Experimental investigation of the effect of compliant pores on reservoir rocks under hydrostatic and triaxial compression stress states

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 983-991
Author(s):  
Hua Yu ◽  
Kam Ng ◽  
Dario Grana ◽  
John Kaszuba ◽  
Vladimir Alvarado ◽  
...  

The presence of compliant pores in rocks is important for understanding the stress–strain behaviors under different stress conditions. This paper describes findings on the effect of compliant pores on the mechanical behavior of a reservoir sandstone under hydrostatic and triaxial compression. Laboratory experiments were conducted at reservoir temperature on Weber Sandstone samples from the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. Each experiment was conducted at three sequential stages: (stage 1) increase in the confining pressure while maintaining the pore pressure, (stage 2) increase in the pore pressure while maintaining the confining pressure, and (stage 3) application of the deviatoric load to failure. The nonlinear pore pressure – volumetric strain relationship governed by compliant pores under low confining pressure changes to a linear behavior governed by stiff pores under higher confining pressure. The estimated compressibilities of the matrix material in sandstone samples are close to the typical compressibility of quartz. Because of the change in pore structures during stage 1 and stage 2 loadings, the estimated bulk compressibilities of the sandstone sample under the lowest confining pressure decrease with increasing differential pressure. The increase in crack initiation stress is limited with increasing differential pressure because of similar total crack length governed by initial compliant porosity in sandstone samples.

Author(s):  
F Li ◽  
V M Puri

A medium pressure (<21 MPa) flexible boundary cubical triaxial tester was designed to measure the true three-dimensional response of powders. In this study, compression behaviour and strength of a microcrystalline cellulose powder (Avicel® PH102), a spray-dried alumina powder (A16SG), and a fluid-bed-granulated silicon nitride based powder (KY3500) were measured. To characterize the mechanical behaviour, three types of triaxial stress paths, that is, the hydrostatic triaxial compression (HTC), the conventional triaxial compression (CTC), and the constant mean pressure triaxial compression (CMPTC) tests were performed. The HTC test measured the volumetric response of the test powders under isostatic pressure from 0 to 13.79MPa, during which the three powders underwent a maximum volumetric strain of 40.8 per cent for Avicel® PH102, 30.5 per cent for A16SG, and 33.0 per cent for KY3500. The bulk modulus values increased 6.4-fold from 57 to 367MPa for Avicel® PH102, 3.7-fold from 174 to 637 MPa for A16SG, and 8.1-fold from 74 to 597MPa for KY3500, when the isotropic stress increased from 0.69 to 13.79 MPa. The CTC and CMPTC tests measured the shear response of the three powders. From 0.035 to 3.45MPa confining pressure, the shear modulus increased 28.7-fold from 1.6 to 45.9MPa for Avicel® PH102, 35-fold from 1.7 to 60.5MPa for A16SG, and 28.5-fold from 1.5 to 42.8MPa for KY3500. In addition, the failure stresses of the three powders increased from 0.129 to 4.41 MPa for Avicel® PH102, 0.082 to 3.62 MPa for A16SG, and 0.090 to 4.66MPa for KY3500, respectively, when consolidation pressure increased from 0.035 to 3.45MPa. In addition, the shear modulus and failure stress values determined from the CTC test at 2.07, 2.76, and 3.45MPa confining pressures are consistently greater than those from the CMPTC test at the same constant mean pressures. This observation demonstrates the influence of stress paths on material properties. The CTT is a useful tool for characterizing the three-dimensional response of powders and powder mixtures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jinlong Cai ◽  
Wei Zou

A conventional triaxial compression test of Jurassic-Cretaceous typical weakly consolidated sandstone from a mining area in Ordos, China, was conducted using an MTS816 tester. Results showed that, before the peak, the rock had a distinct yield stage. When the specimen reached its peak strength, the strength decreased rapidly and showed an obvious brittle failure. When the confining pressure was increased to 15 MPa, the decrease of strength was slow and the rock tended toward ductile failure. With the increase of confining pressure, the cyclic strain initially increased slightly, whereas the volumetric strain increased greatly and the rock sample was in a compression state. When the load reached a critical value, the curve was reversely bent, resulting in volume expansion, whereas the peak strength, residual strength, and elastic modulus increased with confining pressure, and Poisson’s ratio decreased with the confining pressure. In the model based on macroscopic failure rock, the expression of the relationship between fracture angle and confining pressure provided a solid theoretical basis for the direction and failure mode of the macroscopic crack. Based on the rock strength theory and Weibull random distribution assumption of rock element strength, the damage variable correction coefficient was introduced when the residual strength was considered. Then, the mathematical expression of the 3D damage statistical constitutive model was established. Finally, the theoretical curve of the established constitutive model was compared with the triaxial test curve, which showed a high degree of coincidence.


