SubSurface exploration: recent advanceS in Geo-SiGnal proceSSinG, interpretation, and learninG Hasan Al-Marzouqi Digital Rock Physics Using CT scans to compute rock properties P rofitable production from oil and gas reservoirs is essential in the petroleum industry, and solutions for many reservoir engineering problems rely on an accurate estimation of rock's physical properties. Traditional property estimation using conventional laboratory measurements has a high turnover time. Furthermore, conventional methods often make simplified assumptions and lack a detailed understanding of the internal mechanisms influencing estimated properties. Digital rock physics (DRP) allows for an alternative strategy for estimating these properties by using high-resolution computerized tomography (CT) scanners. Introduction ©istockphoto.com/khadi Ganiev Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MSP.2017.2784459 Date of publication: 7 March 2018 1053-5888/18©2018IEEE The formulation of successful oil and gas reservoir development and management strategies is of crucial industrial and economic importance. Rock and fluid properties are essential building blocks in any reservoir engineering study. These properties are used for the simulation of petroleum reservoirs through their life cycle. The overall objective of these simulations is to gather a detailed description and build a conceptual and comprehensive model of the reservoir. Such a detailed model then can be used to formulate production and reservoir-management strategies that enhance production and maximize recovery. Reservoir simulation models typically use variations of finitedifference solvers to compute the desired reservoir properties [1]. The workflow of reservoir simulation starts with the collection of available reservoir data. Reservoir rock properties often have a key impact on these simulations. In most reservoirs, rock properties are not homogeneous and can vary drastically from one location to another in the reservoir. The assumption that rock properties are homogeneous is rarely encountered in the field [2]. Several core samples are extracted from different wellbore locations for use in core analysis in which essential rock properties such as porosity and permeability are studied. The scope of these properties is localized, but interwell rock properties, based on geostatistical models, can be estimated from wellbore properties and utilized in the simulation models [1], [3]. IEEE Signal Processing Magazine | March 2018 | 121http://www.istockphoto.com/khadi