Characterization of the Petrophysical Properties of the Timahdit Oil Shale Layers in Morocco

Abstract

In this work, we study the variability of the lithological composition and organic matter content of samples were taken from the different layers M, X and Y of the Timahdit oil shale in Morocco, in order to experimentally analyze the impact of this variability on petrophysical measurements. The objective of this study is to predict the properties of the layers, including their thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, porosity and P and S wave velocities. The results of the study of the impact of the organic matter content of the samples on the petrophysical measurements show that, regardless of the organic matter content, thermal conductivity and diffusivity remain insensitive, while P and S wave velocities decrease linearly and porosity increases with increasing organic matter content. On the other hand, the study of the organic matter variability content is consistent with the velocity ratio, so can be used as an organic matter indicator of the layers. Conductivity and thermal diffusivity are almost invariant to the variability of the organic matter.

Keywords

• Timahdit
• oil shale
• layers
• thermal conductivity
• thermal diffusivity
• porosity