1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 706-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mosaid Al-Hussaini

This paper describes the results of an investigation carried out to study the influence of particle size, stress level, density, method of consolidation, and strain conditions on the strength and compressibility of crushed basalt. All specimens were prepared at medium or high density, consolidated isotropically or under K0 consolidation, and sheared under effective confining pressure ranging from 443 to 2297 kPa. The material used in the test program had a straight line grain size distribution with maximum particle size ranges from 0.63 to 76.2 mm and minimum particle size equivalent to No. 30 U.S. standard sieve size:The tests indicated that an increase in the particle size (i.e., gradation) increases the strength and decreases the axial and the volumetric strain at failure. The study indicated further that the crushed basalt under triaxial compression has a lower shear strength than when sheared under plane strain conditions. Particles crushed were significantly influenced by the stress level and gradation and to a lesser degree by density of material. Keywords: cohesionless soils, density (mass/volume), shear tests, stress–strain diagram, compression tests, rockfill dams.


2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 1027-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Nowakowski

Abstract This paper presents the results of laboratory tests carried out in order to formulate effective stress law. The law was sought for two different cases: first - when rock was treated as a porous Biot medium (Biot, 1941; Nur & Byerlee, 1971) and second - when the law was formulated according to definition of Robin (1973) developed by Gustkiewicz (1990) and Nowakowski (2007). In the first case coefficents (4) and (5) of the Biot equation (3) were were determined on the basis of compressibility test, in the second one effective pressure equation (9) and effective pressure value (11) were found on the basis of results of so called individual triaxial compression test (see Kovari et al., 1983) according to the methodology given by Nowakowski (2007). On the basis of Biot coefficients set of values was found that volumetric strain of the pore space described by a coefficient (5) was not dependent on the type of pore fluid and the pore pressure of only, while in case of volumetric strain of total rock described by coefficient (4) both the structure and texture of rock were important. The individual triaxial compression test results showed that for tested rock an effective pressure equation was a linear function of pore pressure as (15). The so called Rebinder effect (Rehbinder & Lichtman, 1957) might cause, that the α coefficient in equation (15) could assume values greater than one. This happened particularly in the case when the porous fluid was non-inert carbon dioxide. In case of inert pore fluid like kerosene the test results suggested that the a coefficient in equation (15) decreased while the differential strength limit was increasing. This might be caused by, so called, dillatancy strengthening (see Zoback & Byerlee, 1975). Another considered important parameter of the equation (15) was the value of the effective press p'. The results showed that the value of this parameter was practically independend on the pore fluid type. This conclusion was contrary to previous research (see, for example, Gustkiewicz et al., 2003 and Gustkiewicz, 1990) so these results should be treated with caution. There are no doubts, however, over p' increasing simultaneously with increase in Rσ1-σ3. Basically, the differential strength limit of the specimen is greater the greater is confining pressure applied to it. Thus, higher Rσ1-σ3 values are accompanied by higher p'.


Processes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongjie Xue ◽  
Jie Zhou ◽  
Yintong Liu ◽  
Sishuai Zhang

Modeling the coupled evolution of strain and CH4 seepage under conventional triaxial compression is the key to understanding enhanced permeability in coal. An abrupt transition of gas-stress coupled behavior at the dilatancy boundary is studied by the strain-based percolation model. Based on orthogonal experiments of triaxial stress with CH4 seepage, a complete stress-strain relationship and the corresponding evolution of volumetric strain and permeability are obtained. At the dilatant boundary of volumetric strain, modeling of stress-dependent permeability is ineffective when considering the effective deviatoric stress influenced by confining pressure and pore pressure. The computed tomography (CT) analysis shows that coal can be a continuous medium of pore-based structure before the dilatant boundary, but a discontinuous medium of fracture-based structure. The multiscale pore structure geometry dominates the mechanical behavior transition and the sudden change in CH4 seepage. By the volume-covering method proposed, the linear relationship between the fractal dimension and porosity indicates that the multiscale network can be a fractal percolation structure. A percolation model of connectivity by the axial strain-permeability relationship is proposed to explain the transition behavior of volumetric strain and CH4 seepage. The volumetric strain on permeability is illustrated by axial strain controlling the trend of transition behavior and radical strain controlling the shift of behavior. A good correlation between the theoretical and experimental results shows that the strain-based percolation model is effective in describing the transition behavior of CH4 seepage in coal.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (04) ◽  
pp. 389-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Yang ◽  
K.E. Gray

