Pore structure effect on reservoir electrical properties and well logging evaluation

The reservoir pore structure controls the reservoir quality and resistivity response of hydrocarbon-bearing zones and thus, critically affects logging interpretation. We use petrophysical data in three types of reservoir with different pore structure characteristics to show that the complexity of pore structure had a significant effect on the effective porosity and permeability regardless of geological factors responsible for the formation of pore structure. Moreover,, the distribution and content of conductive fluids in the reservoir varies dramatically owing to pore structure differences, which also induces resistivity variations in reservoir rocks. Hence, the origin of low-resistivity hydrocarbon-bearing zones, except for those with conductive matrix and mud filtrate invasion, is attributed to the complexity of the pore structures. Consequently, reservoir-specific evaluation models, parameters, and criteria should be chosen for resistivity log interpretation to make a reliable evaluation of reservoir quality and fluids.

The constructing of pore structure factor in carbonate rocks and the inversion of reservoir parameters

With a more complex pore structure system compared with clastic rocks, carbonate rocks have not yet been well described by existing conventional rock physical models concerning the pore structure vagary as well as the influence on elastic rock properties. We start with a discussion and an analysis about carbonate rock pore structure utilizing rock slices. Then, given appropriate assumptions, we introduce a new approach to modeling carbonate rocks and construct a pore structure algorithm to identify pore structure mutation with a basis on the Gassmann equation and the Eshelby-Walsh ellipsoid inclusion crack theory. Finally, we compute a single well＇s porosity using this new approach with full wave log data and make a comparison with the predicted result of traditional method and simultaneously invert for reservoir parameters. The study results reveal that the rock pore structure can significantly influence the rocks＇ elastic properties and the predicted porosity error of the new modeling approach is merely 0.74%. Therefore, the approach we introduce can effectively decrease the predicted error of reservoir parameters.

Pore Structure and Permeability Characterization of Highrank Coal Reservoirs: A Case of the Bide-Santang Basin, Western Guizhou, South China

The methods of nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,mercury injection porosimetry(MIP),and gas-water relative permeability(GWRP)were used to reveal the pore structure and permeability characteristics of high-rank coal reservoirs in the Bide-Santang basin,western Guizhou,South China,to provide guidance for coalbed methane(CBM)exploration and exploitation and obtain direct insights for the development of CBM wells.The results indicate that the coal reservoirs in the study area are characterized by well-developed adsorption pores and poorly developed seepage pores.The bimodal NMR transverse relaxation time(T2)spectra and the mutation in the fractal characteristic of the MIP pore volume indicate poor connectivity between the adsorption pores and the seepage pores.As a result,the effective porosity is relatively low,with an average of 1.70%.The irreducible water saturation of the coal reservoir is relatively high,with an average of 66%,leading to a low gas relative permeability under irreducible water saturation.This is the main reason for the low recovery of high-rank CBM reservoirs,and effective enhanced CBM recovery technology urgently is needed.As a nondestructive and less time-consuming technique,the NMR is a promising method to quantitatively characterize the pores and fractures of coals.

Binary pore structure characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs

The pore structure and its influence on physical properties and oil saturation of the Triassic Chang 7 sandstones,Ordos Basin were discussed using thin sections,physical properties,oil saturation and mercury intrusion data.The results show that the tight sandstone has a binary pore structure:when the pore throat radius is larger than the peak radius,the pore radius is significantly larger than throat size,the pore structure is similar to the bead-string model with no fractal feature,and the pore throat volume is determined by the pore volume.When the pore throat radius is smaller than the peak radius,the pore structure is close to the capillary model and shows fractal features,the pore size is close to the throat size,and the pore throat volume is determined by the throat radius.The development of pore throats larger than the peak radius provides most of the oil storage space and is the major controlling factor for the porosity and permeability variation of tight sandstone.The pore throat smaller than the peak radius(including throats with no mercury invaded)contributes major reservoir space,it shows limited variation and has little effect on the change of physical properties which is lack of correlation with oil saturation.The pore throat larger than the peak radius is mainly composed of secondary and intergranular pores.Therefore genesis and main controlling factors of large pores such as intergranular and dissolved pores should be emphasized when predicting the tight sandstones quality.

