Multiscale characterization of pore structure in carbonate formations: Application to the Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators Committee Unit

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. SF165-SF177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Oyewole ◽  
Mehrnoosh Saneifar ◽  
Zoya Heidari

Carbonate formations consist of a wide range of pore types with different shapes, pore-throat sizes, and varying levels of pore-network connectivity. Such heterogeneous pore-network properties affect the fluid flow in the formation. However, characterizing pore-network properties (e.g., effective porosity and permeability) in carbonate formations is challenging due to the heterogeneity at different scales and complex pore structure of carbonate rocks. We have developed an integrated technique for multiscale characterization of carbonate pore structure based on mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) measurements, X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) 3D rock images, and well logs. We have determined pore types based on the pore-throat radius distributions obtained from MICP measurements. We developed a new method for improved assessment of effective porosity and permeability in the well-log domain using pore-scale numerical simulations of fluid flow and electric current flow in 3D micro-CT core images obtained in each pore type. Finally, we conducted petrophysical rock classification based on the depth-by-depth estimates of effective porosity, permeability, volumetric concentrations of minerals, and pore types using an unsupervised artificial neural network. We have successfully applied the proposed technique to three wells in the Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators Committee (SACROC ) Unit. Our results find that electrical resistivity measurements can be used for reliable characterization of pore structure and assessment of effective porosity and permeability in carbonate formations. The estimates of permeability in the well-log domain were cross-validated using the available core measurements. We have observed a 34% improvement in relative errors in well-log-based estimates of permeability, as compared with the core-based porosity-permeability models.

2014 ◽  
Vol 1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyoon Yoon ◽  
Isabel Galan ◽  
Kemal Celik ◽  
Fredrik P. Glasser ◽  
Mohammed S. Imbabi

ABSTRACTCalcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cements are being developed using a novel processing method having as its objective lowering specific CO2 emissions by ∼50% relative to a Portland cement benchmark. We need to be able to measure the properties of the products. Porosity and permeability measurements help define the engineering properties but their quantification is influenced by the choice of experimental protocols. In the present study we used ordinary Portland cement (PC) paste as a benchmark and hydrated ye’elimite, which is a main component of CSA cements, to understand its pore structure. We report on the use of synchrotron-sourced radiation for µCT (Computerized Tomography) and 3D image re-construction of the internal micro-pore structure of PC and ye’elimite-gypsum pastes. As a comparison, porosity and permeability measurements were traditionally obtained using Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP). The Mori-Tanaka method and the polynomial statistical model were used to analyze the effects of different 3-D micro-pore structures on mechanical properties. The results show that e micro-pore structures differ considerably between PC and ye’elimite pastes and their bulk modulus is significantly affected by the shapes of their micro-pore structures.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  

The evaluation of shaley formations has long been a difficult task. Presence of shale and shale types in some of the Iranian formations are one of the most important factors. Shale types have to be considered, because existence of shale reduces, porosity and permeability of the reservoir to some degree. Shale Distributed in formations in three basic types, Dispersed, Laminar and structural. Each of these shale types has different effect on porosity, permeability and saturation. Dispersed shale reduces porosity and permeability to a great degree, but, laminar shale and structural shale have little effect on petrophysical parameters. In this investigation, shale types, Shale volume and effective porosity of Kangan Formation have been determined from well log data and compared with crossplotting. In other words, a triangle Density-Neutron cross-plot is used to determine above parameters. The area of study lies in central oil fields of Iran, where one of the well is used (Tabnak Well C). Tabnak Well C selected to study Kangan Formation from Iranian oil field, in Pars onshore. This study illustrates that distribution of shale types in Kangan Formation is mainly dispersed shale with few of laminar shale, and percentage of effective porosity (φe) decreases with increasing depths for Kangan Formation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Fengjuan Dong ◽  
Na Liu ◽  
Zhen Sun ◽  
Xiaolong Wei ◽  
Haonan Wang ◽  
...  