Abstract Results of single-blow bit-tooth impact tests on saturated rocks under elevated confining pressures and zero pore pressure were reported in a previous publication. This paper presents an extension of the earlier work to include a study of crater formation during tooth impact on both gas- and liquid-saturated Berea and Bandera sandstones at elevated confining and pore pressures. The basic data obtained were force-time, displacement-time, velocity-time and force-displacement curves during crater formation. Crater volume was also measured and the mode of crater formation determined. Bit tooth geometry, depth of penetration and velocity of impact were held constant. Results indicate that, with pore fluid present in the rock, failure trends from brittle to ductile as pore pressure is increased at constant confining pressure (pore pressure and borehole pressure were equals For a given rock type, the mode of crater formation was dependent not only upon the nominal effective stress, but also upon the fluid which saturated the rock pore space. When confining pressure and pore pressure were equal (zero nominal effective stress), bit-tooth impact resulted in brittle failure for nitrogen-saturated Berea, and brittle to transitional failure for nitrogen-saturated Bandera; when saturated with liquid both rocks failed in a ductile manner at zero nominal effective stress. Introduction Dynamic wedge penetration tests have been conducted by investigators in several fields, but the failure mechanism of rock under dynamic stresses is not understood completely. The complex action of drilling bits, even considering the action of a single tooth, may be considered as a combination of drag bit and rolling cutter action. Thus, as a first step in understanding rock breakage in oil well drilling, single chisel impact and rock planing are of fundamental importance. For example, Gray and Crisp studied drag bit cutting action at brittle stress states. Simon and Hartman studied the reaction of rocks to vertical impact by means of drop tests. The depth of penetration, crater volume and force-vs-time curves during crater formation were observed. The significance of indexing single-bit impacts has been noted. Garner et al, reported impact tests on impermeable Leuders limestone at atmospheric and elevated confining pressures. In all cases the tests were accomplished on dry rock and pore pressure was considered to be zero. The importance of both confining pressure and pore pressure on the failure characteristics of rock was described. It was found that the yield strength and ductility of porous rock depend on the state of stress under which the sample is tested. The importance of pore pressure on drilling rate in microbit experiments was noted by Cunningham and Eenink, Robinson also pointed out that in drilling the most important parameter in rock failure is the effective stress, where effective stress is defined as confining pressure Pc minus pore pressure Pp. The effect of pore pressure and confining pressure on rock strength was also noted by Serdengecti and Boozer in strain rate tests, and by Gardner, Wyllie and Droschack in elastic wave studies. Until recently all reported wedge impact studies under simulated wellbore stress states have been conducted on dry rock. Maurer reported impact tests on samples saturated with deaerated water. Borehole and formation fluid pressures were equal in these tests except when mud was used in the borehole. With mud in the borehole and a high borehole-to-formation fluid pressure differential, Maurer observed "pseudoplastic" crater formation. Podio and Gray reported impact tests on Berea and Bandera sandstone saturated with pore fluids having wide ranges in viscosities. In Podio and Gray's tests, confining pressure was elevated, but pore pressure and borehole pressure were held fixed at atmospheric pressure. SPEJ P. 389ˆ


Geofluids ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gangwei Fan ◽  
Mingwei Chen ◽  
Dongsheng Zhang ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Shizhong Zhang ◽  
...  