Effects of pore structure on surfactant/polymer floodingbased enhanced oil recovery in conglomerate reservoirs

To understand the displacement characteristics and remaining oil displacement process by the surfactant/polymer(SP) flooding in cores with different pore structures, the effects of pore structure on the enhanced oil recovery of SP flooding was investigated at the pore, core and field scales through conducting experiments on natural core samples with three typical types of pore structures. First, the in-situ nuclear magnetic resonance core flooding test was carried out to capture the remaining oil variation features in the water flooding and SP flooding through these three types of cores. Subsequently, at the core scale, displacement characteristics and performances of water flooding and SP flooding in these three types of cores were evaluated based on the full-size core flooding tests. Finally, at the field scale, production characteristics of SP flooding in the bimodal sandstone reservoir and multimodal conglomerate reservoir were compared using the actual field production data. The results show: as the pore structure gets more and more complex, the water flooding performance gets poorer, but the incremental recovery factor by SP flooding gets higher;the SP flooding can enhance the producing degree of oil in 1-3 μm pores in the unimodal and bimodal core samples, while it produces largely oil in medium and large pores more than 3 μm in pore radius in the multimodal core sample. The core flooding test using full-size core sample demonstrates that the injection of SP solution can significantly raise up the displacement pressure of the multimodal core sample, and greatly enhance recovery factor by emulsifying the remaining oil and enlarging swept volume. Compared with the sandstone reservoir, the multimodal conglomerate reservoir is more prone to channeling. With proper profile control treatments to efficiently enlarge the microscopic and macroscopic swept volumes, SP flooding in the conglomerate reservoir can contribute to lower water cuts and longer effective durations.

Pore structure differences of the extra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs and the causes of low resistivity oil layers: A case study of Block Yanwumao in the middle of Ordos Basin, NW China

The influence of pore structure difference on rock electrical characteristics of reservoir and oil reservoir was analyzed taking Triassic Chang 6 reservoir in Block Yanwumao in the middle of Ordos Basin as an example. The relationship between the pore structure difference and the low resistivity oil layer was revealed and demonstrated through core observation, lab experiments, geological research, well log interpretation and trial production etc. The results show that there were two kinds of oil layers in Chang 6 oil layer set, normal oil layer and low resistivity oil layer in the region, corresponding to two types of pore structures, pore type mono-medium and micro-fracture-pore type double-medium; the development of micro-fracture changed greatly the micro-pore structure of the reservoir, and the pore structure difference had an important influence on the rock electrical characteristics of the extra-low permeability sandstone reservoir and oil reservoir; the normal oil layers had obvious characteristics of pore-type mono-medium, and were concentrated in Chang 61, Chang 6232 and Chang 62; the low resistivity oil layers had obvious characteristics of micro-fracture-pore type double-medium, which were mainly distributed in Chang 612 and Chang 63. The mud filtrate penetrated deep into the oil layers along the micro-cracks, leading to sharp reduction of resistivity, and thus low resistivity of the oil layer; the low resistivity oil layers had better storage capacity and higher productivity than the normal oil layers.

Multi-Scale Pore Structure Heterogeneity in Tuff Reservoirs Investigated with Multi-Experimental Method and Fractal Dimensions in Chang 7 Formation,Southern Ordos Basin

The tight tuff reservoir is an unusual type of unconventional reservoir with strong heterogeneity.However,there is a lack of research on the microscopic pore structure that causes the heterogeneity of tuff reservoirs.Using the Chang 7 Formation in Ordos Basin,China as a case study,carbon-dioxide gas adsorption,nitrogen gas adsorption and high-pressure mercury injection are integrated to investigate the multi-scale pore structure characteristics of tuff reservoirs.Meanwhile,the fractal dimension is introduced to characterize the complexity of pore structure in tuff reservoirs.By this multi-experimental method,the quantitative characterizations of the full-range pore size distribution of four tuff types were obtained and compared in the size ranges of micropores,mesopores and macropores.Fractal dimension curves derived from full-range pores are divided into six segments as D1,D2,D3,D4,D5 and D6 corresponding to fractal characteristics of micropores,smaller mesopores,larger mesopores,smaller macropores,medium macropores and larger macropores,respectively.The macropore volume,average macropore radius and fractal dimension D5 significantly control petrophysical properties.The larger macropore volume,average macropore radius and D5 correspond to favorable pore structure and good reservoir quality,which provides new indexes for the tuff reservoir evaluation.This study enriches the understanding of the heterogeneity of pore structures and contributes to unconventional oil and gas exploration and development.