The complex pore structure of low-permeability sandstone reservoir makes it difficult to characterize the heterogeneity of pore throat. Taking the reservoir of Sanjianfang formation in QL oilfield as an example, the fractal dimension of different storage spaces is calculated by using fractal theory based on casting thin section, scanning electron microscope, and high-pressure mercury injection, and the correlation between porosity, permeability, and contribution of different storage space permeabilities is analyzed. The results show that the reservoir of Sanjianfang formation in QL oilfield mainly develops small pores, fine pores, and micropores, and the fractal dimension of micropore structure is between 2.6044 and 2.9982, with an average value of 2.8316. The more complex the pore structure is, the stronger the microheterogeneity is. The higher the fractal dimension, the more complex the pore structure and the smaller the porosity and permeability. The fractal dimensions of small pores, fine pores, and micropores increase successively with the decrease in pore radius, and the microstructure heterogeneity of large pores is weaker than that of small pores. It provides a theoretical basis for the exploration and development of low-permeability sandstone reservoirs.


1984 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 2721-2738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ondřej Kadlec ◽  
Jerzy Choma ◽  
Helena Jankowska ◽  
Andrzej Swiatkowski

This paper describes the algorithm of numerical evaluation of the parameters of the pore structure of adsorbents ( the micro, mezo and macropores). The structure of individual types of pores is described with the equation proposed by one of the present authors and giving the total distribution function of the pores with respect to their radii. The reliability of the suggested algorithm was verified in a number of calculations using a specially developed program. The results of the analysis and characterization of three different specimens of active carbon are shown as an example.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Bohnsack ◽  
Martin Potten ◽  
Simon Freitag ◽  
Florian Einsiedl ◽  
Kai Zosseder

AbstractIn geothermal reservoir systems, changes in pore pressure due to production (depletion), injection or temperature changes result in a displacement of the effective stresses acting on the rock matrix of the aquifer. To compensate for these intrinsic stress changes, the rock matrix is subjected to poroelastic deformation through changes in rock and pore volume. This in turn may induce changes in the effective pore network and thus in the hydraulic properties of the aquifer. Therefore, for the conception of precise reservoir models and for long-term simulations, stress sensitivity of porosity and permeability is required for parametrization. Stress sensitivity was measured in hydrostatic compression tests on 14 samples of rock cores stemming from two boreholes of the Upper Jurassic Malm aquifer of the Bavarian Molasse Basin. To account for the heterogeneity of this carbonate sequence, typical rock and facies types representing the productive zones within the thermal reservoir were used. Prior to hydrostatic investigations, the hydraulic (effective porosity, permeability) and geomechanical (rock strength, dynamic, and static moduli) parameters as well as the microstructure (pore and pore throat size) of each rock sample were studied for thorough sample characterization. Subsequently, the samples were tested in a triaxial test setup with effective stresses of up to 28 MPa (hydrostatic) to simulate in-situ stress conditions for depths up to 2000 m. It was shown that stress sensitivity of the porosity was comparably low, resulting in a relative reduction of 0.7–2.1% at maximum effective stress. In contrast, relative permeability losses were observed in the range of 17.3–56.7% compared to the initial permeability at low effective stresses. Stress sensitivity coefficients for porosity and permeability were derived for characterization of each sample and the different rock types. For the stress sensitivity of porosity, a negative correlation with rock strength and a positive correlation with initial porosity was observed. The stress sensitivity of permeability is probably controlled by more complex processes than that of porosity, where the latter is mainly controlled by the compressibility of the pore space. It may depend more on the compaction of precedented flow paths and the geometry of pores and pore throats controlling the connectivity within the rock matrix. In general, limestone samples showed a higher stress sensitivity than dolomitic limestone or dolostones, because dolomitization of the rock matrix may lead to an increasing stiffness of the rock. Furthermore, the stress sensitivity is related to the history of burial diagenesis, during which changes in the pore network (dissolution, precipitation, and replacement of minerals and cements) as well as compaction and microcrack formation may occur. This study, in addition to improving the quality of input parameters for hydraulic–mechanical modeling, shows that hydraulic properties in flow zones largely characterized by less stiff, porous limestones can deteriorate significantly with increasing effective stress.


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