Pore space degradation in Zimbabwean crusting soils

Author(s):  
S. Carnicelli ◽  
G.A. Ferrari ◽  
M. Pagliai
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
C. A. Callender ◽  
Wm. C. Dawson ◽  
J. J. Funk

The geometric structure of pore space in some carbonate rocks can be correlated with petrophysical measurements by quantitatively analyzing binaries generated from SEM images. Reservoirs with similar porosities can have markedly different permeabilities. Image analysis identifies which characteristics of a rock are responsible for the permeability differences. Imaging data can explain unusual fluid flow patterns which, in turn, can improve production simulation models.Analytical SchemeOur sample suite consists of 30 Middle East carbonates having porosities ranging from 21 to 28% and permeabilities from 92 to 2153 md. Engineering tests reveal the lack of a consistent (predictable) relationship between porosity and permeability (Fig. 1). Finely polished thin sections were studied petrographically to determine rock texture. The studied thin sections represent four petrographically distinct carbonate rock types ranging from compacted, poorly-sorted, dolomitized, intraclastic grainstones to well-sorted, foraminiferal,ooid, peloidal grainstones. The samples were analyzed for pore structure by a Tracor Northern 5500 IPP 5B/80 image analyzer and a 80386 microprocessor-based imaging system. Between 30 and 50 SEM-generated backscattered electron images (frames) were collected per thin section. Binaries were created from the gray level that represents the pore space. Calculated values were averaged and the data analyzed to determine which geological pore structure characteristics actually affect permeability.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4570
Author(s):  
Aman Turakhanov ◽  
Albina Tsyshkova ◽  
Elena Mukhina ◽  
Evgeny Popov ◽  
Darya Kalacheva ◽  
...  

In situ shale or kerogen oil production is a promising approach to developing vast oil shale resources and increasing world energy demand. In this study, cyclic subcritical water injection in oil shale was investigated in laboratory conditions as a method for in situ oil shale retorting. Fifteen non-extracted oil shale samples from Bazhenov Formation in Russia (98 °C and 23.5 MPa reservoir conditions) were hydrothermally treated at 350 °C and in a 25 MPa semi-open system during 50 h in the cyclic regime. The influence of the artificial maturation on geochemical parameters, elastic and microstructural properties was studied. Rock-Eval pyrolysis of non-extracted and extracted oil shale samples before and after hydrothermal exposure and SARA analysis were employed to analyze bitumen and kerogen transformation to mobile hydrocarbons and immobile char. X-ray computed microtomography (XMT) was performed to characterize the microstructural properties of pore space. The results demonstrated significant porosity, specific pore surface area increase, and the appearance of microfractures in organic-rich layers. Acoustic measurements were carried out to estimate the alteration of elastic properties due to hydrothermal treatment. Both Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio decreased due to kerogen transformation to heavy oil and bitumen, which remain trapped before further oil and gas generation, and expulsion occurs. Ultimately, a developed kinetic model was applied to match kerogen and bitumen transformation with liquid and gas hydrocarbons production. The nonlinear least-squares optimization problem was solved during the integration of the system of differential equations to match produced hydrocarbons with pyrolysis derived kerogen and bitumen decomposition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 299-306
Author(s):  
Jiang Jia ◽  
Shizhen Ke ◽  
Junjian Li ◽  
Zhengming Kang ◽  
Xuerui Ma ◽  
...  

AbstractLow-frequency resistivity logging plays an important role in the field of petroleum exploration, but the complex resistivity spectrum of rock also contains a large amount of information about reservoir parameters. The complex resistivity spectra of 15 natural sandstone cores from western China, with different water saturations, were measured with an impedance analyzer. The pore space of each core was saturated with NaCl solution, and measurements were collected at a frequency range of 40–15 MHz. The results showed a linear relationship between the real resistivity at 1 kHz and the maximum values of imaginary resistivity for each core with different water saturations. The slopes of the linear best-fit lines had good linear relationships with the porosity and the permeability of cores. Based on this, a permeability estimation model was proposed and tested. In addition, the maxima of imaginary resistivity had power exponential relationships with the porosity and the water saturation of the cores. A saturation evaluation model based on the maxima of imaginary resistivity was established by imitating Archie’s formula. The new models were found to be feasible for determining the permeability and saturation of sandstone based on complex resistivity spectrum measurements. These models advance the application of complex resistivity spectrum in petrophysics.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl‐Heinz Hellmuth ◽  
Juuso Sammaljärvi ◽  
Marja Siitari‐Kauppi ◽  
Jean‐Charles Robinet ◽  
Paul Sardini

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2495
Author(s):  
Belén Ferrer ◽  
María-Baralida Tomás ◽  
David Mas

Some materials undergo hygric expansion when soaked. In porous rocks, this effect is enhanced by the pore space, because it allows water to reach every part of its volume and to hydrate most swelling parts. In the vicinity, this enlargement has negative structural consequences as adjacent elements support some compressions or displacements. In this work, we propose a normalized cross-correlation between rock surface texture images to determine the hygric expansion of such materials. We used small porous sandstone samples (11 × 11 × 30 mm3) to measure hygric swelling. The experimental setup comprised an industrial digital camera and a telecentric objective. We took one image every 5 min for 3 h to characterize the whole swelling process. An error analysis of both the mathematical and experimental methods was performed. The results showed that the proposed methodology provided, despite some limitations, reliable hygric swelling information by a non-contact methodology with an accuracy of 1 micron and permitted the deformation in both the vertical and horizontal directions to be explored, which is an advantage over traditional linear variable displacement transformers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 1963-1980
Author(s):  
Solomon Adomako ◽  
Christian John Engelsen ◽  
Rein Terje Thorstensen ◽  
Diego Maria Barbieri

AbstractRock aggregates constitute the enormous volume of inert construction material used around the globe. The petrologic description as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types establishes the intrinsic formation pattern of the parent rock. The engineering properties of these rocks vary due to the differences in the transformation process (e.g. hydrothermal deposits) and weathering effect. The two most common mechanical tests used to investigate the performance of aggregates are the Los Angeles (LA) and micro-Deval (MD) tests. This study reviewed the geological parameters (including mineralogy, grain and crystal size, grain shape, and porosity) and the relationship to Los Angeles and micro-Deval tests. It was found that high content of primary minerals in rocks (e.g. quartz and feldspar) is a significant parameter for performance evaluation. Traces of secondary and accessory minerals also affect the performance of rocks, although in many cases it is based on the percentage. Furthermore, some studies showed that the effect of mineralogic composition on mechanical strength is not sufficient to draw final conclusions of mechanical performance; therefore, the impact of other textural characteristics should be considered. The disposition of grain size and crystal size (e.g. as result of lithification) showed that rocks composed of fine-grain textural composition of ≤ 1 mm enhanced fragmentation and wear resistance than medium and coarse grained (≥ 1 mm). The effect of grain shape was based on convex and concave shapes and flat and elongated apexes of tested samples. The equidimensional form descriptor of rocks somehow improved resistance to impact from LA than highly flat and elongated particles. Lastly, the distribution of pore space investigated by means of the saturation method mostly showed moderate (R = 0.50) to strong (R = 0.90) and positive correlations to LA and MD tests.


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