Effects of microscopic pore structure heterogeneity on the distribution and morphology of remaining oil

Waterflooding experiments were performed using Micro-CT on four cores of different pore structures from Donghe sandstone reservoirs in the Tarim Basin. The water, oil and grains were accurately separated by the advanced image processing technology, the pore network model was established, and parameters such as the number of throats and the throat size distribution were calculated to characterize the microscopic heterogeneity of pore structure, the flow of oil phase during displacement, and the morphology and distribution of remaining oil after displacement. The cores with the same macroscopic porosity-permeability have great differences in microscopic heterogeneity of pore structure. Both macro porosity-permeability and micro heterogeneity of pore structure have an influence on the migration of oil phase and the morphology and distribution of remaining oil. When the heterogeneity is strong, the water phase will preferentially flow through the dominant paths and the remaining oil clusters will be formed in the small pores. The more the number of oil clusters(droplets) formed during displacement process, the smaller the average volume of cluster is, and the remaining oil is dominated by the cluster continuous phase with high saturation. The weaker the heterogeneity, the higher the pore sweep efficiency is, and the remaining oil clusters are mainly trapped in the form of non-continuous phase. The distribution and morphology of micro remaining oil are related to the absolute permeability, capillary number and micro-heterogeneity. So, the identification plate of microscopic residual oil continuity distribution established on this basis can describe the relationship between these three factors and distribution of remaining oil and identify the continuity of the remaining oil distribution accurately.

A permeability prediction method based on pore structure and lithofacies

Permeability prediction using linear regression of porosity always has poor performance when the reservoir with complex pore structure and large variation of lithofacies.A new method is proposed to predict permeability by comprehensively considering pore structure,porosity and lithofacies.In this method,firstly,the lithofacies classification is carried out using the elastic parameters,porosity and shear frame flexibility factor.Then,for each lithofacies,the elastic parameters,porosity and shear frame flexibility factor are used to obtain permeability from regression.The permeability prediction test by logging data of the study area shows that the shear frame flexibility factor that characterizes the pore structure is more sensitive to permeability than the conventional elastic parameters,so it can predict permeability more accurately.In addition,the permeability prediction is depending on the precision of lithofacies classification,reliable lithofacies classification is the precondition of permeability prediction.The field data application verifies that the proposed permeability prediction method based on pore structure parameters and lithofacies is accurate and effective.This approach provides an effective tool for permeability prediction.

Pore structure characteristics of low-rank coal reservoirs with different ash yields and their implications for recoverability of coalbed methane—a case study from the Erlian Basin, northeastern China

Pores are the main accumulation sites and migration pathways for coalbed methane(also referred to as CBM).Pore structure restricts the content and recoverability of CBM from coal reservoirs.In this study,12 representative coal samples with different ash yields that have similar tectonic characteristics and burial depths were collected from different mining areas in the Jiergalangtu and Huolinhe depressions in the Erlian Basin.These samples were used to study the restrictions of ash yield on the characteristics of coal pore structures and the recoverability of CBM through macroscopic and microscopic structure observation,scanning electron microscope observations,vitrinite reflectance tests,low-temperature N2 adsorption,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR),and micro-computed tomography.The results show that coal reservoirs in the study area vary greatly in ash yield,based on which they can be divided into three types,i.e.,low-ash-content,ash-bearing,and high-ash-content coal reservoirs.In addition,the ash yield has a certain impact on the development of coal pores;coal samples with lower ash yields indicate the presence of well-developed medium-large pores and better connectivity.Ash yield also has a certain impact on the brittleness of coal wherein a lower ash yield implies the development of brittle coal that is more liable to fracture as compared to less brittle samples at the same pressure.Absorbed gas content also varies significantly with ash yield;a low ash yield impacts the gas saturation of coal.Overall,for coal reservoirs in the study area,their porosity,pore diameter,movable fluid porosity,adsorbed gas amount,and recoverability decrease as the ash yield increases.

