Automated saw cut correction for 3D core digital modeling from computerized tomography scanner (CTS) images

A system to process two-dimensional images of a core sample, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• an input and output unit in communication with one or more processors;
• one or more displays in communication with one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory memories in communication with the one or more processors, the one or more memories having one or more computer programs with computer-readable instructions stored therein that when executed cause the system to perform the steps of:
• superimposing, using one or more computer processors, a plurality of polygon shaped images of a substantially cylindrical core sample with a slab cut onto one another to thereby define stacked aligned representations, each image having a representation of a different transverse section of the core sample and a background that substantially surrounds the representation;
• discarding, using one or more computer processors, the background of the stacked representations;
• identifying, using one or more computer processors, two or more pixels in the stacked representations that have a value of substantially zero to define a plurality of zero-value pixels;
• determining, using one or more computer processors, an imaginary best-fit line for the identified zero-value pixels to thereby define a saw cut line;
• approximating, using one or more computer processors, circular location of peripheries of each of the representation of the superimposed transverse sections to define an approximated slab cut boundary;
• comparing, using one or more computer processors, a number of non-zero pixels on a first side of the saw cut line with a number of non-zero pixels on a second side of the saw cut line, a smaller portion of each of the representation of transverse section of the core sample being a portion of the superimposed transverse sections associated with the smaller number of non-zero pixels relative to the saw cut line, a larger portion being a portion of the representation associated with the larger number of non-zero pixels;
• identifying, using one or more computer processors, a point positioned on peripheries of the smaller portion to thereby define a standalone point;
• determining, using one or more computer processors, an imaginary line perpendicular to the saw cut line that extends through the standalone point to define a reference line;
• and
• moving, using one or more computer processors, the smaller portion parallel to the reference line to position the standalone point on peripheries of the approximated slab cut boundary to thereby define a corrected saw cut line image.

Non-transitory memory having one or more computer programs stored therein, the computer programs having computer-readable instructions that when executed cause one or more computer processers to perform the steps of:

• superimposing, using one or more computer processors, a plurality of polygon shaped images of a substantially cylindrical core sample with a slab cut onto one another to thereby define stacked aligned representations, each image having a representation of a different transverse section of the core sample and a background that substantially surrounds the representation;
• discarding, using one or more computer processors, the background of the stacked representations;
• identifying, using one or more computer processors, two or more pixels in the stacked representations that have a value of substantially zero to define a plurality of zero-value pixels;
• determining, using one or more computer processors, an imaginary best-fit line for the identified zero-value pixels to thereby define a saw cut line;
• approximating, using one or more computer processors, circular location of peripheries of each of the representation of the superimposed transverse sections to define an approximated slab cut boundary;
• comparing, using one or more computer processors, a number of non-zero pixels on a first side of the saw cut line with a number of non-zero pixels on a second side of the saw cut line, a smaller portion of each of the representation of transverse section of the core sample being a portion of the superimposed transverse sections associated with the smaller number of non-zero pixels relative to the saw cut line, a larger portion being a portion of the representation associated with the larger number of non-zero pixels;
• identifying, using one or more computer processors, a point positioned on peripheries of the smaller portion to thereby define a standalone point;
• determining, using one or more computer processors, an imaginary line perpendicular to the saw cut line that extends through the standalone point to define a reference line;
• and
• moving, using one or more computer processors, the smaller portion parallel to the reference line to position the standalone point on peripheries of the approximated slab cut boundary to thereby define a corrected saw cut line image.