Problem 1

ROCK PROPERTIES

1. Determine the influence of Compressibility on Porosity and Permeability

Given the following data from 2 rock samples, determine the behavior of the porosity and permeability
as functions of reservoir pressure.

2. Determine the rock compressibility for Use in Material Balance Calculations

Rock compressibility is normally calculated as the slope of the tangent to the pore volume versus net
overburden pressure curve. However in material balance calculations, the pressure drop is
calculated from initial pressure to current pressure conditions. Therefore, rock compressibility
can be expressed by relating the change in pore volume that occurs from initial pressure conditions

Note: The reservoir is at 15,000 feet of depth. The original reservoir pressure is 14,000 psi.
osity and permeability

re volume versus net

sure drop is
compressibility
pressure conditions
 Pore Volume (cc) versus Hydrostatic Confining Pressure

Hydrostatic Confining Stress (psi)

400 1000 1500 2000
Sample 1
f init = 30.8% (@400 psi) 16.943 16.716 16.631 16.55
Sample 3
f init = 27.4% (@400 psi) 15.536 15.312 15.236 15.163

Permeability (md) versus Hydrostatic Confining Pressure

Hydrostatic Confining Stress (psi)

1500 2000 2500
Sample A K= 310 278 257
Sample B K= 71.9 64.4 59.5
Sample C K= 638 580 542
Sample D K= 1170 1107 1061
Sample E K= 2178 2009 1931
Sample F K= 400 359 332
atic Confining Pressure

ostatic Confining Stress (psi)

2500 3000 4000 6000

16.471 16.393 16.237 15.939

15.147 15.075 14.933 14.708

atic Confining Pressure

Confining Stress (psi)

3000 4000 6000
243 227 215
56.2 52.4 49.7
516 484 460
1028 986 947
1885 1810 1712
314 294 278