S2 PUMA Series 2 reaches low detection limits on prepared drill cuttings in a mobile lab by using the Energy Dispersive XRF (EDXRF).

• The analysis of majors and traces in the lab is best performed by the floor standing S8 TIGER Series 2 Wavelength Dispersive XRF (WDXRF) spectrometer using either the GEO-QUANT package or custom calibrations.

• The CTX is a compact portable countertop XRF ideal for rig operations, with a battery backup, push-button operation, spill-proof rugged aluminum case, and safety-interlocked lid. Now available with the MUDROCK matrix-matched calibration, the versatile GeoEXPLORATION calibration, or a custom calibration. 

• The TRACER 5g is the ideal portable XRF for core, outcrop, or cuttings. With a helium flush and graphene window it has the best light element performance in a handheld. When paired with the MUDROCK calibration or a custom matrix-matched formation-specific calibration it is the most trusted portable XRF in oil and gas. 

Additional information on the mineralogical composition of the sediment or formation is offered by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). XRD distinguishes minerals that have the same or similar chemistry by their crystal structures. It not only allows the identification of minerals with DIFFRAC.EVA, but also offers standardless quantification using the Rietveld approach. Even non-crystalline phases may be quantified using this method. It enables pinpointing of potential reservoirs and host formations. A major advantage is the rather simple and quick sample preparation. The analysis of drill cuts can be done in a mobile lab using BRUKER’s benchtop D2 PHASER. In a lab setting, the D8 ENDEAVOR or the D8 ADVANCE is the optimal choice.

Understanding porosity and permeability is important for oil and gas reservoir characterization, sedimentology, hydrogeology and groundwater studies. XRM enables characterization and visualization of pores, pore size distribution, and of open versus closed pore networks. This information can have profound implications on oil and gas production models, gas or water flooding, analog studies, contaminate flow modeling, deformation experiments and sedimentary petrology.

The analysis of shale reactivity typically involves a variety of analytical techniques, including but not limited to X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, gamma logging, optical microscopy, electron microscopy, total organic content, and cation exchange capacity. From a mineralogical perspective, XRD is widely considered to be the favored technique, particularly for discrimination between elementally similar phases.

For example, hematite (Fe2O3) and siderite (FeCO3) give similar elemental signatures but distinct diffraction patterns. Diffraction data are often obtained for both vertical and horizontal segments of wellbores. Analysis of the vertical section allows for the identification of zones with desirable physical properties. In horizontal segments of unconventional reservoirs, XRD is primarily used in geosteering, to ensure that the wellbore stays within a specific geological bed.