Reservoir Petrophysics PETR2311 Homework Answers

Porosity

Problem 1:
Determine the porosity of the following regular packings where all the spheres/grains are of the
same size

a) Simple Cubic Packing

b) Body Centered Cubic
c) Face Centered Cubic

SOLUTION:

a)

Done in class

b)

8(2 R)3
Vcell  a 
3

3 3
1
Vgrain  8   Vsphere  Vsphere
8
4 4 8
  R3   R3   R3
3 3 3
8 3
Vgrain R  3R 3  3
  1  1 3  1   1
3 3
Vcell 64 R 8R 8
3 3

c)

Length of Edge of Unit Cell (Use Pythagoras Theorem)

Diagonal 2  Edge2  Edge2

(2 R  R  R) 2  L2  L2
16 R 2  2 L2
L  2R 2

Volume of the Unit Cell

PETR2311 Homework

VT  L3  16R3 2

Volume of the grains

1 1
Vg  8   Vsphere  6   Vsphere
8 2
 4  Vsphere
4
 4  R3
3
16 3
 R
3

Porosity

16 3
R
Vg 3 
  1  1 3
 1  0.26
VT 16 R 2 3 2

Problem 2:
Calculate the porosity of the sample described below:

Dry sample mass 104.1 g

Mass of the water-saturated sample 120.2 g
Density of water 1.001 g/cm3
Mass of saturated sample immersed in water 64.7 g
a. Is this the effective or the total porosity of the sample?
b. What is the most probably the lithology of the sample? Explain why.
(Problem from Tiab P. 193 No. 1)

SOLUTION:

Given:

Dry sample mass, mg  104.1 g

Mass of the water-saturated sample , mg  mw  120.2 g
Density of water, w  1.001 g/cm3
Mass of saturated sample immersed in water , mg  mw  (Vg  Vv ) w  64.7 g

Find:

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PETR2311 Homework

Vv
Total porosity,   ?
Vg  Vv

Procedure

mg  mw  mg  Vv  w  120.2
Vv  w  120.2  104.1  16.1
mg g  mw g  (Vg  Vv )  w g  64.7 g
120.2  Vg  w  16.1  64.7
Vg  w  39.4
Vg  w 39.4
  1  1  0.29
(Vg  Vv )  w 39.4  16.1

Vg  w
  1  0.29 Final Answer
(Vg  Vv )  w

a. This is effective porosity since all pores that are connected will have water. There
may be pores with air and not connected but we cannot measure with this method
b. Sandstones have porosity in this range

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 3:
A core 2.54 cm in length and 2.54 cm in diameter has a porosity of 22%. It is saturated with oil
and water. The oil content is 1.5 cm3. What is the pore volume of the core? What are the oil and
water saturations inside the core? (Problem from Tiab P. 193 No. 2)

SOLUTION:

Given:

Core diameter, D  2.54 cm

Core Length, L  2.54 cm
Core porosity,   0.22
Volume of oil, Voil  1.5 cm3
Find:
Total pore volume of core, Vvoid  Voil  Vwater  ?cm3
Oil Saturation, Soil  ?
Water Saturation, Swater  ?
Procedure:
Total core volume
 
Vtotal  Vgrain  Voil  Vwater  D2 L   2.542  2.54  12.87 cm3
4 4
Pore volume
Voil  Vwater  Vtotal  0.22 12.87  2.83 cm3
Water volume
Vwater  2.83  Voil  1.33 cm3
Saturations
Vwater 1.33
S water    0.47
Voil  Vwater 2.83
Voil 1.5
Soil    0.53
Voil  Vwater 2.83

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 4:
Derive the unit conversion factor 7758 in the STOIIP equation.