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of fluid flow through coal reservoir's fractal pore structure

The influences of fractal pore structure in coal reservoir on coalbed methane(CBM) migration were analyzed in detail by coupling theoretical models and numerical methods.Different types of fractals were generated based on the construction thought of the standard Menger Sponge to model the 3D nonlinear coal pore structures.Then a correlation model between the permeability of fractal porous medium and its pore-size-distribution characteristics was derived using the parallel and serial modes and verified by Lattice Boltzmann Method(LBM).Based on the coupled method,porosity(ф),fractal dimension of pore structure(Db),pore size range(rmin,rmax) and other parameters were systematically analyzed for their influences on the permeability(ф) of fractal porous medium.The results indicate that:① the channels connected by pores with the maximum size(rmax) dominate the permeability,approximating in the quadratic law;② the greater the ratio of r max and r min is,the higher is;③ the relationship between D b and follows a negative power law model,and breaks into two segments at the position where Db ≌2.5.Based on the results above,a predicting model of fractal porous medium permeability was proposed,formulated as k=cfrnmax,where C and n(approximately equal to 2) are constants and f is an expression only containing parameters of fractal pore structure.In addition,the equivalence of the new proposed model for porous medium and the Kozeny-Carman model k=Crn was verified at Db =2.0.

Pore structure complexity and its significance to the petrophysical properties of coal measure gas reservoirs in Qinshui Basin,China

The pore structure of continuous unconven-tional reservoirs(CURs)in coal measures was investigated using different technologies for 29 samples(9 coal samples,9 shale samples,and 11 sandstone samples)from Qinshui Basin,China.Results show that coals have relatively high porosities and permeabilities ranging from 4.02%to 5.19%and 0.001 to 0.042 mD,respectively.Micropores(<2 nm)are well-developed in coals and contribute to the majority of pore volume(PV)and specific surface area(SSA).The porosities and permeabilities are between 1.19%-4.11%,and 0.0001-0.004 mD of sand-stones with a predominance of macropores(>50 nm).However,shales are characterized by poorly petrophysical properties with low porosity and permeability.Macropores and mesopores(2-50 nm)are well-developed in shales compared with micropores.For coals,abundant organic matters are expected to promote the development of micropores,and clay minerals significantly control the performance of mesopores.For shales and sandstones,micropores are mainly observed in organic matters,whereas clay minerals are the important contributor to mesopores.Moreover,micropore SSA significantly deter-mines the adsorption capacity of CURs and sandstones have the best pore connectivity.The permeability of CURs is positively associated with the macropore PV since macropores serve as the main flow paths for gas seepage.Additionally,we also proposed that effective porosity has a significant effect on the permeability of CURs.The findings of this study could enhance the understanding of the multiscale pore structure of CURs and provide insights into the mechanisms that control gas storage,transport,and subsequent co-production for continuous unconventional natural gas(CUNG)in the Qinshui Basin and other coal-bearing basins worldwide.

Fine quantitative characterization of high-H2S gas reservoirs under the influence of liquid sulfur deposition and adsorption

In order to clarify the influence of liquid sulfur deposition and adsorption to high-H2S gas reservoirs,three types of natural cores with typical carbonate pore structures were selected for high-temperature and high-pressure core displacement experiments.Fine quantitative characterization of the cores in three steady states(original,after sulfur injection,and after gas flooding)was carried out using the nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)transverse relaxation time spectrum and imaging,X-ray computer tomography(CT)of full-diameter cores,basic physical property testing,and field emission scanning electron microscopy imaging.The loss of pore volume caused by sulfur deposition and adsorption mainly comes from the medium and large pores with sizes bigger than 1000μm.Liquid sulfur has a stronger adsorption and deposition ability in smaller pore spaces,and causes greater damage to reservoirs with poor original pore structures.The pore structure of the three types of carbonate reservoirs shows multiple fractal characteristics.The worse the pore structure,the greater the change of internal pore distribution caused by liquid sulfur deposition and adsorption,and the stronger the heterogeneity.Liquid sulfur deposition and adsorption change the pore size distribution,pore connectivity,and heterogeneity of the rock,which further changes the physical properties of the reservoir.After sulfur injection and gas flooding,the permeability of TypeⅠreservoirs with good physical properties decreased by 16%,and that of TypesⅡandⅢreservoirs with poor physical properties decreased by 90%or more,suggesting an extremely high damage.This indicates that the worse the initial physical properties,the greater the damage of liquid sulfur deposition and adsorption.Liquid sulfur is adsorbed and deposited in different types of pore space in the forms of flocculence,cobweb,or retinitis,causing different changes in the pore structure and physical property of the reservoir.

