KING SAUD UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

PGE 361

Reservoir Rocks and Fluid Flow

Porosity Tutorial

Due Date: 02/18/2020

Ideal Solution
First: Answer the Following Questions:
1. Define porosity. (3 points)
It is the capacity of the rock to store fluids.
2. Mention pore types. (6 points)
a. Interconnected pores.
b. Dead-end pores.
c. Isolated pores.
3. Define total and effective porosity. (6 points)
a. Total porosity: the ratio of the total volume of the pore spaces to the bulk volume,
regardless of the pore types.
b. Effective porosity: the ratio of the volume of interconnected and dead-end pores
to the bulk volume.
4. Mention the porosity types based on geology or its origin and give one example for each
one. (6 points)
a. Primary porosity: it is the pore spaces that have been in place since original
deposition. For example: matrix porosity.
b. Secondary porosity: it is formed by some geologic process subsequent to original
deposition. For example: Fracturing.
5. Define dual porosity. (3 points)
A system where both matrix and fracture porosity exists.
6. What are the factors that affect primary porosity? (12 points)
a. Packing Arrangement
b. Grain size
c. Sorting (grain size distribution – effect of environment)
d. Clay content (cementation)
e. Grain Shape (angular, rounded- effect of weathering)
f. Compaction (a function of depth)
7. What are the factors that affect secondary porosity? (6 points)
a. Solution and Cementation. (Function of mineralogy, water temperature, etc.)
b. Fracturing. (compression and tension forces)
c. Other digenetic transformations.
8. Write down the methods that can be used to determine the bulk volume? (6 points)
a. Direct measurement method.
b. Russell volumetric method.
c. Gravimetric ARCHIMEDES Methods. (dried and saturated)
9. Write down the methods that can be used to determine the matrix (grain) volume?
(6 points)
a. Matrix density method.
b. Gravimetric ARCHIMEDES method.
c. Gas expansion method. (Helium)
10. Which porosity measurement is more confident and used as reference? (9 points)
 The log-based porosity calculations can be used for calibrating the core-based
porosity measurements when coring may not be practical in unconsolidated
formations or in formations with high secondary porosity such as vugs or natural
fractures.
 In case of high quality coring (high coring recovery factor) i. e consolidated
rocks, coring data can be used to calibrate the log-based porosity measurements.
 If porosity measurements are very important (for reserve), both coring and
logging programs may be conducted.
11. Why are openhole logging tools considered to be the most common method for
determining porosity? (4 points)
a. Less expensive than coring and may be less risk of sticking the tool in the hole.
b. Coring may not be practical in unconsolidated formations or in formations with
high secondary porosity such as vugs or natural fractures.
12. What are the main log types for determining porosity? Do these logs measure porosity
directly? (8 points)
a. Density log.
b. Sonic log.
c. Neutron log.
These logs do not measure porosity directly.
13. A clean, dry core sample weighed 425 grams. It was 100% saturated with 1.07 sp gr
brine. The sample is 10 cm long and 3.8 cm in diameter. The porosity equals to 20%.
Calculate the saturated weight of the sample? (15 points)
Vp
∅=
Vb

2
d2 ( 3.8 )
V b =π L=π 10=113.41 c m2
4 4
V p=∅ V b =( 0.20 ) ( 113.41 )=22.68 c m2
W Sat −W dry
V p= →W Sat =V p ρ f +W dry =( 22.68 ) ( 1.07 ) +425
ρf
W Sat =449.27 g
 14. Using the information given in this table, calculate the thickness-weighted average
porosity. (10 points)

Sample Thickness, ft. Porosity, fraction

1 1.2 0.12
2 1.7 0.14
3 1.5 0.13
4 2.2 0.15
5 2.3 0.16
6 1.3 0.12

∅ average =
∑ ∅i h i
∑ hi
( 0.12 ) ( 1.2 ) + ( 0.14 )( 1.7 ) + ( 0.13 )( 1.5 ) + ( 0.15 ) ( 2.2 ) + ( 0.16 ) ( 2.3 ) + ( 0.12 ) ( 1.3 )
∅ average =
(1.2+ 1.7+1.5+2.2+2.3+1.3)

∅ average =0.1403=14.03 %

15. Using the information given in this table, find pay thickness? (10 points)

Area 50 acres
Oil Saturation 75%
Effective Porosity 12.5 %
Oil Volume Factor 1.25 bbl/STB
OSTOIP 727,312.5 STB