Mudstone and shaly coarse sandstone samples of Jurassic units in northwestern China were collected to study the seepage mechanism of weakly cemented rock affected by underground mining operations. Samples were studied using seepage experiments under triaxial compression considering two processes: complete stress-strain and postpeak loading and unloading. The results show that permeability variations closely correspond to deviatoric stress-axial strain during the process of complete stress-strain. The initial permeability is 7 times its minimum, contrasting with lesser differentials of initial, peak, and residual permeability. The magnitude of permeability ranges from 10−17 to 10−19 m2, representing a stable water-resisting property, and is 1 to 2 orders lower in mudstone than that in shaly coarse sandstone, indicating that the water-resisting property of the mudstone is much better than that of the shaly coarse sandstone. Permeability is negatively correlated with the confining pressure. In response to this pressure, the permeability change in mudstone is faster than that in shaly coarse sandstone during the process of postpeak loading and unloading. Weakly cemented rock has lower permeability according to the comparison with congeneric ordinary rocks. This distinction is more remarkable in terms of the initial permeability. Analyses based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and mineral composition indicate that the samples are rich in clay minerals such as montmorillonite and kaolin, whose inherent properties of hydroexpansiveness and hydrosliming can be considered the dominant factors contributing to the seepage properties of weakly cemented rock with low permeability.


Geofluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Shifan Liu ◽  
Chong Shi ◽  
Shanxi Zheng ◽  
Qizhi Zhu

In this research, the conventional triaxial compression experiments for intact red sandstone specimens and the specimens with a single persistent joint at different inclination angles, i.e., 0°, 30°, 45°, and 90°, were conducted at first. Based on the results of the conventional tests, the effects of the confining pressure and the joint inclination angle on the mechanical properties including deformation behavior and strength parameters were summarized and analyzed, respectively. We find that the strength and deformation of jointed red sandstone are enlarged due to the increment of confining pressure, and the mechanical parameters of specimens show a U-shaped development with the rise of the joint angle. Besides, to investigate the effects of the pore pressure on seepage characteristics of rocks with joint angles at 0°, 45°, and 90°, a series of triaxial compression drainage tests on the jointed red sandstone were performed. The results show that the pore pressure has a weakening effect on the strength of jointed specimens, which can reduce the strengthening effect induced by confining pressure. Meanwhile, the tested specimens mostly present shear failure modes. As a result, the mechanical responses, seepage characteristics, and cracking modes in red sandstone containing a single persistent joint under triaxial compression are revealed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Salemi ◽  
Stefan Iglauer ◽  
Ali Rezagholilou ◽  
Mohammad Sarmadivaleh

Understanding rock behaviour as a function of pore pressure and confining pressure is crucial for petroleum and geomechanical analysis. Indeed, deformation and local stress variations within hydrocarbon reservoirs and their surroundings occur due to pore pressure changes. Theoretically, pore pressure changes coupled with stress variations in hydrocarbon reservoirs are a function of the Biot’s coefficient, the elastic properties of the rock and the reservoir shape. Thus, in this study, the Biot’s coefficient was measured as a function of porosity, permeability, and volumetric strain for five Gosford sandstone samples. A triaxial loading system was used to measure rock volumetric strain while pore pressure and confining pressure were varied. The constant deformation technique was employed for these experiments; i.e. the variation of pore pressure created a volumetric strain, and the confining pressure required to restore the original volumetric strain was measured to calculate Biot’s coefficient. For the investigated samples, measured liquid permeabilities were in the range of 7–10 mD and Biot’s coefficients were 0.84–0.91. This is consistent with similar investigations by other researchers in which measured Biot’s coefficients were in the range of 0.65–0.90. This study thus illustrates how liquid permeability and the Biot’s coefficient decrease as a function of confining pressure.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 5065
Author(s):  
Liming Zhang ◽  
Shengqun Jiang ◽  
Jin Yu

Failure tests on sandstone specimens were conducted under different confining pressures and seepage pressures by using an MTS triaxial rock testing machine to elucidate the corresponding correlations of permeability and characteristic stress with confining pressure and pore pressure during deformation. The results indicate that permeability first decreases and presents two trends, i.e., a V-shaped increase and an S-shaped trend during the non-linear deformation stage. The greater the seepage pressure, the greater the initial permeability and the more obvious the V-shaped trend in the permeability. As the confining pressure was increased, the trend in the permeability gradually changed from V- to S-shaped. Compared with the case at a high confining pressure, the decrease of permeability occurred more quickly, the rate of change becomes greater, and the sudden increase observed in the permeability happened earlier under lower confining pressures. Within the range tested, confining pressure exerted a greater effect on the permeability than the seepage pressure. In comparison with the axial strain, volumetric strain better reflected changes in permeability during compaction and dilation of sandstone. The ratio of crack initiation stress to peak strength ranged from 0.37 to 0.50, while the ratio of dilation stress to peak strength changed from 0.58 to 0.72. Permeabilities calculated based on Darcy and non-Darcy flow changed within the same interval, while the change in permeability was different.


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