Pore throat structure and classification of Paleogene tight reservoirs in Jiyang depression,Bohai Bay Basin,China

The pore throat structure characteristics of Paleogene tight sandstone and sandy conglomerate in the Jiyang depression are studied using cast thin section,conventional mercury injection,constant rate mercury injection and micro CT scanning data,and a reservoir classification scheme based on pore throat structure parameters is established.The material composition and structural characteristics of tight reservoirs are analyzed by casting thin section data.The pore throat structure characteristics of tight reservoirs are studied by conventional mercury injection,constant rate mercury injection and micro CT scanning.Ten pore throat structure parameters are analyzed by cluster analysis.Based on the classification results and oil test results,the classification scheme of Paleogene tight reservoirs is established.The Paleogene tight reservoirs in the Jiyang depression have the characteristics of macropores and microthroats,with pores in micron scale,throats in nano-submicron scale,and wide variation of ratio of pore radius to throat radius.The permeability of the tight reservoir is controlled by throat radius,the smaller the difference between pore radius and throat radius,and the more uniform the pore throat size,the higher the permeability will be.The lower limits of average pore throat radius for the tight sandstone and tight sandy conglomerate to produce industrial oil flow without fracturing are 0.6μm and 0.8μm,respectively.Reservoirs that can produce industrial oil flow only after fracturing have an average pore-throat radius between 0.2-0.6μm,and reservoirs with average pore throat radius less than 0.2μm are ineffective reservoirs under the current fracturing techniques.Different types of tight sandstone and sandy conglomerate reservoirs are classified and evaluated,which are well applied in exploratory evaluation.

Pore Size Distribution of a Tight Sandstone Reservoir and its Effect on Micro Pore-throat Structure: A Case Study of the Chang 7 Member of the Xin’anbian Block, Ordos Basin, China

Pore distribution and micro pore-throat structure characteristics are significant for tight oil reservoir evaluation, but their relationship remains unclear. This paper selects the tight sandstone reservoir of the Chang 7 member of the Xin’anbian Block in the Ordos Basin as the research object and analyzes the pore size distribution and micro pore-throat structure using field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), high-pressure mercury injection(HPMI), highpressure mercury injection, and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) analyses. The study finds that:(1) Based on the pore size distribution, the tight sandstone reservoir is characterized by three main patterns with different peak amplitudes. The former peak corresponds to the nanopore scale, and the latter peak corresponds to the micropore scale. Then, the tight sandstone reservoir is categorized into three types: type 1 reservoir contains more nanopores with a nanopore-to-micropore volume ratio of 82:18;type 2 reservoir has a nanopore-to-micropore volume ratio of 47:53;and type 3 reservoir contains more micropores with a nanopore-to-micropore volume ratio of 35:65.(2) Affected by the pore size distribution, the throat radius distributions of different reservoir types are notably offset. The type 1 reservoir throat radius distribution curve is weakly unimodal, with a relatively dispersed distribution and peak ranging from 0.01 μm to 0.025 μm. The type 2 reservoir’s throat radius distribution curve is single-peaked with a wide distribution range and peak from 0.1 μm to 0.25 μm. The type 3 reservoir’s throat radius distribution curve is single-peaked with a relatively narrow distribution and peak from 0.1 μm to 0.25 μm. With increasing micropore volume, pore-throat structure characteristics gradually improve.(3) The correlation between micropore permeability and porosity exceeds that of nanopores, indicating that the development of micropores notably influences the seepage capacity. In the type 1 reservoir, only the mean radius and effective porosity have suitable correlations with the nanopore and micropore porosities. The pore-throat structure parameters of the type 2 and 3 reservoirs have reasonable correlations with the nanopore and micropore porosities, indicating that the development of these types of reservoirs is affected by the pore size distribution. This study is of great significance for evaluating lacustrine tight sandstone reservoirs in China. The research results can provide guidance for evaluating tight sandstone reservoirs in other regions based on pore size distribution.

