# US 12,111,306 B2 · Methods of geologic sample analysis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,306 B2 - Document ID: US12111306B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/958,809 - Filed: 2022-10-03 - Published: 2024-04-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-03 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Shannon L. Eichmann; Tiffany Dawn McAlpin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111306B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/241: {for hydrocarbon content} - G01N 21/31: Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)} - G01N 21/33: using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 21/35: using infrared light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 21/64: Fluorescence; Phosphorescence - G01N 21/6456: {Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging} - G06V 10/143: Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths - G06V 10/507: {Summing image-intensity values; Histogram projection analysis} - G06V 10/75: Organisation of the matching processes, e.g. simultaneous or sequential comparisons of image or video features; Coarse-fine approaches, e.g. multi-scale approaches; using context analysis; Selection of dictionaries - G06V 20/80: Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns - H04N 9/67: for matrixing (camera processing pipelines for matrixing of colour signals H04N23/85) - H04N 23/11: for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths - G01N 1/34: Purifying; Cleaning {(processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003)} - G01N 2021/1765: {Method using an image detector and processing of image signal} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method of analyzing a geologic sample includes illuminating the geologic sample with a light beam and capturing an image of the geologic sample on a hyperspectral camera as a greyscale image, R-G-B color space image, or both, thereby collecting spectra having mid-wave infrared wavelengths or ultraviolet wavelengths reflected from a surface of the geologic sample. The method further includes processing the image to transform the image from the R-G-B color space, greyscale image, or both, and analyzing the Intensity to determine mineralogy, organic content, hydrocarbon presence, or combinations thereof of the geologic sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of analyzing a geologic sample comprising: illuminating the geologic sample with a light beam; capturing an image of the geologic sample on a hyperspectral camera as a greyscale image, R-G-B color space image, or both, thereby collecting spectra reflected from a surface of the geologic sample, the spectra having varied wavelengths comprising mid-wave infrared wavelengths, ultraviolet wavelengths, or both; processing the image to transform the image from the R-G-B color space image or greyscale image, or both, to Intensity, thereby transforming the spectra into a distribution of relative intensities of fluorescence or absorbance at the varied wavelengths; and analyzing the Intensity to determine mineralogy, organic content, hydrocarbon presence, or combinations thereof of the geological sample by: comparing the Intensity to a spectral library, the spectral library comprising previously recorded Intensities associated with specific mineralogy, choosing a best match of the previously recorded Intensities to the Intensity, determining the mineralogy of the geologic sample based on the mineralogy of the best match, comparing the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 200 nm to 6000 nm of the Intensity to the best match, observing differences in the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 200 nm to 6000 nm of the geologic sample versus the best match, the differences comprising changes in peak positions or magnitude of peaks within the Intensity, and determining the organic content of the sample based on the differences, wherein the organic content is a qualitative assessment of the thermal maturity of the organic matter making up the organic content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image further comprises spatial line scanning. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising cleaning the geologic sample prior to illuminating the geologic sample with the light beam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein cleaning the geologic sample comprises flushing the geologic sample with a solvent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing one or more additional images of the geologic sample from one or more additional surfaces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hyperspectral camera comprises image sensor and a lens, and the geologic sample is positioned within a field of view of the camera. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hyperspectral camera comprises a pushbroom imaging spectral sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the mid-wave infrared wavelengths range from 2000 to 6000 nm; the visible light wavelengths range from 400 to 1000 nm; and the ultraviolet wavelengths range from 100 to 400 nm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the Intensity to determine mineralogy, organic content, hydrocarbon presence, or combinations thereof of the geological sample further comprises: comparing the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 400 to 800 nm of the Intensity to the best match; observing a second set of differences in the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm of the geologic sample versus the best match of the previously recorded Intensities, the second set of differences comprising changes in peak positions or magnitude of peaks within the Intensity; and determining the hydrocarbon presence of the sample based on the second set of differences, wherein the hydrocarbon presence is a quantitative assessment of the presence and amount of hydrogen-carbon bonds present within the geologic sample. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: drilling a wellbore; acquiring the geologic sample from the wellbore; and placing the geologic sample in a plate reader prior to illuminating the geologic sample with the light beam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising cleaning the geologic sample prior to illuminating the geologic sample with the light beam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein cleaning the geologic sample comprises flushing the geologic sample with a solvent. ### Claim 13 A method of analyzing a geologic sample comprising: illuminating the geologic sample with a light beam; capturing an image of the geologic sample on a hyperspectral camera as a greyscale image, R-G-B color space image, or both, thereby collecting spectra reflected from a surface of the geologic sample, the spectra having varied wavelengths comprising mid-wave infrared wavelengths, ultraviolet wavelengths, or both; processing the image to transform the image from the R-G-B color space image or greyscale image, or both, to Intensity, thereby transforming the spectra into a distribution of relative intensities of fluorescence or absorbance at the varied wavelengths; and analyzing the Intensity to determine mineralogy, organic content, hydrocarbon presence, or combinations thereof of the geological sample by: comparing the Intensity to a spectral library, the spectral library comprising previously recorded Intensities associated with specific mineralogy, choosing a best match of the previously recorded Intensities to the Intensity, determining the mineralogy of the geologic sample based on the mineralogy of the best match, comparing the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm of the Intensity to the best match, observing differences in the relative intensity in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm of the geologic sample versus the best match, the differences comprising changes in peak positions or magnitude of peaks within the Intensity, and determining the hydrocarbon presence of the sample based on the differences, wherein the hydrocarbon presence is a quantitative assessment of the presence and amount of hydrogen-carbon bonds present within the geologic sample. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein capturing the image further comprises spatial line scanning. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising cleaning the geologic sample prior to illuminating the geologic sample with the light beam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein cleaning the geologic sample comprises flushing the geologic sample with a solvent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising capturing one or more additional images of the geologic sample from one or more additional surfaces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the hyperspectral camera comprises image sensor and a lens, and the geologic sample is positioned within a field of view of the camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the hyperspectral camera comprises a pushbroom imaging spectral sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: drilling a wellbore; acquiring the geologic sample from the wellbore; and placing the geologic sample in a plate reader prior to illuminating the geologic sample with the light beam.