Rock Porosity Rock Porosity
Introduction
Porosity Definition
P it Cl ifi ti Porosity Classifications
Factors Affecting Porosity
Porosity Average
Porosity Measurement Porosity Measurement
Introduction Introduction
Reservoir rocks may range from very loose and
unconsolidated sand to a very hard and dense sandstone, y ,
limestone, and dolomite
Knowing the physical properties of the rock and the g p y p p
existing interactions between the hydrocarbon system and
the formation is essential in understanding and evaluating
the performance of a given reservoir
Rock properties are determined by performing laboratory
analysis on cores from the reservoirs
These laboratory core analysis are divided in to:
routine (porosity, permeability, and saturation) and
special tests (overburden pressure, capillary pressure, relative
permeability wettability and surface and interfacial tension) permeability, wettability, and surface and interfacial tension)
Introduction Introduction
The rock properties data are essential for reservoir
engineering calculations as they affect both the quantity and
th di t ib ti f HC d ith th fl id ti t l the distribution of HC and with the fluid properties, control
flow of existing phases within the reservoir
Rock Porosity Definition Rock Porosity Definition yy
The porosity is a measure of the storage capacity (pore
l ) th t i bl f h ldi fl id volume) that is capable of holding fluids
Porosity units are fraction or % y
Quantitatively,
me grain volu e bulk volum volume pore
e bulk volum
me grain volu e bulk volum
e bulk volum
volume pore
= =
Porosity Classification Porosity Classification yy
Some void spaces become isolated due to excessive
cementation thus many void spaces are interconnected cementation, thus many void spaces are interconnected
and others are isolated. This leads to the following
classification:
Absolute (total) porosity
Effective porosity
Porosity Classification Porosity Classification yy
Absolute porosity is the ratio between the total pore
volume (interconnected pores and isolated ones) and the bulk
volume: volume:
e bulk volum
volume pore total
abs
=
e bulk volum
Effective porosity is the ratio between the
interconnected pore volume and the bulk volume:
b lk l
volume pore cted interconne
eff
=
e bulk volum
Effective porosity
Effective porosity indicates the p y
percentage of the total volume of
reservoir rock where the void space
is connected by flow channels.
Poor Reser oir Rock Poor Reser oir Rock Poor Reservoir Rock Poor Reservoir Rock
(Isolated Void Space) (Isolated Void Space)
Void Space
This sandstone would not be
an acceptable reservoir rock,
Cementing Material
regardless of the value of its
porosity and the hydrocarbon
saturations, because each void
Microscopic View Of Sandstone
Sand Grain
space is isolated from the
other void spaces.
Thi d t h hi h This sandstone has a high
absolute porosity but a zero
effective porosity
Good Reservoir Rock Good Reservoir Rock Good Reservoir Rock Good Reservoir Rock
(Interconnected Void Space) (Interconnected Void Space)
Hydrocarbons
This sandstone would be
Void
Space
Water
This sandstone would be
an acceptable reservoir
rock because of the
interconnected pore
Microscopic View Of Sandstone
interconnected pore
spaces and hydrocarbon
saturation. This
sandstone has a high
Sand
Grain
g
absolute porosity and a
high effective porosity
Porosity Values Porosity Values
Porosity
Porosity Values Porosity Values
Negligible 0 - 5 %
47.6 %
Poor 5 - 10 %
Fair 10 - 15 %
Good 15 - 20 %
26.0 % Very Good 20 - 25 %
Excellent > 25 %
Porosity Classification Porosity Classification
Another classification of the porosity based on its origin:
1. Original (primary) porosity:
Developed during the deposition of the rock material (e.g.,
intergranular porosity of sandstone and intercrystalline g p y y
porosity of limestone).
