IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,493,023
Granted Patent B2
US 12,493,023 · App. 18/003,469 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Crystallite size in rock samples

Inventors: Rebecca Stokes (San Ramon, CA); Paul Montgomery (Bricklehampton, GB); Andrew P. Rathbun (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
G01N33/24G01N23/2055G01N2223/616
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,493,023
App. No.
18/003,469
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method comprises identifying a depositional form of a mineral phase in a sedimentary rock sample based on a measurement of a parameter indicative of a size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the rock sample.

Claims (11)

1 . A method comprising identifying a depositional form of a mineral phase in a sedimentary rock sample based on a measurement of a parameter indicative of a size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the rock sample, wherein the measurement of the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample is obtained by powder X-ray diffraction.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample is a parameter indicative of a mean size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein identifying the depositional form of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample comprises:

measuring a peak width of a peak associated with the mineral phase in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained from the sedimentary rock sample;

determining a value of the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample based on the measured peak width; and

identifying the depositional form of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample based on the determined value of the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample.

4 . The method according to claim 1 comprising determining an amount of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample having the identified depositional form based on the measurement of the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample.

5 . The method according to claim 4 comprising determining respective amounts of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample having first and second depositional forms based on the measurement of the parameter indicative of the size of crystallites of the mineral phase in the sedimentary rock sample.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral phase is quartz.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sedimentary rock sample is a cuttings sample.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps of claim 1 are carried out by a computer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: STOKES, REBECCA; MONTGOMERY, PAUL; RATHBUN, ANDREW P.
To: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
Reel/Frame 067989/0158 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230333078A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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