UPES DEHRADUN

RESERVOIR
ROCK

ENGINEERING

LECTURE-04 13.09.10

POROSITY

Porosity
Porosity is defined as percentage or fraction of void to the bulk volume of the rock. The void space in reservoir rocks is the inter-granular spaces between the sedimentary particles

Porosity relations
Let us consider a rock sample. Its apparent volume, or total volume VT, consists of a solid volume VS and a pore volume Vp. The porosity is:
V pore = -------V total VP VT

expressed in %
VT - VS -------VT

= -------- =

=1-

VS -------VT

Intera Porosity relations

The porosity of interest to reservoir specialist is that which allows the fluids in the pores to circulate, is the effective porosity u which corresponds to the pores connected to each other and to formation. Also defined is the total porosity t, corresponding to all the pores whether interconnected or not, and to residual porosity r, which only takes account of isolated pores. t, = u + r

(r) t, = u + r

(u)

Utility limits of porosity

The effective porosity of rocks varies between less than 1% to 40%. It is often stated that the porosity is:
(a) Low if (b) Mediocre if (c) Average if (d) Good if (e) Excellent < 5% 5% < < 10 % 10%< < 20 % 20%< < 30 % > 30%

Remarks
A distinction is made between inter granular porosity, dissolution porosity (as in lime stones for example) and fracture porosity. The fracture porosity related to rock volume is often much less than 1% As a rule, porosity decreases with increasing depth.

Remarks
Effective porosity is basically used for reserve calculation. In moderate to high porosity rocks, there is little difference in total and effective porosity, but low porosity value there has appreciable and significant difference.

Porosity- related information

Types on the basis of origin: Original porosity (primary) Induced porosity (secondary)
Rocks having original porosity are more uniform in their characteristics than rocks with an induced porosity

Porosity- related information

Primary porosity Is the space between grains that were not compacted together completely This is related to pores/voids between sand grains or solid particles, as well as space between sub layers and voids created after decaying of organisms. It is characterised by more or less uniform distribution in the rock. Found in sand and sand stones , clays , conglomerates.

Secondary porosity Is the porosity created through alteration of rock, commonly by processes such as dolomitization, dissolution and fracturing Developed as a result of diagenesis. Connects the altered void spaces with fractures resulting from tectonic disturbances. Characterised with non uniform distribution and it is not possible to establish any trend through out the reservoir.

On the basis of connectivity

Absolute and effective porosity are distinguished by their access capabilities to reservoir fluids
Permeable spaces contributes to effective porosity Void spaces contributes to absolute porosity

Art-micrograph of sandstone with oil

Factors effecting the porosity

Relative arrangement of grains Shape and size of grains, Grain size distribution Presence and type of cementing materials Solution and precipitation of salts Porosity decreases with reduction in grain size. It also decreases with large variation in grain size as smaller grains occupy the pore spaces between larger grains.

Packing Models
An attempt to determine the approx. Limits of

porosity values, Slichter and, later, Graton

& Fraser computed porosities for various packing arrangements and given as :-

Parallel cylindrical pores

Irregular-packed spheres with different radii

Regular orthorhombic-packed spheres Regular rhombohedral-packed spheres Regular cubic-packed spheres

Regular Cubic-Packed Spheres

Estimation of porosity accounting to this model:

Regular Orthorhombic-Packed Spheres

Estimation of porosity accounting to this model:

Regular Rhombohedral-Packed Spheres

Estimation of porosity accounting to this model:

Parallel Cylindrical Pores

Estimation of porosity accounting to this model:

Porosity Range
ROCK TYPE Argillaceous shale Clays Sands Sand stones Carbonates POROSITY RANGE,% 0.54 6.00 6.00 3.50 0.65 1.40 50 52 29 33

 Measurement of Porosity
In situ Surface

Well Logs

Core Analysis

Informatics on porosity measurements

Essential property for intelligent estimate of hydrocarbon reserves and the economic aspect of oil and gas production. The results of porosity measurement-by what ever method are ,cannot exactly correspond to in situ conditions due to:
A) Possible relaxation of pores upon release of over burden and fluid pressure B) The hydraulic and mechanical actions of the coring process.

In situ techniques
Several logging tools like - Electrical, Nuclear, Density, or Sonic methods are used to estimare porosity. Resolution is effective around the well bore. Measurements need to be confirmed / calibrated against porosities measured at surface conditions, The relationship developed apply only to those surface conditions.