Rocks with the original porosity are more uniform in their g p y
characteristics
2. Induced (secondary) porosity ( y) p y
Developed by some geologic processes subsequent to
deposition of the rock (e.g., fracture development as in shale
and limestone and slug or solution cavities in limestone)
Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity
Particle sphericity and angularity
Packing ac g
Sorting (variable grain sizes)
Cementing materials
Overburden stress (compaction)
Vugs dissolution andfractures Vugs, dissolution, and fractures
Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity
Particle sphericity and angularity
High
Porosity increases as angularity of particles increases.
g
R
I
C
I
T
Y
o
r
o
s
i
t
y
S
P
H
E
R
Low
P
o
Low
Very
Angular
Angular
Sub-
Angular
Sub-
Rounded
Rounded
Well-
Rounded
ROUNDNESS
Porosity
Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity
Particle sphericity and angularity
Packing ac g
Sorting (variable grain sizes)
Cementing materials
Overburden stress (compaction)
Vugs dissolution andfractures Vugs, dissolution, and fractures
CUBIC PACKING OF SPHERES
Porosity = 0.48
Porosity Calculations Porosity Calculations -- Uniform Uniform
S h S h Spheres Spheres
Bulk volume = (2r)
3
= 8r
3
( )
Matrix volume =
r 4
3
Matrix volume
Pore volume =bulk volume - matrix
3
Pore volume = bulk volume - matrix
volume
( )
476 . 0
3 2
1
3
8
3
3 / 4
3
8
= =
=
r
r r
( ) 3 2
8 r
RHOMBIC PACKING OF SPHERES RHOMBIC PACKING OF SPHERES
Porosity = 0.27
Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity
Particle sphericity and angularity
Packing ac g
Sorting (variable grain sizes)
Cementing materials
Overburden stress (compaction)
Vugs dissolution andfractures Vugs, dissolution, and fractures
Packing of Two Sizes of Spheres Packing of Two Sizes of Spheres g p g p
Porosity = 0.14
P it i th f ti l i d Porosity increases as the range of particle size decreases.
Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity Factors Affecting Rock Porosity
Particle sphericity and angularity
Packing ac g
Sorting (variable grain sizes)
Cementing materials
Overburden stress (compaction)
Vugs dissolution andfractures Vugs, dissolution, and fractures
In contrast, porosity decreases as the volume of interstitial and
cementing material increases cementing material increases.
Vugs and fractures will contribute to porosity, but to understand their
affect on effective porosity requires careful study of cores and special affect on effective porosity requires careful study of cores and special
logging measurements.
In the geology section, we show core photographs with examples
of porosity. For now, it is useful to note these effects:
Porosity increases as angularity of particles increases.
Porosity increases as the range of particle size decreases.
In contrast, porosity decreases as the volume of interstitial and
cementing material increases.
Porosity decreases as the compaction increases (greater depth
generally means higher overburden stresses, higher compaction forces,
and lower porosity) and lower porosity)
Vugs and fractures will contribute to porosity, but to understand their
affect on effective porosity requires careful study of cores and special affect on effective porosity requires careful study of cores and special
logging measurements.
Reservoir Average Porosity Reservoir Average Porosity Reservoir Average Porosity Reservoir Average Porosity
I f l i ti i th it ti ll d In case of large variation in the porosity vertically and no
or small variation horizontally or parallel to the planes,
then the arithmetic average or thickness-weighted average
porosity is used: porosity is used:
= =
n
1
i i
n
1
i
h
n
1
i
h
n
Due to the change in sedimentation or depositional conditions Due to the change in sedimentation or depositional conditions
can cause porosity in one portion of the reservoir to be greatly
different from that in another area, so the areal-weighted average
or the volume-weight average can be used:
= =
n
1
i i i
n
1
i i
h A A
n
1
i i
n
1
i
h A A
REFERENCES: REFERENCES:
Bradley, H.: Petroleum engineering handbook-chapter 26-
properties of reservoir rocks, 1987
Ursin, J . and Zolotukhin, A.B.: Introduction to reservoir
engineering-Fundamentals-4-fundamentals of rock
properties Stavanger 1997 properties , Stavanger,1997.
Next Class:
Measurement of porosity Measurement of porosity