Classification of microscopic pore-throats and the grading evaluation on shale oil reservoirs

On the basis of the characterization of microscopic pore-throats in shale oil reservoirs by high-pressure mercury intrusion technique, a grading evaluation standard of shale oil reservoirs and a lower limit for reservoir formation were established. Simultaneously, a new method for the classification of shale oil flow units based on logging data was established. A new classification scheme for shale oil reservoirs was proposed according to the inflection points and fractal features of mercury injection curves: microscopic pore-throats(less than 25 nm), small pore-throats(25-100 nm), medium pore-throats(100-1 000 nm) and big pore-throats(greater than 1 000 nm). Correspondingly, the shale reservoirs are divided into four classes, I, II, III and IV according to the number of microscopic pores they contain, and the average pore-throat radii corresponding to the dividing points are 150 nm, 70 nm and 10 nm respectively. By using the correlation between permeability and pore-throat radius, the permeability thresholds for the reservoir classification are determined at 1.00× 10^(-3) μm^2, 0.40×10^(-3) μm^2 and 0.05×10^(-3) μm^2 respectively. By using the exponential relationship between porosity and permeability of the same hydrodynamic flow unit, a new method was set up to evaluate the reservoir flow belt index and to identify shale oil flow units with logging data. The application in the Dongying sag shows that the standard proposed is suitable for grading evaluation of shale oil reservoirs.

Diagenesis of shale and its control on pore structure, a case study from typical marine, transitional and continental shales

Due to discrepancies in pore structure,the productivity of shale gas reservoirs under different diagenesis stages varies greatly.This study discussed the controlling of sedimentation and diagenesis on shale pore structure in typical marine,transitional,and continental shales,respectively.Continental shale samples from the Shuinan Formation,Jiaolai Basin,transitional shale samples from the Taiyuan,Shanxi and Xiashihezi Formations,Ordos Basin,and marine shale samples from the Longmaxi Formation,Sichuan Basin,were collected.Scanning electron microscope with argon ion polishing,high-pressure mercury injection,and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption experiments were conducted to acquire pore structure parameters.And the diagenetic stage of the reservoir was classified according to thermal maturity,organic geochemical parameters,and mineral composition.Our results exhibit that continental,transitional,and marine shales are period A,period B of the middle diagenetic stage,and the late diagenetic stage,respectively.For pore structure,micropore(0–2 nm)and mesopore(2–50 nm)controlled pore volume and specific surface area of transitional and marine shales,and specific surface area of continental shale have similar results,while micropore,mesopore,and macropore(>50 nm)all have a significant proportion of pore volume in continental shale.The pore structure characteristics and controlling factors exhibit a pronounced difference in different diagenesis stages,the compaction and cementation in period A of the middle diagenesis stage is relatively weak,intergranular pore and interlayer pore of clay minerals are well preserved,and moldic pore and dissolved pore developed as well;organic matter is in high maturity in period B of the middle diagenesis stage,organic matter pore developed correspondingly,while the intergranular pore developed poorly affected by compaction,notably,the carbonate is negligible in transitional shale,and the interlayer pore of clay minerals are well preserved with weak cementation;while dissolution and metasomatism controlled the pore structure in the late diagenesis stage in marine shale,the primary pores were poorly preserved,and the organic matter pore and carbonate dissolved pore developed.Results from this work are of a specific reference for shale gas development under different diagenesis stages.

Micropore structure characteristics and quantitative characterization methods of lacustrine shale-A case study from the member 2 of Kongdian Formation, Cangdong sag, Bohai Bay Basin

