QEMSCAN^® WellSite™ is a solution facilitating advanced mudlogging services during remote on- and off-shore drilling operations. Mudlogging commonly complements down-hole (in-situ) logging using remote sensing technologies known as wireline or logging-while-drilling (LWD). Rock cuttings, returned to the surface through the circulating drilling mud, represent the tangible evidence of the subsurface geology, and therefore a description and/or analysis of cuttings is a cost effective method to obtaining valuable complementary data on the stratigraphy of the drilled sequence. Optical description of cuttings is a common activity of mudlogging services; however, the process of optical cuttings description is manual, labor-intensive and qualitative, as echoed by well-site geologists: "we always ask for an experienced mudlogger, but never get one".

QEMSCAN WellSite was developed with two objectives in mind:

• Provide a solution for automated and quantitative cuttings descriptions, providing more accurate and detailed information than manual and qualitative methods.
• Provide a sample preparation and analysis workflow to deliver quantitative cuttings descriptions in near real-time at the well site, ready for seamless integration with logging data provided by integrated and independent service providers, particularly LWD and wireline.

QEMSCAN WellSite is a field-tested solution that provides unprecedented cuttings analysis capabilities that are expected to significantly enhance the quality, consistency and value of mudlogging services.

Collaborative Development

QEMSCAN WellSite requirements have been gathered in close collaboration with many major oil and gas companies and service providers, whose input is greatly acknowledged. Furthermore, field tests have been conducted in Papua New Guinea in close collaboration with Halliburton (Houston, Texas). Further development and testing is ongoing with independent surface logging company GEOLOG at its R&D facilities in Milan, Italy.