Rock mechanics laboratory

High-quality rock mechanics and geophysical datasets are essential for various applications within the petroleum industry, geothermal energy production, and storing CO2 and radioactive waste. Examples are:

• well stability
• sand production
• hydraulic fracturing
• reservoir flow
• compaction and surface subsidence
• the integrity of faults and roof rock
• rock physics and geophysical studies
• instrumentation and monitoring

NGI offers

• test facilities for standardized and specialized tests (e.g., R&D purposes)
• workshop for the design and production of own laboratory equipment, including instrumentation
• expertise and software for the design and analysis of laboratory experiments

The following tests are offered:

• classification and index testing
• simple strength tests
  - uniaxial compressive strength/ compressive strength ("UCS test")
  - indirect tensile strength/ tensile strength ("Brazil test")
  - point load test
• triaxial testing (standard)
  - shear test with isotropic or anisotropic consolidation (drained/undrained)
  - compaction test (1D/K0) and oedometer testing
  - the possibility of a flexible stress path and cycling of total stress and pore pressure
  - measurement of thermal expansion coefficient
  - permeability testing
  - HPHT- High-pressure and high-temperature testing
• geophysical/rock physics tests
  - measurements of ultrasonic P and S wave velocities and electrical resistivity can be made in all triaxial cells
• acoustic emission (AE) testing
  - AE testing in our own specially adapted triaxial setup
• CO2 flow tests
  - multiphase flow at different temperature and pressure conditions (including supercritical CO2) in combination with geophysical measurements
• triaxial test in CT scanner
  - visualization of deformation and fluid flow, including geophysical measurements
• direct shear test (shear box test)
  - friction and deformation characteristics of cracks
  - fluid flow and conductivity on the fracture plane
  - "Velocity stepping test," varying shear speed for assessing the seismic potential of cracks and faults
• advanced characterization
  - CT scanner for 2D and 3D visualization (structures, fracture pattern, etc.)
  - microscope (optical and SEM) for microtexture
  - photogrammetry for characterizing the crack surface