Our geologist laboratory expert can provide the following thin section analysis services

• Description and analysis of the characteristics and distribution of detrital and authigenic minerals; including their grain shape, grain size, grain sorting and packing (textural features) and solution behaviour. The description and analysis permits the porosities/permeabilities to be traced on the basis of the properties of the detrital component and the plugging potential of authigenic minerals.
• We are able to highlight the diagenetic paths encountered in the sample by describing, commenting and interpreting: stages of compaction, early and late diagenetic solution/cementation (burial history) and paths of carbonate or clay minerals and their impact on the development of the pore/vug system. This is vitally important with regards to assessing the reservoir quality of the sample.
• Determine and interpret the standardised facies types in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental setting.

Thin Section Petrographic Services
Thin section, grain size, scanning electron microscope and XRD analyses are all provided in house for rapid turnaround with high quality results. Samples are prepared for thin section analysis by first impregnating the samples with epoxy to augment sample cohesion and to prevent loss of material during the grinding procedure. A blue dye is added to the epoxy to highlight the pore spaces. Each of the samples is mounted on a frosted glass slide and then cut and ground in water to a thickness of approximately 30 microns. Standard thin sections are stained for carbonates (Alizarin Red-S and potassium ferricyanide) and potassium feldspar (sodium cobaltinitrite).
A general thin section description includes a complete description of the mineral constituents of the rock, allochems, texture, sorting (or crystal size range), porosity types and the type and abundance of pore-filling cements or alteration products. A detailed thin section description includes all the information in the general description, plus a 250-point count analysis to quantify grain types, matrix, cements, and pore types. The report consists of a written discussion of the sample set, a description of each sample, and descriptions of the photomicrographs.(2 color photomicrographs are included).