Kalibracja wyników analiz chemicznych piaskowców czerwonego spągowca wykonanych przenośnym spektrometrem XRF

Handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometers with energy dispersion (EDXRF) are increasingly used to determine the chemical composition of rocks for the oil and gas industry. The results of our research allow to create or support the lithological interpretation based on mineralogical models. In the case of quantitative interpretation based on the results of measurements using a handheld XRF device, high accuracy of measurements is required. This paper presents the problems to which attention should be paid when applying the assumed methodology, mainly related to the underestimated percentages for light (main) elements. The tests were carried out on powdered samples of drill cores taken from borehole directed to Rotliegend rocks. The measurements were carried out using Bruker’s XRF S1 TITAN spectrometer. The calibration and correction tests led to the elimination of two factors affecting the inaccuracy of the analyses. The first is the progressive aging of the X-ray tube, which should be checked by conducting systematic measurements of the standard reference material. The second concerns the effect of a change in the density of the sample after grinding, which has a significant impact on light elements (mainly silicon and aluminium), causing a decrease in absolute values in the results of measurements using a handheld XRF device. Due to the type of rock material analysed, the focus was on the calibration of the results of the main elements building the Rotliegend sandstone rock matrix. The paper presents the possibility of calibrating the results directly in the device, which results in obtaining calibrated results after each measurement, as well as calibration of results in an external file. By using external calibration, errors caused by changing the rock matrix can be avoided while ensuring that possibility the results can be recalculated. The resulting calibration coefficients are applicable to the Rotliegend rocks and the XRF spectrometer with current software and GeoChem calibrations provided by Bruker. A change in any of the factors requires re-testing and recalibration of the results. Mineralogical models prepared based on XRF analyses can be used in the future, if those appropriate calibration coefficients are used.