Rock Properties

Compressibility
 Compressibility

Pore volume reduction occurs when reservoir

pressure declines because of:

1. Expansion of the rock matrix, and

2. Reduction of pore volume due to bulk
rock deformation (grain re-alignment)

Permeability generally exhibits a much greater

% reduction than porosity when net overburden
pressure increases

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.2
 Rock Stress Changes

External Stress → Overburden Pressure

(1 psi/foot)

Internal Stress → Fluid Pressure

Normal = 0.43 psi/ft
Over Pressure = 0.5 - 1.0 psi/ft

→ Rock Grains support the Balance

NOBP = Overburden - Fluid Pressure

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.3
 Rock Stress Changes

With: 10,000 foot deep reservoir

4500 psi initial pressure

The Initial NOBP = 10000 – 4500 = 5500 psi

When the field is abandoned at 1000 psi

The final NOBP = 10000-1000=9000 psi

This change in rock bearing stress results in a loss
of reservoir pore volume
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.4
 Pore Volume Compressibility

1 ΔPV 1 Δφ
Cf = ≈
PV ΔP φ ΔP
Lab measured Uniaxial
– No lateral deformation of sample
– Results can be applied directly

Or Hydrostatic
– Most widely used in lab
– Deformation on all sides
– Must be corrected!
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.5
Overburden Pressure

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.6
 Uniaxial Compaction

1+ v
∈z = e
3(1 − v )

∈ z : uniaxial compaction
e : hydrostatic compaction
v : Poisson’s ratio

Assume: v = 0 . 30 ⇒ ∈ z = 0 . 62 e

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.7
Net Overburden Pressure

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.8
 Pore Volume Compressibility
100

van der Knaap’s

correlation

Pore Volume Compressibility (psi-1 x 106)

Hall’s
correlation
10

laboratory
measurements:
consolidated
friable
unconsolidated
1
0 10 20 30 40
Initial Porosity
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.9
Pore Volume Compressibility

Pore volume
compressibility
vs. effective
overburden
pressure and
porosity

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.10
Permeability Reduction

Permeability
reduction with
overburden
pressure

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.11
 Permeability Reduction

Pressure effects on permeability

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.3.12