NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – A study led by University of Oklahoma researchers has been selected for a 2023 best paper award in the Advanced Formation Evaluation technical program theme from the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference.
The study examined how clay and kerogen, two different components within rocks, respond to nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, a technique used to assess the amount of fluids within rocks. Many fluids found within rocks contain hydrogen, and knowing whether and how much hydrogen is available in the subsurface is an important facet of oil and gas exploration. Researchers found that higher NMR frequencies improved data acquisition efficiency.
As a result of this study, a novel workflow combining NMR and crushed rock analysis was developed to provide more accurate measurements of fluid fractions within rocks. The technique can be critical for determining hydrocarbon concentration within the subsurface and guiding decision-making related to oil and gas projects.
“This research is an example of how our program is using the most advanced technology to move science forward,” said Son Dang, a research scientist at OU and first author of the paper.
Chandra Rai, professor and Martin G. Miller Chair in Petroleum Engineering, said the award means visibility and validation of the high-end research conducted at OU’s Integrated Core Characterization Center in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.
About the project
“Understanding NMR Response of Different Rock-Fluid Components Within Organic-Rich Argillaceous Rocks: Comparison Study Across 2, 12, and 23 MHz Spectroscopy” is published by Proceedings of the 11th Unconventional Resources Technology Conference at https://doi.org/10.15530/urtec-2023-3863533.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information about the university, visit ou.edu.
Zhenghong Tang, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability in the University of Oklahoma’s College of Geographic and Atmospheric Sciences. A leader in the field of planning, Tang will oversee the department and its mission of creating a community of interdisciplinary scholars and experts who aim to better understand the Earth’s human-natural systems.
From a world-staged opera premiere to Shakespeare’s final solo play, the University of Oklahoma’s 2026-27 University Theatre season will offer audiences nine productions spanning musical theater, opera, dance and drama.
A University of Oklahoma researcher has received a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to investigate how pancreatic cancer uses cholesterol to survive chemotherapy.