SOLUTION-1:

A(acres)  h( feet )   ()  Soi ()

STOIIP(bbl )  CF 
Boi ()

1 bbl = 42.00 gal

1 ft3 = 7.48 gal

1 acre = 43560.00 ft2

43560( ft 2 ) 7.48( gal ) (bbl )

CF  (ac)  ( ft )   
(ac) ( ft 3 ) 42( gal )
 7757.83

SOLUTION-2:

 159liter/bbl    A(acres)(4046.9m2 /acre)   h(ft)(0.3048m/ft) Soi

STOIIP (bbl)  
 103liter/m3   Boi

 (4046.9m 2 /acre)(0.3048m/ft) 103liter/m3   A(acres)h(ft)S

STOIIP (bbl)    oi

 159liter/bbl   B oi

A(acres)h(ft)Soi
STOIIP (bbl)   7758 bbl/(acre ft)
Boi

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 5:
If a formation is 2.5 m thick, what is the volume of the oil-in-place in 100 acres, if the core
described in the above problem is representative of the reservoir. Report the volume in cubic
meters and barrels. (Problem from Tiab P. 193 No. 3)

SOLUTION:

Given:

Formation thickness, H  2.5 m

Formation area, A  100 acres
Core porosity,   0.22
Oil Saturation, Soil  0.53
Water Saturation, Swater  0.47
Find:
Volume of oil, OIIP  ?m3, bbl
Answer:
Use the formula:
OIIP  7758 Ah Soi
Total volume of the formation

3.2808 ft
OIIP  7758 100ac  2.5m   0.22  0.53
m
 741938.81bbl
m3
 741938.81bbl  0.159  117968.27m3
bbl

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 6:
A cylinder (L= 2 m and D = 0.2 m) is filled to the top with sand having a particle or grain size
distribution given in the table. The total number of sand particles is 2×10 10. Determine the total
porosity in this sand bed.

Grain Diameter (µm) 500 300 200 100 50 40 25 10 5

N (%) 1 8 10 15 20 25 13 7 1
SOLUTION

L  2.0m
D  0.2m
 
V D2 L  0.22  2  0.063m3
4 4

x N N V
µm % m3
500 1 2.00E+08 1.31E-02
300 8 1.60E+09 2.26E-02
200 10 2.00E+09 8.38E-03
100 15 3.00E+09 1.57E-03
50 20 4.00E+09 2.62E-04
40 25 5.00E+09 1.68E-04
25 13 2.60E+09 2.13E-05
10 7 1.40E+09 7.33E-07
5 1 2.00E+08 1.31E-08
100 2.00E+10 0.04611

Volume of grains = 0.04611 m3.

Vg 0.0461
  1  1  0.266
VT 0.0628

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 7: Archimedes
In porosity experiment of an irregular porous rock core the following measurements were made

Dry sample mass = Md

Mass of the water-saturated sample = Ms

Mass of the saturated sample immersed in an insoluble liquid = Mb

a) Show that the porosity of the sample measured using the above measurements is
independent of the liquid density.
b) What is the engineering classification of this porosity and why? Explain clearly?
c) Uncertainty in Measurements:
i. Derive an expression for uncertainty in the measurement of porosity using the
following measurements

Md = Md,best ± δMd

Ms = Ms,best ± δMs

Mb = Mb,best ± δMb

ii. Enclosed is a set of example measurements for the above masses

a. Calculate the best estimate of the porosity.
b.What is the uncertainty in the porosity these data?
c. Do you think the experiments are consistent? Why? (Tabulate your
results)

Md δMd Ms δMs Mb δMb

25 0.2 26 0.1 21 0.1
26 0.1 27 0.2 22 0.1
24 0.3 25 0.3 20 0.1
23 0.2 24 0.1 19 0.1

SOLUTION

a)

Given:

Dry sample mass, M d  mg

Mass of sample + liquid= M s  mg  mw

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PETR2311 Homework

Mass of saturated sample in liquid = M b  mg  mw  (Vg  Vv ) w

Assume density of liquid =  w

Find:

Vv
Total porosity,   ?
Vg  Vv

Procedure:

Vv Vg
  1
Vg  Vv Vg  Vv
Multiply by  w in the numerator and denominator
 wVg
 1
 w (Vg  Vv )

Denominator

M b  mg  mw  (Vg  Vv )  w
 M s  (Vg  Vv )  w
(Vg  Vv )  w  M s  M b

Numerator

M b  mg  mw  (Vg  Vv )  w
 M d  Vv  w  Vg  w  Vv  w
 M d  Vg  w
Vg  w  M d  M b

Therefore, porosity is:

 wVg
  1
 w (Vg  Vv )
Md  Mb
 1
M s  Mb

b)

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PETR2311 Homework

Effective porosity, since void space is measured by the amount of liquid which enters the void.
Hence voids need to be all connected.

c)

