Material properties from two-dimensional image

1. A method for analyzing a rock sample, comprising:

performing scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging of a plurality of physical faces of a rock sample to generate two-dimensional (2D) SEM images of the physical faces;

applying a cross-correlation function to a first 2D SEM image and a second 2D SEM image to generate a three-dimensional (3D) digital model volume based on the first and second 2D SEM images; and

determining a probability distribution of a pore size of the 3D digital model volume based on an image intensity value of a pixel in each of the first and second 2D SEM images.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a resolution of the 3D digital model volume is finer than a resolution of the digital image volume.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein an axial orientation of the first SEM image is different than an axial orientation of the second 2D SEM image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rock sample is a first rock sample from a first geographic region, the method further comprising:

performing SEM imaging of a plurality of physical faces of a second rock sample from a second geographic region;

applying the cross-correlation function to the first 2D SEM image and third 2D SEM image to generate a second 3D digital model volume, wherein the third 2D SEM image is of the second rock sample;

wherein a type of rock fabric represented by the 3D digital model volume is present in each of the first and third 2D SEM images.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying the cross-correlation function to a plurality of the 2D SEM images to generate a plurality of 3D digital model volumes for each of the plurality of rock fabrics; and

performing direct numerical simulations using the plurality of 3D digital model volumes as a modeling grid for one of the rock fabrics to determine the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

aggregating the plurality of 3D digital model volumes for one of the rock fabrics to produce an aggregated result; and

updating the determination of the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics responsive to the aggregated result.

7. A system for analyzing a rock sample, comprising:

a scanning electron microscope (SEM) configured to generate two-dimensional (2D) SEM images of physical faces of a rock sample; and

a computing device coupled to the SEM and comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the computing device to:

apply a cross-correlation function to a first 2D SEM image and a second 2D SEM image to generate a three-dimensional (3D) digital model volume based on the first and second 2D SEM images; and

determine a probability distribution of a pore size of the 3D digital model volume based on an image intensity value of a pixel in each of the first and second 2D SEM images.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a resolution of the 3D digital model volume is finer than a resolution of the digital image volume.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein an axial orientation of the first SEM image is different than an axial orientation of the second 2D SEM image.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the rock sample is a first rock sample from a first geographic region, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the computing device to:

receive SEM imaging of a plurality of physical faces of a second rock sample from a second geographic region;

apply the cross-correlation function to the first 2D SEM image and third 2D SEM image to generate a second 3D digital model volume, wherein the third 2D SEM image is of the second rock sample;

wherein a type of rock fabric represented by the 3D digital model volume is present in each of the first and third 2D SEM images.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the computing device to:

apply the cross-correlation function to a plurality of the 2D SEM images to generate a plurality of 3D digital mod& volumes for each of the plurality of rock fabrics; and

perform direct numerical simulations using the plurality of 3D digital mod& volumes as a modeling grid for one of the rock fabrics to determine the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the computing device to:

aggregate the plurality of 3D digital model volumes for one of the rock fabrics to produce an aggregated result; and

update the determination of the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics responsive to the aggregated result.

13. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive two-dimensional (2D) scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of physical faces of a rock sample;

apply a cross-correlation function to a first 2D SEM image and a second 2D SEM image to generate a three-dimensional (3D) digital model volume based on the first and second 2D SEM images; and

determine a probability distribution of a pore size of the 3D digital model volume based on an image intensity value of a pixel in each of the first and second 2D SEM images.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein a resolution of the 3D digital model volume is finer than a resolution of the digital image volume.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein an axial orientation of the first SEM image is different than an axial orientation of the second 2D SEM image.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the rock sample is a first rock sample from a first geographic region, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive SEM imaging of a plurality of physical faces of a second rock sample from a second geographic region;

apply the cross-correlation function to the first 2D SEM image and third 2D SEM image to generate a second 3D digital model volume, wherein the third 2D SEM image is of the second rock sample;

wherein a type of rock fabric represented by the 3D digital model volume is present in each of the first and third 2D SEM images.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

apply the cross-correlation function to a plurality of the 2D SEM images to generate a plurality of 3D digital model volumes for each of the plurality of rock fabrics; and

perform direct numerical simulations using the plurality of 3D digital model volumes as a modeling grid for one of the rock fabrics to determine the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor device to:

aggregate the plurality of 3D digital model volumes for one of the rock fabrics to produce an aggregated result; and

update the determination of the probability distribution of the pore size for the one of the rock fabrics responsive to the aggregated result.