Color analysis of organic constituents in sedimentary rocks for thermal maturity
OwnerKarl W. Schwabinventor
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Abstract
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the state of the thermal maturity of organic matter extracted from a sedimentary rock sample is determined by using a microscope in combination with a color video camera to provide an image of the organic matter in transmitted and filtered light, using the output of the camera to compute RGB and HSB values for a selected area of the image on a per-pixel basis, and plotting values integrated over the selected area in the form of a thermal maturation pathway from which a likelihood that oil has been generated in the rock can be determined.
Claims8
A method of defining the present state of thermal maturity of a specimen of organic matter extracted from a rock sample, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a specimen of said matter on the stage of a microscope;
- transmitting light through said specimen;
- photographing said specimen with a color video camera mounted on said microscope which provides output signals representative of red, green and blue, and the hue, saturation and brightness values of said specimen;
- and using said signals to compute the present state of thermal maturity of said specimen.
Apparatus for use in determining the present state of thermal maturity of a specimen of organic matter extracted from a rock sample, comprising:
- a microscope having a base, a stage on which said specimen is mounted, and an object lens assembly for magnifying a view of said specimen;
- illuminating means in said base to allow viewing of said specimen in transmitted light;
- color video camera means mounted on said lens assembly and arranged to provide an image of said specimen, said camera means being adapted to provide output signals representative of the red, green, and blue and the hue, saturation and brightness values of said image;
- a remote terminal monitor means to allow viewing of said image and selection of a particular area of said image for analysis;
- and computer means for calculating present thermal maturity of said specimen based upon values obtained in said selected area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.