To better understand the micropore characteristics of lacustrine shale and develop quantitative methodsfor characterizing lacustrine shale, the reservoir space types, structures and spatial distribution patternsof effective pores in the shale of Member 2 of Kongdian Formation in Cangdong sag are studied usingcores, thin sections, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM),nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), whole-rock X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, etc. Various shale porositycalculation methods are evaluated. The study results show that the reservoir spaces of the shale mainlyinclude three types, i.e., matrix pores, organic pores and fractures. Flaky pore throats formed bydissolution-induced pores and mould pores can improve the pore connectivity. NMR effective porosity ofthe shale varies from 0.59% to 4.42% with an average of 2.38%, accounting for 49.54% of the total NMRporosity and 34.53% of the gas porosity. The shale is divided into the unimodal-type felsic shale, bimodaltype felsic shale, carbonate shale and mixed shale. The different lithologies exhibit linear correlationsamong NMR, gas and effective porosities. The shale has effective porosity of 0.56%-4.53% with an averageof 2.12%. Furthermore, the shale reservoir is divided into four classes: Class I reservoir with effectiveporosities of more than 2.5%;Class II1 reservoir with effective porosity of 2.0%-2.5%;Class II2 reservoirwith effective porosity of 1.5%-2%;and Class III reservoir with effective porosity of less than 1.5%.

Pore-Fracture Distribution Heterogeneity of Shale Reservoirs Determined by using HPMI and LPN_(2 )GA Tests

The compressibility of shale matrix reflects the effects of reservoir lithology, material composition, pore structure and tectonic deformation. It is important to understand the factors that influence shale matrix compressibility(SMC) and their effects on pore size distribution(PSD) heterogeneity in order to evaluate the properties of unconventional reservoirs.In this study, the volumes of pores whose diameters were in the range 6–100 nm were corrected for SMC for 17 shale samples from basins in China using high-pressure mercury intrusion and low-temperature nitrogen gas adsorption analyses,in order to investigate the factors influencing the SMC values. In addition, the variations in fractal dimensions before and after pore volume correction were determined, using single and multifractal models to explain the effects of SMC on PSD heterogeneity. In this process, the applicability of each fractal model for characterizing PSD heterogeneity was determined using statistical analyses. The Menger and Sierpinski single fractal models, the thermodynamic fractal model and a multifractal model were all used in this study. The results showed the following. The matrix compression restricts the segmentation of the fractal dimension curves for the single fractal Menger and Sierpinski models, which leads to a uniformity of PSD heterogeneity for different pore diameters. However, matrix compression has only a weak influence on the results calculated using a thermodynamic model. The SMC clearly affects the multifractal value variations, showing that the fractal dimension values of shale samples under matrix compression are small. Overall PSD heterogeneity becomes small for pores with diameters below 100 nm and the SMC primarily affects the PSD heterogeneity of higher pore volume areas. The comparison of fractal curves before and after correction and the variance analysis indicate that the thermodynamic model is applicable to quantitatively characterize PSD heterogeneity of shale collected from this sampling area. The results show that PSD heterogeneity increases gradually as micro-pore volumes increase.

Pore and fracture characteristics of Cretaceous tight reservoir and its control effect on hydrocarbon accumulation in the Liuhe Basin

Tight oil and gas in the Cretaceous has been found in the Liuhe Basin,but the rules of tight reservoir and oil and gas accumulation are not clear.This paper discusses the developmental characteristics and evolution law of pores and fractures in the Cretaceous tight reservoir in the Liuhe Basin,and reveals its controlling effect on tight oil and gas accumulation.The results show that intercrystalline pores,intergranular pores and dissolution pores are scattered and only developed in shallow tight reservoirs,while microfractures are developed in both shallow and deep layers,which are the main type of reservoir space in the study area.The results of mercury intrusion porosimetry and nitrogen gas adsorption show that with the increase of depth,the proportion of macropores(microcracks)increases,while the proportion of micropores decreases.There are two stages of microfractures developed in the study area,corresponding to the initial fault depression stage from late Jurassic to early late Cretaceous and compressional uplift at the end of late Cretaceous.According to the principle of“inversion and back-stripping method”,combined with the data of optical microscopy and inclusions,the time of each key diagenesis and its contribution to porosity are revealed,and the porosity evolution history of reservoirs in different diagenetic stages is quantitatively restored.The porosity reduction rate of compaction can reach more than 80%,which is the main reason for reservoir densification.The relationship between pore evolution history and oil and gas accumulation history reveals that during the oil and gas filling period of the Xiahuapidianzi Formation(90-85 Ma),the reservoir porosity is only 1.15%,but the development of microfractures in the first stage of the reservoir is conducive to oil and gas accumulation.