Md  Mb
  1
M s  Mb
 1

M d Ms  Mb
 Md  Mb

M s  M s  M b 2
 Ms  Md

M b  M s  M b 2

Md δMd Ms δMs Mb δMb φ

25 0.2 26 0.1 21 0.1 0.200
26 0.1 27 0.2 22 0.1 0.200
24 0.3 25 0.3 20 0.1 0.200
23 0.2 24 0.1 19 0.1 0.200

1/(Ms- Md-
Mb) Mb Ms-Md ∂φ/∂Md δMd ∂φ/∂Ms δMs ∂φ/∂Mb δMb δφ
0.2 4 1 0.2 0.2 0.16 0.1 0.04 0.1 0.06
0.2 4 1 0.2 0.1 0.16 0.2 0.04 0.1 0.056
0.2 4 1 0.2 0.3 0.16 0.3 0.04 0.1 0.112
0.2 4 1 0.2 0.2 0.16 0.1 0.04 0.1 0.06

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 8: OIIP Units

Given a reservoir has a porosity φ and saturation of Soi, what is the expression for OOIP in cm3
and in barrels if (show constants or conversions factors with units where appropriate):

a) The reservoir is shaped as a rectangular cuboid with

i. Length L (cm), width W (cm) and thickness H (cm).
ii. Length L (miles), width W (miles) and thickness H (feet).
b) The reservoir is shaped as a cylinder with
i. Radius R (cm) and thickness H (cm).
ii. Radius R (miles) and thickness H (inches).

SOLUTION:

a)

OIIP(cm3 )  1 L(cm)W (cm) H (cm) Soi

1(bbl ) 264.17( gal )
OIIP(bbl )    L(cm)W (cm) H (cm) Soi
42( gal ) 106 (cm3 )
6.29 106 (bbl )
  L(cm)W (cm) H (cm) Soi
(cm3 )
1002 (cm 2 ) 100(cm)
OIIP(cm3 )   L(miles)W (miles) H ( feet ) Soi
0.00062142 (miles 2 )3.2808( feet )
7.894 1011 (cm3 )
  L(miles)W (miles) H ( feet ) Soi
(miles 2 )( feet )
7.894 1011 (cm3 ) 264.17( gal ) 1(bbl )
OIIP(bbl )  L(miles)W (miles) H ( feet ) Soi
(miles 2 )( feet ) 106 (cm3 ) 42( gal )
4.965 106 (bbl )
 L(miles)W (miles) H ( feet ) Soi
(miles 2 )( feet )

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PETR2311 Homework

b)

OIIP (cm3 )  1  R 2 (cm 2 ) H (cm) Soi

 3.14  R 2 (cm 2 ) H (cm) Soi
6.29 106 (bbl )
OIIP (bbl )    R 2 (cm 2 ) H (cm) Soi
(cm3 )
1.976 10 5 (bbl )
  R 2 (cm 2 ) H (cm) Soi
(cm3 )
1002 (cm 2 ) 100(cm)
OIIP (cm3 )  2 2
  R 2 ( miles 2 ) H (in) Soi
0.0006214 ( miles ) 39.37(in)
6.578 1010 (cm3 )
   R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) S oi
(miles 2 )(in)
2.067 1011 (cm3 )
 2
 R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) S oi
(miles )(in)
6.578 1010 (cm3 )
OIIP (bbl )  2
  R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) S oi
(miles )(in)
6.578 1010 (cm3 ) 264.17( gal ) 1(bbl )
 2 6 3
  R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) Soi
(miles )(in) 10 (cm ) 42( gal )
4.14 105 (bbl )
 2
  R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) S oi
(miles )(in)
1.3 106 (bbl )
 2
 R 2 (miles 2 ) H (in) Soi
(miles )(in)

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 9: Paraffin Method

In a porosity measurement experiment, the dry core weighed Md = 27 ± 0.5 g. The core sample
was then surface coated with paraffin (or candle wax) so that no liquid enters the pores and then
weighed. Now core with the paraffin weighed Mc = 28.5 ± 0.1g. The paraffin coated sample was
immersed in a liquid which displaced Vc = 10.9 ± 0.3 cm3. The paraffin coated core was then
crushed into very fine powder and immersed in the same liquid and now it displaced V f = 6.76 ±
0.3 cm3. Assume specific gravity of the paraffin to be 0.85.

a) What is the best estimate of the volume of the paraffin coating?

b) What is the best estimate of the total bulk volume of the core without the paraffin?
c) What is the best estimate of the volume of the grains?
d) What is the best estimate of the porosity of the core without the paraffin?
e) What type of porosity is this? And why?
f) What is the uncertainty in porosity?

