Lab #3

Porosity Determination Using Helium Porosimeter Method

By: Richard Frimpong Owusu

Group Leader: Alfred

Group Members: Alfred, Richard, Graham

Instructor: Liu Junchen

Petroleum Engineering
Missouri University of Science & Technology

Date Performed: October 10, 2023

Date Reported: October 31, 2023

Objective

1. The objective of the experiment is to utilize the Helium Porosimeter to

determine the porosity of core samples.

Introduction

In hydrocarbon reservoirs, the pore volume is available for the accumulation and
storage of oil, gas and water. Porosity is defined as the ratio of the pore volume to
the bulk volume of a porous media.

Porosity is normally expressed as a percentage (%) of the bulk volume.

pore volume
Porosity = ×100 %
bulk volume

Total porosity: It is the ratio of the volume of all pores to the bulk volume of
material, regardless of whether or not the pores are
interconnected.

total pore volume

Total porosity = ×100 %
bulk volume

Effective porosity: It is the ratio of the interconnected pore volume to the bulk
volume of a material.

interconnected pore volume

Effective porosity = × 100 %
bulk volume

Equipment Listed

Haian gas porosimeter, including 4 valves, 1 pressure regulator, reference chamber and
sample chamber
Principles: Principle of Helium Porosimeter

This porosimeter utilizes the principles of gas expansion as described by Boyle’s

law. A known volume of helium gas at a fixed initial pressure is isothermally
expanded into an unknown void volume. After expansion the resultant stabilized
pressure is measured; that pressure being dependent on the magnitude of the
unknown volume. The magnitude of the unknown volume may be calculated using
the Ideal Gas equation of state.
Boyle’s law (constant temperature):
PV = const ...................... (3-7)

P1V1 = P2V2 ...................................... (3-8)

where: P1 = Initial Absolute Pressure; P2 = Expanded Absolute Pressure.

V1 = Initial Volume; V2 = Expanded Volume.

The following equation is often used to derive grain volume.

Vr  p1 = (Vc +Vr -VHP)* P2 … ............ (3-9)
Vr = reference chamber volume and/or pipe volume Vc = sample chamber
volume
VHP = the volume measured by gas porosimeter (the VHP is the grain volume
plus isolated pore volume if a solid core plug is measured, and the VHP is the
grain volume if grinded minerals from the solid core plug is measured)
P1 = initial pressure at reference volume P2 = expanded pressure

Rearrange Eq. (3-2) to obtain: VHP = Vc +Vr - Vr * P1/ P2 ……..(3-10)

The equation (3-10) indicates that VHP is linear with P1/ P2

Procedures (Flow Chart)

Figure 3-2 shows front panel of gas porosimeter made by Haian Company
Fig.3-2. Gas porosimeter, front panel

Fig.3-3. schematic diagram of Haian gas porosimeter

1-Gas source valve; 2-Gas pressure regulator; 3-Gas supply valve; 4-Reference
volume; 5-Sampling valve; 6-Sample chamber; 7-Vent valve.
 1. Determine the bulk volume of the regular surface core using caliper. Use a
caliper to obtain several length measurements for each side (Table 3-1).
Use the average length to calculate the bulk volume of the sample. V =πr 2L

2. Pressure transducer zeroing

3. Standard curve determination
4. Porosity determination

Results and Analysis

Table 3-1 Dimension of Core Plug

Measurement Calculation
Dimension Ist 2nd 3rd Average, mm Bulk Volume
L 59.03 59.04 59.05 59.04 V ¿ π r2 L
r 12.54 12.55 12.11 12.4

V ¿ π r 2 L = π ¿(12.4)2∗59.04 = 28,519.3 mm3 = 28.5 cm3

Table 3-2 Calibration Table

Reference Expanded P1/P2

Volume cc Volume cc Pressure Pressure
Disc No.
(Mm3) (cm3)
psig (P1) psig (P2)
empty 0 0 53.8 36.2 1.5
1 2407.4 2.4 57.3 19.5 2.9
2 9742 9.7 61.2 22.8 2.7
3 12203.2 12.2 66.5 26.3 2.5
4 24509.3 24.5 71.4 33.7 2.1
4+1 26916.7 26.9 73.9 36.3 2.0
4+3 36712.5 36.7 75.0 44.5 1.7
4+3+2 46454.5 46.5 76.0 57.6 1.3
4+3+2+1 48861.9 48.9 77.4 62.3 1.2
Core Plug 28519.3 28.5 80.0 36.8 2.2
 VHP Determination
60

50

40
f(x) = − 20.1508634734441 x + 64.1332355816227
R² = 0.461315841707706
Volume (cc)

30

20

10

0
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3
P1/P2 (psi)

 The porosity obtained from my measurement is effective porosity. This is

because if we do not crush the core samples, only effective porosity can be
determined.

Conclusion
The Helium Porosimeter measured the effective porosity of the core sample.

References

Petrophysics Lab #3 Manual, Porosity Determination Using Helium Porosimeter Method,

Petroleum Engineering Department, Missouri S&T.