-::fII: /-79 -

..

-~.
" -

11

. ~ .. ~- . I

Porosity and permeability

-'--)

11.1 Porosty
11.1.1 Definitions
Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of the rock that is pore space, whether the pores are connected or
not.

values may be viewed thus:

<j> (percent) Qualitative negligible poor fair good verygood evaluation

Effective porosity is a measure of the void space that is _ filled by recoverable oil or gas; the amount of pore space that is sufficiently interconnected to yield its oil or gas for recovery. It lies comrnonly in the range of 40-75 percent of the total porosity, except in unconsolidated 11.1.2 Nature porosity sediments. Porosity may be primary (original) or secondary. PriPorosity, conventionally denoted by the Greek letter mary porosity is that which the rock possesses at the end phi (<! is then given by the equation of its depositional phase, on first burial; it is the void <!> = bulk volume - grain volume X 100 space that would be present if the grains had not been altered, fractured, or dissolved. Primary porosity bulk volume depends upon severa! factors:

0- 5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20+

01

In terrns not ofvolumes the porosity in relation - then

but of densities, and expressing. to unity instead of percentage,

(a) -

(b)
(c)

(11.1)
~here Pbd and Ps are the dry bulk and grain densities. 1ence

-{d)

the degree ofuniformity of grain size; the shapes of the grains; the method of deposition, and so the manner of packing; the effects of compaction, during or after deposition.

(11.2)
fl ~fWe consider the rock not as dry but as saturated with uid, of density Pt, and thereby having bulk density Pbw, then

Pbw= -,

<!>Pt

+ (1 -<!Pg
= Pg - <!>(Pg- Pf) (11.3)

Range f rack o porosity values

..

For the cornrnon reservoir tYpes under average operating conditions, porosity ll5

porosity is additional void space due to or diagenetic processes, but thetotal porosity may be much less than the original porosity. In sandstone reservoirs, modifications of the primary porosity are due principally to the interlocking of grains throughcompaction, contact-solution and redeposition, and to cementation. In carbonates.jheprincipal modifications are by solution, recrystallization (especial1y dolomitization), fracturing, and cementation, As will be discussed in Chapter 13', sandstones and carbonates have very different porosity characteristics, Porosity may be visibJ or invisible. In size, individual pore spaces are described by a variety of somewhat . casual terms, ranging from pinpoint to vuggy. The com-.

Secondary

post-depositional