SOLUTION

M d  27.0 g Mass, Dry

M c  M d  M p  28.5g Mass, Dry + Paraffin

M p  M c  M d  28.5  27.0  1.5g Mass, Paraffin

Mp Mc  Md 1.5 Volume, Paraffin

Vp     1.77cm3
p p 0.85
Vc  VT  Vp  10.9cm3 Volume, Total + Paraffin

VT  Vc  Vp  10.9  1.77  9.13cm3 Volume, Total

V f  Vg  Vp  6.76cm3 Volume, Grains + Paraffin

Vg  V f  Vp  6.76  1.77  4.99cm3 Volume, Grains

Vg 4.99 Porosity,
  1  1  0.45 Total Porosity, since we are not directly measuring
VT 9.13
the volume of the voids. We are measuring the total
V f  Vp
 1 volume of the voids including the non-connected
Vc  V p pores.
Vc  V f Vc  V f
 
Vc  V p M  Md
Vc  c
p
 p (Vc  V f )

 pVc  M c  M d

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PETR2311 Homework

  p (  pV f  M c  M d )  p
 
Vc (  pVc  M c  M d )2 V f  pVc  M c  M d
 0.06  0.11
  p (Vc  V f )   p (V f  Vc )
 
M c (  pVc  M c  M d )2 M d (  pVc  M c  M d )2
 0.06  0.06
   
   Vc  V f   Mc   Md
Vc V f M c M d
 0.06  0.3  0.11 0.3  0.06  0.1  0.06  0.5
 0.018  0.033  0.006  0.030
 0.087

Problem 10: [20 = 8 +6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2]

Below are three views of a regular packing. All spheres have the same radius R. This type of
packing is called orthorhombic. Determine the following:

a) Draw the 2D diagram of the unit cell.

b) What is the total volume of the unit cell in terms of R?
c) What is the grain volume of the unit cell in terms of R?
d) What is the void volume of the unit cell in terms of R?
e) What is the porosity of the unit cell in terms of R?
f) What type of porosity is this?
g) If the radius of the sphere increases, will the porosity increase or decrease? Explain

Side View Top View Perspective View

SOLUTION

a)

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PETR2311 Homework

b)

Area of rhombus
A  2R  R 3
Volume of unit cell
VT  A  2 R  4 3R 3

c)

Grain Volume = 1 sphere volume

4 R3
VG 
3

d)

Void volume
VV  VT  VG
4 R 3
 4 3R 3 
3

e)

Porosity
4 R3 4
4 3R  4 3
3
VV
  3  3  3 3    0.3954
3
VT 4 3R 4 3 3 3

f) Total porosity

g) Porosity remains same as it is independent of the particle size.

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PETR2311 Homework

Problem 11: [30 = 10 + (6 + 10) + (1 + 1) + 2]

The following saturation measurements are made:

i. Mass of dry sample = 120 g

ii. Mass of water-saturated sample = 150 g
iii. Density of water = 1.0 g/cm3
iv. Mass of saturated sample immersed in water = 50.0 g

In the Boyle’s Law experiment, the volumes of the chambers are V1 = 100 cm3 and V2 = 80 cm3.
The following is the measurement procedure:

i. Initial pressure in chamber 1 with the core is 0 kPa and chamber 2 is 300 kPa.
ii. Now the isolation valve (valve connecting the two chambers) is opened and the final
pressure in both chambers is 220 kPa.

Answer the following questions:

a) What is bulk volume or total volume of the core?

b) What is the void volume of the core measured by both methods?
c) What is the porosity of the core measured by both methods?
d) What type of porosity is measured by both methods? Explain.

