Experiments to investigate the effect of diagenesis in carbonates minerals and their applicability in Gassmann equation

Participants: Dr. Sandra Vega, Dr. Jyotshana Prajapat, and Mr. El Amin Mokhtar. Former participants: Abdul Aziz Al Mazrooei (former PI undergraduate, now in ADCO). Summary
A series of repeated dry and saturated sample geometric and acoustic velocity measurements were done in two carbonate minerals, a calcite and a dolomite. The objective was to study the effect of groundwater fluid in carbonates (diagenesis) using acoustic measurements. We found that Vp and Vs detect changes due to changes in porosity in calcite (Figure 1) but no changes in porosity and velocities were detected in the dolomite. This result gives a great input to improve Gassmanns equation in carbonates, which does not take in account changes in the rocks due to diagenesis during production. We analyzed in detailed these results and found that Ksat (bulk modulus of the mineral saturated with water) varies with time for the calcite sample, and that shear modulus varies also for the dolomite sample. Both results reflect an inconsistency with Gasmmanns model. However, further studies need to be done.