Prospects of borehole NMR instruments and applications

Borehole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful technology to characterize the petrophysical properties of underground reservoirs in the petroleum industry. The rising complexity of oil and gas exploration and development objectives, as well as the novel application contexts of underground reservoirs, have led to increasingly demanding requirements on borehole NMR technology including instrument design and related processing methods. This mini review summarizes the advances and applications of borehole NMR instruments along with some future possibilities. It may be helpful for researchers and engineers in the petroleum industry to understand the development status and future trends of borehole NMR technology.