Core Analysis
Following equation is used:

On a sample of generally simple geometric form, two of the three values Vp , Vs and VT are therefore determined. The standard sample (plug) is cylindrical, Its cross section measures about 4 to 12 cm2 and its length is varies between 2 to 5 cm. The plugs are first washed and dried. The measuring instruments are coupled to microcomputers to process the results rapidly.

(a) Measurement of the buoyancy exerted by mercury on the sample immersed in it (IFP) The apparatus has a frame C connected by a rod to a float F immersed in a beaker containing mercury. A reference index R is Fixed to the rod. A plate B is suspended from the plate. (a) First measurement: the sample is VT placed on plate B with a weight P1 to bring R in,in contact with the mercury. (b) Second measurement: the sample is placed under the hooks of float F, and the weight P2 is placed on plate B to bring R in to contact with the mercury. If Hg is the density of at measurement temperature. VT Then:
APPARATUS

A. Measurement of VT

(b) Use of positive displacement pump

VT Method: Without a sample using the piston, mercury is pushed to mark, indicated on the reference valve (V). The vernier of the pump is set at zero. With the sample in place, the mercury is again pushed to same mark. The vernier of the pump is read and the volume VT is obtained. The measurement is only valid if mercury does not penetrate into the pores. The accuracy is 0.01 cm3.

B. Measurement of VT
(c) Measurement: The foregoing methods are unsuitable if the rock contains fissures or macro pores, because mercury will penetrate into them. Here a piece of cylindrical cores diameter d and height h can be measured using sliding caliper:

Measurement of VS
Measurement of the buoyancy exerted on the sample by a solvent with which it is saturated.

The method is most accurate but difficult and time consuming to achieve complete saturation. The operations are normally VS by immersion method standardized. The difference between the weights of sample in air (P air) and the solvent in which it is immersed (P immersed) gives VS as :

Use of compression chamber and Boyle law Regardless of specific apparatus used i.e. singe cell or double chamber, the sample is subjected to known initial pressure by gas, which was originally at atmospheric pressure. The pressure is then changed by varying the volume of gas in chamber. The variation in volume and pressure are measured by using Boyles law.

Measurement of VS

P1 V1 = P2 V2
The equipments using single cell and double are shown in next slide.

Measurement of VS
Use of compression chamber and Boyle law Use of single cell
4

Use of double cell

4,5

3 1

3
1 is chamber for core 2 is core 3 is volume plunger 4 is pressure guage

2
1 is chamber for core 2 is constant volume chamber 3 is core 4 & 5 is pressure manometers 6 is source of gas

C. Determination of VP
The pore volume can be measured directly, by measuring the volume of air in the pores, by weighing a liquid filling the pores, or by mercury injection a. Measurement of air in the pores : The mercury positive displacement pump is used for this purpose. After measuring VT ,the value of the sample core holder is closed and the air in the interconnected pores is expanded. The variation in volume and pressure are neasured using Boyles law.

b. Measurement by weighing a liquid filling the effective pores This liquid is often brine c. Measurement by mercury injection In this case the mercury should never the interconnected pores. The value obtained can be effectively used .

Special Method :Fluid Summation

The method involves the analysis of a FRESH sample containing water, oil and gas. The distribution of these fluids is not the same as in the reservoir. because the core has been invaded by the mud filtrate and decomposed when pulled out. Still/but the sum of the volumes of these three fluids, for a unit volume of rock, gives the effective porosity of the sample. The total volume is determined by mercury displacement pump.

Special Method : Relation of Fluid Summation and porosity

(1) VP = Vw + VO + VG (1) Sw + SO + SG = 100%

Sw = Vw/ VP

SO = Vo/ VP

SG = VG/ VP

What is new
NMR SPECROSCOY
By measuring the proton signal strength at time zero compared to proton signal of known standard. In addition to bulk measurements of core porosity , it is also useful to produce porosity images in order to map out details fluids like kind, location, porosity changes/ variationtions, drilling mud invasion, formation anomaly etc. * The technique is not applicable to shaly sand stone due to resolution problems. Example analysis is presented / compared:

NMR SPECROSCOY
Rock
Sand stone1 Lime stone1 Dolomite1 Dolomite2 Sand stone2 Sand stone3

Weight Porosity 22.7 13.6 16.1 12.9 20.4 18.7

NMR Porosity 22.4 13.0 16.0 13.2 19.6 17.8

% Error
-1.3 -4.4 -0.6 +2.3 3.9 4.8

CT Scan Analysis

Sample
I-5-32

Radius(mm)
1.3 2.9

Capillary pressure 1,107.69 496.55

Avg Radius
1.66

Avg cap pr.

