This paper presents an overview of a vast research project called Form
ation Evaluation 2000, which was undertaken by Agip SpA and was aimed
at characterizing in real time the formations encountered during drill
ing by means of measurements on drill chips. To date, the project has
demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining representative values of P-
and S-wave velocities, rock strength and deformability, permeability,
porosity, density, residual fluid content, and saturation. Further wor
k is under way to determine the pore-size distribution, the thermal ex
pansion coefficient, and the electrical resistivity of the rocks from
measurements on cuttings. The paper presents the methodology used to s
ystematically develop these technologies and illustrates the results o
btained to date during the various sequences of the research, i.e., th
e primary design of the measurements, laboratory tuning, and field app
licability. Furthermore, the paper presents a series of field cases in
which these techniques were used, to highlight the industrial applica
tions of such a package of measurements.