Comparative study of the pore volume percentages of the carbonate core plug samples using direct, 2D techniques and exploratory data analysis

Abstract

Porosity measurement is essential in understanding fluid flow through rock formations via different methods such as porosimeter, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images, ImageJ and Digimizer software. This study aims to compare these methods in terms of accuracy, both on a sample-by-sample basis and overall performance, while also taking into account cost and availability. In order to achieve this goal 25 core plug samples were analyzed using a helium porosimeter and compared with measurements obtained from 25 thin sections images using ImageJ and Digimizer software and 25 SEM images. The results indicate that, in terms of sample-by-sample accuracy, SEM is the closest alternative to the porosimeter; however, is more expensive and less accessible. Overall, Digimizer offers a strong balance of accuracy, cost, and availability, making it a preferable alternative for most applications. ImageJ, though slightly less accurate, stands out as the most cost-effective and widely available method; however, it is suitable primarily for preliminary assessments.