Quantification and timing of porosity evolution in tight sand gas reservoirs:an example from the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation,western Sichuan,China

The diagenesis and porosity evolution of the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao sandstones were analyzed based on petrographic observations, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy observations, carbon and oxygen stable isotope geochemistry, fluid inclusion mi- crothermometry, and thermal and burial history modeling results. The point count data show that secondary pores （av. 5.5 %） are more abundant than primary pores （av. 3.7 %） and are thus the dominant pore type in the Shaximiao sandstones. Analysis of porosity evolution indicates that alteration of sandstones mainly occurred during two paragenetic stages. Mechanical compaction and cementa- tion by early chlorite, calcite, and quartz typically decrease the depositional porosity （40.9 %） by an average of 37.2 %, leaving porosity of 3.7 % after stage I （〈85 ℃, 175-145 Ma）. The original intergranular porosity loss due to compaction is calculated to be 29.3 %, suggesting that mechanical compaction is the most significant diagenetic process in primary porosity destruction. Stage II can be further divided into two sub-stages （Stage IIa and Stage IIb）. Stage IIa （85-120 ℃, 145-125 Ma） is characterized by late dissolution, which enhanced porosity by 8.8 %, and the porosity increased from 3.7 % to 12.5 %. During stage IIb （〉120 ℃, 125-0 Ma）, the precipitation of late chlorite, calcite, quartz, and kaolinite destroyed 3.3 % porosity, leaving porosity of 9.2 % in the rock today.

Influence of strong preformed particle gels on low permeable formations in mature reservoirs

In mature reservoirs,the success of preformed particle gel（PPG） treatment rests primarily on the ability of the PPG to reduce and/or plug the high permeable formations,but not damage the low permeable formations.Static test models（filtration test model and pressure test model）were used to determine the effect of PPG on low permeable formations.This work used a strong preformed particle gel,Daqing（DQ） gel made by a Chinese company.The particle gel sizes were ranged from 30 to 120 mesh for this work.PPGs are sized in a millimeter or micrometer,which can absorb over a hundred times their weight in liquids.The gel strength was approximately 6500 Pa for a completely swollen PPG with 1 %（weight percentage） NaCl solution（brine）.0.05 %,1 %,and 10 % NaCl solutions were used in experiments.Sandstone core permeability was measured before and after PPG treatments.The relationship between cumulative filtration volumes versus filtration times was determined.The results indicate that DQ gels of a particle size of 30–80 mesh did not damage the cores of a low permeability of 3–25 m D.The DQ gels of a smaller particle size ranging from 100 to 120 mesh damaged the core and a cake was formed on the core surface.The results also indicate that more damage occurred when a high load pressure（400 psi） was applied on the high permeability cores（290–310 m D）.The penetration of the particle gelsinto the low permeable formations can be decreased by the best selection of gel types,particle sizes,and brine concentrations.