# US 2024/0201079 A1 · Contactless measurement of rock wettability by photonic techniques > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201079 A1 - Document ID: US20240201079A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/082,186 - Filed: 2022-12-15 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-15 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Adrian Cesar Cavazos Sepulveda; Damian Pablo San Roman Alerigi; Ziyad K. Kaidar; Thamer Zahrani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201079A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/3563: for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor - G01N 21/3581: using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation - G01N 21/552: Attenuated total reflection - G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) - G01N 33/241: {for hydrocarbon content} - G01N 13/02: Investigating surface tension of liquids - G01N 21/33: using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 2021/3595: {using FTIR} - G01N 2201/065: Integrating spheres - G01N 2201/1296: using neural networks - 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) ## Abstract Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for analyzing rock samples. Rock and oil electromagnetic baselines are determined for rock samples in at least a section of an electromagnetic spectrum ranging from ultraviolet to long terahertz radiation. An aging process is conducted on each rock sample, initially starting with the rock and oil electromagnetic baselines. The aging process is repeated using spectrometry on the rock sample and measured wettabilities of the rock sample until changes in spectra are less than a predetermined threshold. Aging information including the spectra and wettabilities are stored in a machine learning database. Spectra are obtained from an unknown rock sample. The spectra are mapped to clusters in the machine learning database. Wettability ranges are determined for the unknown rock sample based on a mapping of the spectra of the unknown rock sample to clusters in the machine learning database. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: determining rock and oil electromagnetic baselines of rock samples in at least a section of an electromagnetic spectrum ranging from ultraviolet to long terahertz radiation; conducting an aging process on each rock sample, initially starting with the rock and oil electromagnetic baselines; repeating the aging process using spectrometry on the rock sample and measured wettabilities of the rock sample until changes in spectra are less than a predetermined threshold; storing aging information, including the spectra and wettabilities, in a machine learning database; obtaining spectra from an unknown rock sample; mapping the spectra to clusters in the machine learning database; and determining wettability ranges for the unknown rock sample based on a mapping of the spectra of the unknown rock sample to clusters in the machine learning database. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unknown rock sample is a sliding/moving rock sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes integrating sphere/optics providing an light output in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes processing a diffuse reflection from the unknown rock sample. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes: sending a light output to the unknown rock sample using a light output waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation; and receiving light from the unknown rock sample using a light return waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, the method further comprising using a rotating/movable attenuated total reflectance (ATR) crystal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is a 10% change or less. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising: determining rock and oil electromagnetic baselines of rock samples in at least a section of an electromagnetic spectrum ranging from ultraviolet to long terahertz radiation; conducting an aging process on each rock sample, initially starting with the rock and oil electromagnetic baselines; repeating the aging process using spectrometry on the rock sample and measured wettabilities of the rock sample until changes in spectra are less than a predetermined threshold; storing aging information, including the spectra and wettabilities, in a machine learning database; obtaining spectra from an unknown rock sample; mapping the spectra to clusters in the machine learning database; and determining wettability ranges for the unknown rock sample based on a mapping of the spectra of the unknown rock sample to clusters in the machine learning database. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the unknown rock sample is a sliding/moving rock sample. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes integrating sphere/optics providing an light output in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes processing a diffuse reflection from the unknown rock sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes: sending a light output to the unknown rock sample using a light output waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation; and receiving light from the unknown rock sample using a light return waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, the operations further using a rotating/movable attenuated total reflectance (ATR) crystal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the predetermined threshold is a 10% change or less. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented system, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instructing the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining rock and oil electromagnetic baselines of rock samples in at least a section of an electromagnetic spectrum ranging from ultraviolet to long terahertz radiation; conducting an aging process on each rock sample, initially starting with the rock and oil electromagnetic baselines; repeating the aging process using spectrometry on the rock sample and measured wettabilities of the rock sample until changes in spectra are less than a predetermined threshold; storing aging information, including the spectra and wettabilities, in a machine learning database; obtaining spectra from an unknown rock sample; mapping the spectra to clusters in the machine learning database; and determining wettability ranges for the unknown rock sample based on a mapping of the spectra of the unknown rock sample to clusters in the machine learning database. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein the unknown rock sample is a sliding/moving rock sample. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes integrating sphere/optics providing an light output in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes processing a diffuse reflection from the unknown rock sample. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein obtaining the spectra from the unknown rock sample includes: sending a light output to the unknown rock sample using a light output waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation; and receiving light from the unknown rock sample using a light return waveguide in at least a section of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from the ultraviolet to the long terahertz radiation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-implemented system of claim 19, the operations further using a rotating/movable attenuated total reflectance (ATR) crystal.