The foundation of a reservoir simulator’s predictive accuracy — used to guide management’s multibillion-dollar field development decisions — is the fidelity of the geological model. Geology relies on visual microscopic rock descriptions obtained using an optical microscope in a slow, labor-intensive process that has barely changed since the birth of modern geology in 1793.
Furthermore, when a petrographer with decades of experience retires, ADNOC loses that person’s accumulated experience. And with so many fast-paced, highly technical careers to choose from, few young people are choosing to become petrographers. For these reasons, ADNOC sought a way to preserve its experts’ experience and enhance the process, possibly within a machine.