Abstract: A method is defined for determining whether a rock is capable of functioning as an oil reservoir has had or presently contains oil. The method includes the steps of: -cleaning a sample of the rock in a manner such that at least some of any adsorbed oil on the rock will remain and any oil inclusions within the rock remain intact; -irradiating the cleaned sample with fluorescence inducing electromagnetic (typically UV) radiation and measuring emitted (typically UV and visible) radiation from the sample; and-comparing the emitted radiation measurement against a similarly determined measurement from a rock sample of a known oil-producing reservoir, to determine whether or not the rock has had or presently contains oil. In a variation of the above method, the sample of the rock is cleaned step-wise in a manner that removes other than adsorbed oil on the rock, with a final cleaning step including contacting the sample with a solvent into which some adsorbed oil may be extracted.

Abstract: A method is defined for determining whether a rock is capable of functioning as an oil reservoir has had or presently contains oil. The method includes the steps of:—cleaning a sample of the rock in a manner such that at least some of any adsorbed oil on the rock will remain and any oil inclusions within the rock remain intact;—irradiating the cleaned sample with fluorescence inducing electromagnetic (typically UV) radiation and measuring emitted (typically UV and visible) radiation from the sample; and—comparing the emitted radiation measurement against a similarly determined measurement from a rock sample of a known oil-producing reservoir, to determine whether or not the rock has had or presently contains oil. In a variation of the above method, the sample of the rock is cleaned step-wise in a manner that removes other than adsorbed oil on the rock, with a final cleaning step including contacting the sample with a solvent into which some adsorbed oil may be extracted.

Abstract: A method of using natural oil inclusions in rock that is capable of oil entrapment to determine whether that rock has had, or presently contains, oil, comprising the steps of: selecting two or more regions on a sample of the rock; determining a ratio of the number of regions that contain oil inclusions, or the number of regions that do not contain oil inclusions, as against the total number of regions selected; and comparing that ratio against standard rock samples to thereby enable the determination to be made as to whether or not the rock has had or presently contains oil. The method can also be used to locate boundaries of different fluid phases in geological sites capable of retaining oil.

Abstract: A method for determining the resistivity of water in an oil well site that includes rock that is capable of water entrapment, includes the steps of:(a) retrieving a sample of the rock;(b) identifying any entrapped water in the sample; and(c) determining the resistivity of the entrapped water. The so determined resistivity then enables oil reserves to be calculated in the well site.