COMPRESSIBILITY OF RESERVOIR ROCKS

Lecture Outline

Overburden pressure and rock compressibility

-

Definition of overburden pressure Pore pressure and effective overburden pressure Types of rock compressibility Relationship between porosity and compressibility Porosity-compressibility correlations Net pay, pay gross pay pay, net to gross, gross and cut-off values

Overburden Pressure and Rock Compressibility

Definition of overburden pressure:

The total pressure at any reservoir depth, due to the weight of overlying fluid saturated rock column, is called the overburden pressure, pressure Pov The total pressure at any depth is the sum of the overlaying fluid fluid-column column pressure Pf and the overlaying grain or matrix column pressure Pm

Pov = Pf + Pm
A typical value of overburden pressure is approximately one psi per foot of depth. depth Overburden pressure depends on: depth, structure, consolidation of geologic g age g and history y of the rock. the formation, g

Overburden Pressure and Rock Compressibility

Pore pressure and effective overburden pressure:

The weight of the overburden simply applies a compressive force to the reservoir. The pressure in the rock pore spaces does not normally approach the overburden pressure pressure. A typical pore pressure, commonly referred to as the reservoir pressure, is approximately 0.5 psi per foot of depth, assuming that the reservoir i is i sufficiently ffi i tl consolidated lid t d so the th overburden b d pressure is i not transmitted to the fluids in the pore spaces. The pressure difference between overburden and internal pore pressure is referred to as the effective overburden pressure. During g pressure p depletion p operations, p , the internal pore p pressure p decreases and, therefore, the effective overburden pressure increases. This increase causes the following effects: The bulk volume of the reservoir rock is reduced. Sand grains within the pore spaces expand.

Relationship of Original Formation Porosity to Overburden Pressure

50

40

Sandstones

30

20 Shales 10

1,000

2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 Overburden pressure, psi

6,000

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

General Definition

The relative volume change of matter per unit pressure change under conditions of constant temperature

Usually, petroleum reservoirs can be considered isothermal (an exception: thermal stimulation) Increasing pressure causes volume of material to decrease (compression) - e.g. reservoir fluids Decreasing pressure causes volume of material to increase (expansion) - e.g. reservoir fluids

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY
1. Under static conditions, downward overburden
force must be balanced by upward forces of the matrix and fluid in pores

1 Cf = Vp

Vp p

2. Thus:

F F
o

F
F

AND

p =p + p
o m

3. Pressure Gradients,
Normal Reservoirs: dpo/dZ = 1.0 1 0 psia/ft dp/dZ = 0.465 psia/ft

4. As fluids are produced from reservoir, fluid pressure (p) usually

decreases while overburden is constant, and: (a) force on matrix increases ( net compaction pressure, pm=po-p) (b) b bulk lk volume l d decreases, and d (c) pore volume decreases.

General Equation

C: Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility

ALWAYS positive value oilfield units: 1/psia

V: Volume

oilfield units: ft3

1 V C= V p

p: Pressure exerted on material

oilfield units: psia

Negative sign in equation determined by V/p term, to force the coefficient C to be positive Volume is a function of pressure only (temperature is constant, and amount of material is constant)

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

Importance

Formation F i compressibility ibili can have h a significant i ifi impact i on reservoir performance Subsidence can have significant environmental impact

Types of rock compressibility:

R k Matrix Rock M t i Compressibility C ibilit Pore Compressibility p y ( Cf ) Bulk Compressibility ( Cb )

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY
Rock Matrix Compressibility

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY

FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY
Relationship e at o s p bet between ee po porosity os ty a and d co compressibility p ess b ty

Relationship between porosity and compressibility

Relationship between porosity and compressibility

PorosityPorosity -Compressibility Correlations:

PorosityPorosity y-compressibility p y correlations:

Net pay pay, gross pay and net to gross value:

Net pay pay, gross pay and net to gross value:

Net pay pay, gross pay and net to gross value:

Net to gross value is the ratio between net pay to gross pay pay, e.g., the ration between the part of the reservoir thickness which contribute in the oil recovery to the total or gross Thickness. The net pay values are different from one reservoir to another depending on economic limits but as general the following present the cut-off values for oil and gas reservoirs:

Cut-off values Oil reservoirs Gas reservoirs

, %

k, mD

S w, %

Clay content, %

<10 <5

<50 <1

>50 >75

>15 >15

Net pay pay, gross pay and net to gross value:

Laboratory Determination of Cf

In reservoirs, , overburden pressure p is constant and the pressure of fluid in pores changes, resulting in pore volume change In the laboratory, we change the confining pressure on the core plug (overburden) while holding the pore pressure constant Remember that the net compaction pressure on the matrix is the difference between the overburden and pore pressures

This allows us to obtain useful results in the laboratory

Laboratory Determination of Cf

Laboratory Procedure

Core plug is 100% saturated with brine Core plug is placed in rubber or soft copper sleeve As pressure outside sleeve is increased, pore volume decreases and the volume of expelled brine is measured

Formation Compressibility Hysteresis Effect

Hysteresis is used by Petroleum Engineers to describe the effects of path dependence and irreversibilities we observe in reservoir behavior

For example, if we decrease reservoir pressure from initial conditions, pore volume decreases. If we then increase reservoir pressure back to the initial pressure, pore volume does not increase all the way back to the initial pore volume.

REFERENCES: Ahmed, Tarek : Reservoir Engineering HandbookCh.4: Fundamentals of Rock Properties, Second Edition, Gulf Professional Publishing, Publishing 2001. 2001

Subsidence and Bulk Compressibility

Process of subsidence Bulk B lk volume l d decreases as fl fluids id are produced d d Area is constant Formation thickness decreases (causing subsidence of strata above) Porosity: = Vp/Vb = 1-(Vm/Vb); where Vb=Vp+Vm Net compaction p p pressure: pm = po p Overburden (po) is constant dpm= -dp

Subsidence and Bulk Compressibility

As net compaction pressure increases

Bulk volume decreases; Cb = -1/Vb (Vb/pm) Pore volume decreases; Cf= -1/Vp (Vp/pm) M t i volume Matrix l decreases; d Cm= -1/V 1/Vm (Vm/pm) Cb = (-1/V ( 1/Vb) [(Vp/pm) + (Vm/pm) ] Cb = (-1/Vb) [(- Cf Vp) + (- Cm Vm)] Cb = Cf + (1( ) )Cm; usually y Cm << Cf

Substituting from definitions above

Formation Compressibility

Calculation of Pore Volume Change

Separate

1 C f dp = dVp Vp
p2 Vp2

1 dVp and Integrate C f dp = Vp p1 Vp1

Two common approaches pp for constant value of Cf

Exact Integration 1st Order Approximation

Formation Compressibility

Pore Volume Change - Continued

Exact Integration C f [p ]

p2 p1

= ln(Vp ) V

Vp2
p1 1

Exponentiating (Inverse of Natural Logarithm) and rearranging

( 2 p1 ) Vp2 = Vp1e Cf (p

OR

Vp = Vp1 e Cf (p 2 p1 ) 1

Formation Compressibility

Pore Volume Change - Continued

1st Order Approximation

dVp 1 Vp dp V p p 1 Vp2 Vp1 Cf = Vp1 p 2 p1 Vp = Vp1C f (p ( 2 p1 ) 1 Cf = Vp Vp 1 + C f (p 2 p1 )] p2 = Vp p1 [

COMPACTION OF SEDIMENTS

Porosity is reduced by compaction

Porosity y reduction is determined by y maximum burial depth Principal effects are:

Changes in packing Pressure solution R Recrystallization t lli ti Deformation of rock fragments

Compaction effects are not reversed by erosional unroofing (hysteresis effect)

MECHANICS OF COMPACTION
Rotation and Closer Packing Ductile Grain Deformation Breakage of Brittle Grains Pressure S P Solution l ti At Grain Contacts

Platy Grains (e.g., clays) Non-Platy Grains (e.g., qtz., feldspar) Ductile Framework Grain, e.g., Shale Rock Fragment)

Modified from Jonas and McBride, 1977

Formation Compressibility

Equation

1 Cf = Vp

Vp p

Cf: Formation Compressibility (Pore Volume Comp.) ALWAYS positive value oilfield units: 1/psia Vp: Pore volume 3 oilfield units: ft p: Pressure of fluid in pores oilfield units: psia Positive sign in equation determined by Vp/p term, to force Cf to be positive Pore volume is function of pressure only (temperature is constant, amount of reservoir rock is constant)

Importance

Formation compressibility p y can have a significant g impact on reservoir performance Subsidence can have significant environmental impact Matrix Compressibility ( Cm ): relative change in volume of solid rock material (grain volume) per unit pressure change (usually Cm 0). Pore Compressibility ( Cf ): relative change in pore volume l per unit it pressure change. h Bulk Compressibility ( Cb ): relative change in bulk volume per unit pressure change ( usually Vb Vp). Significant decrease in bulk volume can cause subsidence.

Types yp