SOLUTION:

Saturation/Archimedes method:

VV  30cm3
VT  100cm3
  0.3

Boyle’s Law method:

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PETR2311 Homework

p1  0kPa
p2  300kPa
p f  220kPa
V1  100cm3
V2  80cm3
( p1  p f )V1  ( p2  p f )V2
VG 
( p1  p f )
VG  70.91
VV  29.09cm3
VT  100cm3
  0.291

Problem 12: [Porosity10 = 2 + 2 + 6]

During exploration of a reservoir it was estimated to be a rectangular block of L = 5 miles, W = 5
miles and H = 1000 ft. Two cores were sampled; one at the front side (A) of the reservoir and the
other at the back (B) as shown. The following measurements were made on the cores:

Core A (unknown shape) Core B (cylinder)

Mass of saturated core = 140 g Boyle’s Law experiment
Mass of saturated core immersed Chambers volumes: 100 cm3 and 80 cm3
in kerosene = 75 g Initial Pressure: 100 kPa and 700 kPa
Specific gravity of kerosene is 0.85 Final Pressure = 500 kPa
Mass of crushed core = 135 g Length = 20 cm
Density of core = 2.2 g/cm3 Diameter = 2.54 cm

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PETR2311 Homework

1) What is the porosity of Core A?

2) What is the porosity of Core B?
3) If the porosity of the core varies linearly from point A to point B and the water saturation is
increasing from 60% to 80% linearly then find OIIP for the reservoir in barrels. Assume the
porosity and saturations don’t vary in any other direction except from front to back. Give the
symbolic expression first and then the numerical value.

SOLUTION:

1)

VG = 61.36 cm3, VT = 76.47 cm3 and ϕ = 0.1976

2)

VG = 60.0 cm3, VT = 101.34 cm3 and ϕ = 0.4079

3)

 A  B
  A  w
W
S  S wB
S w  S wA  wA w
W

dOIIP  HL S w dw
    S  S wB 
 HL   A  A B w  S wA  wA w  dw
 W  W 

W
   S  S wB 
OIIP  HL    A  A B w  S wA  wA w  dw
0  W  W 

W
   S  S wB 2  A  B S  S wB 
 HL    A S wA  A B wA w  S wA w  wA  A w  dw
0 
W W W W
H
    S  S wB w3  A  B S wA w2 S wA  S wB  A w2 
 HL   A S wA w  A B wA   
 W W 3 W 2 W 2 0
  A  B S wA  S wB W 3  A  B S wAW 2 S wA  S wB  AW 2 
 HL   A S wAW    
 W W 3 W 2 W 2 
 W W 
 HL  A S wAW   A S wA   A S wB  B S wA  B S wB    A S wA  B S wA  A S wA   A S wB  
 3 2 
HLW
 6A SwA  2A SwA  2A SwB  2B SwA  2B SwB  3A SwA  3B SwA  3A SwA  3A SwB 
6

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PETR2311 Homework

HLW
OIIP  6A SwA  2A SwA  3A SwA  3A SwA  2A SwB  3A SwB  2B SwA  2B SwB  3B SwA 
6
HLW
 14A SwA  5A SwB  3B SwA 
6


19
PETR2311 Homework

Problem 13:
The figure below is an illustration of body centered cubic (BCC) unit cell. The spheres at the
corners have radius R1 and the one at the center of the unit cell has radius R2.

D1 C1

A1 B1

D C

A B
R1

3D representation of a BCC unit cell Wireframe of the Unit Cell

R1 R2

R1

a
a

Front View of the Unit Cell Section along plane AA1C1C

a) What is the size of the unit cell in terms of R1 and R2.
b) What is the grain volume
c) What is the porosity
d) What engineering type of porosity
e) If R1 and R2 are very different, we would say that this sandstone has poor sorting. For
such a poorly sorted sandstone, suppose R1 and R2 were both reduced by a factor of 10.
Qualitatively, what effect do you expect on
i. Porosity?

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PETR2311 Homework

ii. Permeability

SOLUTION:

AB  AD  BC  DC  a 8( R1  R2 )3
Vcell  a 
3

AC  A1C1  a 2 3 3
1
AC1  AA12  AC 2 Vgrain  8   Vsphere1  Vsphere 2
8
2( R1  R2 )  a 2  2a 2 4 4
  R13   R23
2( R1  R2 )  a 3 3 3
  R13  R23 
2( R1  R2 ) 4
a Vgrain 3  3  R13  R23 
3   1  1  1
Vcell 8( R1  R2 )3 2( R1  R2 )3
3 3

d) Total porosity

e) Porosity – no change; Permeability decreases

21