868.97

1.5
1.1 1.4 1.2

960.00
1,309.09 1,028.57 1,200.00

0.0126 psi

2.2
total 11.6

654.55

Sf T(dyne/cm^2)

72

Computer Assisted Petrographic Analysis (CAP)

500m

500m

Allows petrographer to make quantitative measurements of textural and

mineralogic properties

Grain size distribution, grain shape (angularity), grain contact statistics,

grain perimeter/porosity perimeter measurements

Porosity type/size/and distribution; framework grain and authigenic phase

mineralogy and distribution

Brazos, Mustang Island, Matagorda Island

Reservoir Quality Prediction for Sandstones

Porosity-Depth Trends Controlling Factors: Sand texture, composition Compaction - VES history Burial history - temperature, time Cementation - fluid flow history Secondary porosity

250 m

Allie 1984; Taylor 1987, 1998

10,133 ft
Tc

10,136 ft

10,139 ft
Mt

Tc

3
Mt

Mt slumped

CORE 1, SAND 571 2

Tc - Tb
1000 m

Tc-Td >> Tb & Mt

Tc-Mt

Tc ( to SMD? Mt > Tc

Tc-Tb

1b 3
Mt slumped

13,667.00 ft

Tb Mt

13,670.00 ft
MT?

13,673.00 ft
S-Ta?

Mt Tc+Mt

3
10,139 ft

MSD (2a.) Mt Ta

Tc? Slumped

10,136 ft

Ta

Tc

10,142 ft
more abundant mud intraclast content Ta

CORE 6, SAND 767

MT?
1000 m

Ta-S?

ISE, 2002

13,670.00 ft

13,673.00 ft

13,676.00 ft

Conclusions

(porosity) is a measure of the storage capacity given as that is capable of holding fluids, Mathematically ,it may be given as

Absolute porosity Ratio of the total pore space in the rock to that of the bulk volume

Effective porosity Is the percentage of interconnected pore space with respect to the bulk volume

original porosity induced porosity

Example 1 The grain volume of rock sample of 1.5 dia and 5.6 cm length was found to be 56.24 cc and bulk volume of the sample using mercury displacement method was measured 73.80 cc. If dry weight of the sample is149.88 gms, find the grain density. Calculate the pore volume and porosity of the sample.

is that developed in the deposition of the material, is that developed by some geologic process subsequent to deposition of the rock

effective porosity is the value that is used in all reservoir engineering calculations
important application of the effective porosity is its use in determining the original hydrocarbon volume in place

Application of Effective porosity

Determining the original hydrocarbon volume in place For a reservoir with an areal extent of A acres and an average thickness of h feet Bulk volume = 43,560 Ah, ft3 OR 7,758 Ah, bbl The reservoir pore volume PV in cubic feet gives: PV = 43,560 Ah, ft3 The reservoir pore volume PV in cubic feet gives: PV = 7,758 Ah, bbl Example 2 An oil reservoir exists at its bubble-point pressure of 3000 psia and temperature of 160F. The oil has an API gravity of 42 and gas-oil ratio of 600 scf/STB. The specific gravity of the solution gas is 0.65. The following additional data are also available Reservoir area = 640 acres Average thickness = 10 ft Connate water saturation = 0.25 Effective porosity = 15% Calculate the initial oil in place in STB.

Example 1 *Pore volume = Bulk volume-Grain volume =73.80 56.24=17,56 cc *Porosity,% =(Pore volume/Grain volume) x 100 =(17.56/73.80)X100 = 23.79% *Grain density=Dry weight of sample/Grain volume = 149.88/56.24 = 2.665 gms/cc Example 2
Step 1. Determine the specific gravity of the stock-tank oil as 0.8156 Step 2. Calculate the initial oil formation volume factor as 1.306 bbl /STB

Step 3. Calculate the pore = 7758 (640) (10) (0.15) = 7,447,680 bbl Step 4. Calculate the initial oil in place. Initial oil in place = 12,412,800 (1 - 0.25)/1.306 = 4,276,998 STB

Average reservoir porosity

Bedding planes show large variations in porosity vertically and arithmetic average porosity or the thickness - weighted average porosity is used to describe the average reservoir porosity. If porosity in one portion of the reservoir to be greatly different from that in another area due to sedimentation conditions, the areal weighted average or the volume-weighted average porosity is used to characterize the average rock porosity. averaging techniques are expressed mathematically in the following forms: Arithmetic average Thickness-weighted average Areal-weighted average Volumetric-weighted average Example Calculate the arithmetic average and thickness-weighted average from the following measurements

Solution

POROSITY ?

Porosity = void volume soil volume Porosity = 0.3 cubic meters 1.0 cubic meters Porosity = 0.3