Abstract
Micro-tomography (µCT) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have been
used to characterize porous media for decades. Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI) enables direct visualization of pore architecture and many
pulse sequences exist. In this work, we tested the MRI pulse sequence
Zero Echo Time (ZTE) to study sandstone and carbonate for its ability to
address short relaxation times. We aimed at resolving two fluid conduit
scales, i.e. pores and fractures. In this research, we study tighter
porous systems than those previously reported using ZTE. Additionally,
Pore Cluster Analysis (PCA), combined with ZTE, can be used to analyze
pore-fracture connectivity of relatively large core plugs. We show that
ZTE can resolve two-scale pore systems simultaneously, i.e. fractures
and pores. By combining Time-Domain NMR pore-size analysis and PCA, we
show that careful selection of resolution is necessary to understand
transport in porous media.