7758 Ah ∅ ( 1−S wc ) ( OOIP ) ( Boi )

OOIP= → h=
Boi 7758 A ∅ ( 1−Swc )
(727312.5)(1.25)
h= =25 ft .
7758 (50)(0.125)( 0.75)
16. A core sample coated with paraffin immersed in a container of liquid (water, density = 1
g/cm3). The weight of the dry core sample was 18 g, while the weight of the dry sample
coated with paraffin was 19.1 g. Assume the density of the solid paraffin is 0.9 g/cm3.
The bulk volume is 9 cm3, calculates the weight of the dry sample coated with paraffin
and submersed. (15 points)
W −W Coated with Paraffin∧Submersed
V b +V paraffin = Coated with Paraffin , eq (1)
ρ f luid
g
V b =9 c m 3 , ρfluid =1.0
cc
W Parrafin=W coated with Paraffin−W dry=19.1−18=1.1 g
Mas s paraffin 1.1
V paraffin= = =1.22 cc
Densit y parrafin 0.9
 Rearrange eq (1) to solve for W Coated with Paraffin∧Submersed
W Coated with Paraffin∧Submersed =19.1−( 9+ 1.22 )( 1 )=8.88 g
17. A core sample has been crushed to grain size, and immersed in a container with liquid.
The volume of liquid displaced by the grains was 9.5 cm3. The bulk volume has been
measured and it equals to 11.7 cm3, what is the matrix volume, and porosity. (10 points)
V mat =9.5 c m 3
V V −V mat 11.7−9.5
∅= p = b = =0.1880=18.80 %
Vb Vb 11.7
18. A sample rock is placed in an evacuated flask and saturated with Kerosene (density =
0.87 gm/cc). After saturation the weight was increased by 0.4 gm. The Porosity
calculated and it equals to 20%, calculate the bulk volume? (10 points)
W 0.4
V p= p = =0.4598 cc
ρ fluid 0.87
Vp V p 0.4598
∅= → V b= = =2.299 cc
Vb ∅ 0.20
19. Using the gravimetric method with the following data presented in the next table,
calculate the pore, matrix volume, bulk volumes and the porosity. (15 points)

419.7 g
Dry weight of sample,
Weight of sample saturated with water, 453.4 g

Density of water, 1 g / cc
Weight of saturated sample submerged in 275.2
water,

W Sat −W dry 453.4−419.7

V p= = =33.7 cc
ρf 1
W dry−W Sat∧Submersed 419.7−275.2
V m= = =144.5 cc
ρf 1
V b =V m +V p=144.5+33.7=178.2 cc
V p 33.7
∅= = =18.91%
V b 178.2
20. A core sample had been extracted from a reservoir at 6000 ft. After that, it had been
analyzed in the lab and the porosity measured is 20 %, find the porosity at the reservoir
conditions and calculate the difference between the porosity at the lab and porosity at the
reservoir conditions. The formation of the core sample is sandstone. (15 points)

psi
Overburden pr essure (OB)=1 ( 6000 ft )=6000 psi
ft
 psi
Internal pressure(P)=0.5 ( 6000 ft )=3000 psi
ft
Effective Pressure(Peff )=OB−P=6000−3000=3000 psi
Since it is sandstone, we will use this equation:
∅=∅ s−0.000337 ( P eff )0.30=0.20−0.000337 ( 3000 )0.3
∅=0.1963=19.63 %
The difference between the porosity at the lab and porosity at the reservoir conditions is 20 –
19.63 = 0.37%
Second: Fill in the Blank: (10 points)
1. Channel porosity is similar to fracture porosity but larger.
2. Due to grain packing effect, the pore space percentage of the total volume is larger for
cubic packing than rhombohedral packing.
3. Significant variations in porosity can be observed in different sections of the reservoir
due to the changes in sedimentation or depositional conditions. In such cases, the areal-
weighted or the volume-weighted average porosity is employed to describe the average
reservoir rock porosity.
4. Matrix density method is very accurate if mineral composition is known.
5. Gravimetric ARCHIMEDES method is very accurate if sample is fully saturated.
6. Gas expansion method is very accurate, especially for samples with low porosities.
7. Two methods are used to calculate the pore volume and they are gas expansion method
(Helium Porosimeter) and liquid saturation method.
8. Density logs are dependent upon lithology, porosity, Density and saturation of fluids in
pores.
9. The most energy is lost when colliding with a hydrogen atom nucleus.
10. In Computer Topography (CT), the image of the clean sample is subtracted from the
saturated sample to obtain porosity.
Third: Choose True or False for each One of the Following Statements: (15 points)
1. As depth increases, porosity tends to decrease. (T)
2. As cementation increases, porosity tends to increase. (F)
3. For clastic rocks, grain size affect permeability but does not affect porosity. (T)
4. For a very clean sandstone, the total and effective porosity will be the same .(T)
5. Fissure porosity is created by the dissolution of fragments, but unconnected. (F)
6. Porosity increases as sorting get better. (T)
7. Porosity decreases with increasing roundness. (F)
8. If porosity is equal to 20%, then it is considered to be under the excellent class range. (F)
9. Total porosity is less than effective porosity. (F)
10. Gas expansion method involves the utilization of Boyle’s Law. (T)
11. Neutron does not lose energy (velocity) with each collision. (F)
12. Neuron log depend upon a hydrogen atom nucleus. (T)
13. Acoustic tool usually consists of one sound transmitter (above) and two receivers
(below). (T)
14. The typical matrix travel time for Dolomite is faster than Sandstone. (T)
15. Computer Topography (CT) scanner can be used for porosity measurement. (T)