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CT for oil and gasFrom reservoir rock analysis to critical equipment inspection

CT for oil and gasFrom reservoir rock analysis to critical equipment inspection

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Characterize your materials

Geological reservoirs, porous materials, refining catalysts, pressurized components or critical equipment: the oil and gas industry relies on materials whose performance depends directly on their internal structure.

Inspect and understand in 3D

Industrial X-ray CT is a non-destructive testing (NDT) solution that lets you see inside without disassembly or destruction. It helps research teams, labs and manufacturers better understand their materials, qualify their processes and ensure the integrity of their equipment.
Explore our CT systems: micro-CT, nano-CT, high-energy CT, custom-made.

CT to meet the challenges of the oil and gas industry

<strong>Understand reservoirs</strong><br><br>Characterize pore networks and the internal structure of rocks to better understand transport and storage phenomena.-image
Understand reservoirs

Characterize pore networks and the internal structure of rocks to better understand transport and storage phenomena.
<strong>Make critical equipment more reliable</strong><br><br>Detect internal defects before they affect the performance or safety of installations.-image
Make critical equipment more reliable

Detect internal defects before they affect the performance or safety of installations.
<strong>Qualify materials</strong><br><br>Catalysts, porous materials, composites or technical alloys require precise characterization.-image
Qualify materials

Catalysts, porous materials, composites or technical alloys require precise characterization.
<strong>Simulate with real data</strong><br><br>Improve numerical models with 3D data that is representative of reality.-image
Simulate with real data

Improve numerical models with 3D data that is representative of reality.
Réseaux de pore, tomographie
They use RX Solutions CT to better understand their materials École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Research labs and innovation centers use RX Solutions systems to observe complex materials at different scales and better understand their internal mechanisms.
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Why CT in the Oil and Gas industry? Understand, reduce uncertainty and improve decision-making

For the oil and gas industry, CT covers a broad spectrum: from the tiniest rock core to the metal cylinder head, including refining catalysts. CT isn’t just for observing. It lets you better understand materials, qualify equipment and improve development or operating decisions.

  • Characterize pore networks and reservoir porosity to better understand storage and flow capacities.
  • Qualify materials and catalysts with a complete view of their internal structure.
  • Reduce destructive testing while keeping a volumetric view of the sample.
  • Analyze internal defects in critical equipment before it enters service.
  • Improve numerical simulations with real, usable 3D data.
  • Observe materials over time with in-situ tests under controlled pressure or temperature.

What CT brings to

your oil and gas applications

Characterize

3D composition of rock cores

Understand

Transport phenomena in rock

Map

Pore networks

Qualify

Refining and production materials

Simulate

Real data for your numerical models

For your oil and gas application

Which RX Solutions CT system?

Needs vary widely depending on whether you are analyzing reservoir rock, a porous material, a catalyst or critical industrial equipment. RX Solutions offers several complementary ranges so you can match resolution, penetration power and inspectable volume to each application.
Contrôle qualité tomographie - aeronautique - sur mesure
​Special CT projects​

Requirements that go beyond the standard?

Some applications call for specific test rigs, unusual volumes or particular pressure and temperature conditions.RX Solutions also develops custom CT solutions for the most demanding needs of the oil and gas industry.

  • Specific flow cells
  • Tests under pressure or temperature
  • Samples beyond standard dimensions
  • Advanced research configurations

Discover our custom-made projects

The components most frequently analyzed by CT in oil and gas

Rock cores
Rock cores
Catalysts and porous materials
Catalysts and porous materials
Valves, pump bodies and pressure equipment
Valves, pump bodies and pressure equipment
Castings and complex metal components
Castings and complex metal components
Samples under in-situ testing
Samples under in-situ testing
Rock cores
Pore network analysis, porosity quantification, mineralogical characterization and understanding of flow phenomena within reservoirs. The resulting data improve geological studies and simulation models.
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Catalysts and porous materials
Characterization of the internal structure of catalysts used in refining processes and in optimizing chemical reactions. CT lets you study how materials evolve without degrading them.
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Valves, pump bodies and pressure equipment
Inspection of critical components used in extraction, transport and refining to detect cracks, inclusions, porosity or internal defects before they enter service.
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Castings and complex metal components
Inspection of steel, cast-iron or special-alloy components that require high penetration power and sufficient image quality to qualify internal defects.
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Samples under in-situ testing
Sensors, connectors, circuit boards and electromechanical assemblies inspected without disassembly to speed up failure analysis and make equipment more reliable. 
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Why choose RX Solutions for your oil and gas applications?


From geological exploration to quality control of industrial equipment, CT provides a deep understanding of materials and internal phenomena.RX Solutions supports oil and gas players, researchers and manufacturers with solutions that cover several scales of analysis, from a material’s microstructure to the inspection of large critical equipment.

Oil and gas FAQ

Can a rock core be analyzed without cutting it?
Yes. CT lets you view the inside of a rock core in 3D with no destruction, to study porosity, pore networks, fractures and the distribution of the different mineral phases. It preserves the sample for further analysis.
How is the porosity of a reservoir rock measured?
CT segments the rock’s internal volume and precisely quantifies porosity, its spatial distribution and its connectivity. This information is essential to understand fluid flow and storage phenomena.
Can fluid flow in rock be observed?
Yes. With in-situ test rigs, you can follow flow experiments under controlled pressure and temperature to observe how fluids actually behave in the material.
Can CT help qualify catalysts and porous materials?
Yes. It is widely used to analyze the internal structure of catalysts, porous materials and refining supports to better understand their behavior and performance.
Can large metal parts be inspected?
Yes. The high-energy solutions of the Force range can inspect highly absorbing components such as valve bodies, castings, pressure equipment or refining components. The RX Solutions teams also design custom machines.
Can CT feed simulation models?
Yes. Reconstructed 3D volumes can be used to generate meshes and feed mechanical, thermal or flow simulations based on real data rather than theoretical models.
Is CT used only for geosciences?
No. In the oil and gas industry, it is used for characterizing reservoir rocks as well as for quality control of industrial components, materials analysis, in-situ testing and qualification of critical equipment.
Which RX Solutions solution should I choose for an oil and gas application?
  • Nano: fine analysis of pore networks, catalysts and microstructures.
  • Explorer: geological research, materials characterization and routine quality control.
  • Force: critical equipment, large parts and highly absorbing components.

Our teams can help you identify the configuration best suited to your sample, the level of detail you need and your analysis goals.
Can a specific solution be developed for an oil and gas application?
Yes. Some applications call for dedicated test cells, pressure or temperature rigs, samples beyond standard dimensions or particular experimental setups. RX Solutions also develops custom projects to meet these specific needs.
What return on investment can I expect from CT?
CT generally lets you reduce destructive test campaigns, speed up materials studies, improve your understanding of reservoirs and make critical equipment safer. Gains depend on the application and can be assessed through feasibility trials on your samples.

Want to better understand your materials or qualify your critical equipment?

Rock cores, porous materials, catalysts, pressure equipment or critical components: our specialists help you identify the CT solution best suited to your application.
Describe your project, request a demo.


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Our CT systems: micro-CT, nano-CT, high-energy CT, custom-made.
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Scan as a service


For your one-off needs in 3D CT or 2D radiography, our inspection services team performs scans and analyses to support you in inspecting your parts.


 
Discover our scan services