Fabrication of ceramic core plugs with multiscale porosity

• Grant number: 20/16012-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Manufacturing Processes
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Alberto Fortulan
• Grantee: Mateus Mota Morais
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/12556-0 - Additive manufacturing of calcium carbonate samples with multiscale porosity, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

This project aims to develop an innovative manufacturing route to produce synthetic carbonate core plugs with controlled micro and macroporosity, mimicking natural rocks. Core plugs, cylindrical samples cut from rocks, are used to characterize the geological and petrophysical properties of a geological formation, such as an oil reservoir. They are also used to test new well-logging tools, study enhanced oil recovery technics, and develop and validate numerical models and simulations. However, natural carbonate samples are costly to obtain (economically and eventually ecologically) and extremely heterogeneous. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain reproducible and comparable experimental results using them, especially in destructive experiments that demand many samples. A possible solution is producing synthetic carbonate plugs that mimic natural rock chemistry with controlled porosity and permeability. However, two main challenges stand out: consolidate calcium carbonate without causing its decomposition during sintering; and produce a reproducible hierarchical porous structure. This research project proposes an innovative manufacturing process to produce synthetic carbonate plugs with controlled multiscale porosity in a reproducible manner. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ERBERELI, ROGERIO; DE CAMARGO, ITALO LEITE; MORAIS, MATEUS MOTA; FORTULAN, CARLOS ALBERTO. 3D printing of trabecular bone-mimetic structures by vat photopolymerization of bovine hydroxyapatite as a potential candidate for scaffolds. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, v. 44, n. 5, p. 9-pg., 2022-05-01. (20/16012-1)

MORAIS, MATEUS MOTA; LUCAS-OLIVEIRA, EVERTON; BONAGAMBA, TITO JOSE; AUM, PEDRO TUPA PANDAVA; LUCAS, CLAUDIO REGIS DOS SANTOS; DA SILVA, DANIEL NOBRE NUNES; FORTULAN, CARLOS ALBERTO. Fabrication and petrophysical characterization of artificial carbonate rocks with multiscale porosity sintered in a CO2 atmosphere. GEOENERGY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, v. 229, p. 14-pg., 2023-07-15. (20/00010-0, 09/54880-6, 20/16012-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MORAIS, Mateus Mota. Fabrication of sintered calcium carbonate parts with multiscale porosity: producing artificial rocks for petrophysical studies and other applications. 2024. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD) São Carlos.