Experimental evaluation of compressibility coefficients for fractures and intergranular pores of an oil and gas reservoir

Abstract

The paper is devoted to studies of the volumetric response of rocks caused by changes in their stress state. Changes in the volume of fracture and intergranular components of the pore space based on measurements of the volume of pore fluid extruded from a rock sample with an increase in its all-round compression have been experimentally obtained and analyzed. Determination of the fracture and intergranular porosity components is based on the authors' earlier proposed method of their calculation using the values of longitudinal wave velocity and total porosity. The results of experimental and analytical studies of changes in porosity and its two components (intergranular and fractured) under the action of effective stresses are considered. This approach allowed the authors to estimate the magnitude of the range of changes in the volumetric compressibility of both intergranular pores and fractures in a representative collection of 37 samples of the Vendian-age sand reservoir of the Chayanda field. The method of separate estimation of the compressibility coefficients of fractures and intergranular pores is proposed, their values and dependence on the effective pressure are experimentally obtained. It is determined that the knowledge of the values of fracture and intergranular porosity volumetric compressibility will increase the reliability of estimates of changes in petrophysical parameters of oil and gas reservoirs caused by changes in the stress state during the development of hydrocarbon fields.

Keywords

• rock
• porosity
• rock compressibility
• pore compressibility
• intergranular porosity
• fracture porosity
• fracture compressibility
• hydrocarbon development