AN ANALYSIS OF THE FORMATION RESISTIVITY FACTOR-POROSITY RELATIONSHIP

OF SOME ASSLIMED PORE GEOMETRIES

Guy Towle - Welex A Division of Halliburton

The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not

necessarily the opinions of the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts or its

members.

Publication Rights Reserves

This paper is to be presented at the Third Annual Meeting of the Society of

Professional Well Log Analysts, May 17-18, 1962, in Houston, Texas, and is considered

the property of the Society. Permission to publish is hereby restricted to an abstract

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Well Log Analysts.

 AN ANALYSIS OF THE FORMATION RESISTIVITY FACTOR-POROSITY RELATIONSHIP
OF SOME ASSUMED PORE GEOMETRIES

Guy Towle - Welex A Division of Halliburton

ABSTRACT

Numerous investigations have been made of the relationship between forma-

tion resistivity factor and porosity of reservoir rocks. One of the most wide-
ly used expressions of this relationship is the familiar Archie equation,

Ft @-m
whereby %I" is adjusted to make the expression fit measured data.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a system of rock particles with

consideration given to pore geometry as well as tortuosity. The pore systems
considered are:
(1) mutually perpendicular intersecting tubes
(2) mutually perpendicular intersecting planes
(3) vugs
(4) tubes and vugs
(5) planes and vugs

The study indicates that for these systems, pore geometry exerts a large
influence on the F-Q) relationship. The cementation factor, m, of a pore system
is related to the vugginess of the system as well as to the tortuosity.

Some of the characteristics of natural rocks can be explained with the syn-
thetic pore systems developed in this paper.

INTRODUCTION

Numerous investigations have been made of the relationship between forma-

tion resistivity factor and porosity of reservoir rocks. Many of these have
been experimental, while others have been theoretical. The experimental in-
quiries indicate that no one expression satisfactorily relates formation resis-
tivity factor to porosity over the full range of porosity and porosity types en-
countered in natural rocks. However, one of the most widely accepted relation-
ships is the familiar Archie equation. 1

where : F= formation resistivity factor

@= fractional porosity
m= cementation factor,

Application of this equation to2measured F-0 data indicates that "m" may take on
any value from l-tto roughly 3. The question of why 'h" varies has been attribut-

- 1 -
ed to many things. Among these are:
(1) degree of3cey2ntation of the individual rock particles that make up
the rock. 2

(2) shape, sorting, and packing of the individual rock particles. 4, 12

(3) type of pore system - intergranular, intercrystalline, vuggy, frac-
ture, etcs2,5a 7
(4) tortuosity of pore system.6,7
(5) compaction of the rock by overburden pressure. 859

Of the theoretical approaches to the F-d ftl,aaionship, the most common is

the analysis of a packing of spherical grains. ’ Another scheme of analysis
involves the concept of tortuosity. This concept attributes much of the resis-
tivity of a rock to the tortuous path which electric current follows to flow
through the rock. Still another method of a#ysis considers the pore system
as a series of mutually perpendicular tubes.

All the theoretical approaches just mentioned are useful in acquiring an

understanding of the electrical properties of porous, water-saturated rocks.
However, none of these systems provides us with much insight as to the effect
of pore geometry on the F-Q) relationship.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a system of rock particles with

consideration given to pore geometry as well as tortuosity. The pore systems
considered are:
mutually perpendicular intersecting tubes.
;:; mutually perpendicular intersecting planes
(3) vugs
(4) tubes and vugs
(5) planes and vugs

PORE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS

The synthetic rocks to be considered can be described as follows. Consi-

der that there are n rock particles per meter of rock and that the particles
are arranged cubically. The distance between particle centers is l/n in the
particle rows, and the particles may be of various shapes and sizes.

The formation resistivity factor of the synthetic rocks is determined in

the following manner. The pore space is assumed to be filled with water, and
the resistance of a cube of the rock is calculated. Then, the resistance of
an equal sized cube of water is determined. The resistance of the cube is
proportional to the resistivity of the cube, and therefore, the ratio.of the
resistance of the rock to the resistance of the water is the formation resis-
tivity factor.

Resistance of the cube is calculated with the aid of the following equa-
tion:

RL
p"=-
A

-2 -
where : r = resistance
R= resistivity
L= length of current path
A= area of current path

Porosity of each rock system is calculated by determining the ratio of

pore volume to bulk volume.

TUBE SYSTEM

The pa-rticles which make up the interconnecting tube system are small cubes
of dimension l/n. Through corresponding pairs of faces there is a square tube
of dimension a/n, where a is one or less. The tubes intersect at thelbenter of
the small cube. This is similar to the system described by .Sundberg.

=- /-a /
F c.7’ + a/O
-0.4714 t 0.477

D respresents the flare of the current when it passes through the intersection
of the tubes. When a is large, the flare will be slight, and when a is small,
the flare will be maximum. We will assume here that D approaches 3 when a ap-
proaches zero and that D =l when a=l. Assume that

log D = -0.477a +O. 477

The assumption concerning the amount of flare is not critical in the calculation
of F when a is small enough to yield porosities of 35% or less.

The relationship of F and (b for this system is shown in Table 1 and Chart 1.

- 3 -
 PLANE SYSTEM

The particles of this system are small cubes of dimension b/n. The dis-
tance between centers of the cubes in each particle row is l/n. The variable
b is one or less.

@= l-b3

k /
f = (i-p + (/-t-b) 10 0.477b

Again, with this system it is necessary to account for the flare of the
current as it passes through the intersection of the planes. When b is zero,
E is 1. When b approaches 1, E will be a maximum, which we will assume to
be 3.

Let
Log E = 0.477b

With this system the assumption concerning the amount of flare is not critical
when the value of b is such that porosity is 50% or less.

The relationship of F and @ for this system is shown in Table 2 and Chart 1.

VIJG SYSTEM

The rock particles of the vug system are small cubes. Each cube is of
dimension l/n. The distance between particles in the particle rows is l/n.

Let each small grain be hollow. By letting the void volume vary from zero
to 100% it is possible to obtain any.porosity with this configuration.

The resistivity of such a rock may range from Rw to infinity depending on

-4-
the size of the openings giving access to the vug.

To develop a method for determining the resistivity of this type of pore

we will review the concept of electrode resistance. The resistance of a spher-
ical electrtode of diameter a/n imbedded in a medium of resistivity Rw may be
determined in the following manner.

Rw dP
dr=
4 r-II2

r = 47
RW
sa
213
O”dP
p2
Rwn
=277’a

If the current flow from the electrode were hemispherical instead of spher-
ical the electrode resistance would be doubled.

Now consider the vug again.

-5-
The vug diameter is l/n and the entrance diameter is a/n where a may vary from
1 to zero. If a/n is small compared to l/n, then the resistance of the entrance
to the vug is

Rw n
r’ Ta
If there is an entrance hole to the vug on each face of the small cube the
resistance between parallel faces is

The formation resistivity factor of such a rock would be

If the entrance hole to the vug were square, then F would probably take
on a value of approximately

which will allow the use of this system with the tube system already developed.

If the small cube shaped rock particles of this system contain a spher-
ical vug of the same diameter as the dimension of the cube the porosity of
the system is

37
@
z-5
524%
6
The formation resistivity factor for various values of a is shown in
Table 3.

TUBES AND WGS

Consider a small cube of rock in which there is a vug that may be smaller
in diameter than the dimension of the cube. A square tube connects each face
of the cube to the vug.

-6-
 a
n

The cube dimension is l/n, the tube dimension is a/n and the vug diameter is
d/n. The v.ariables a and d may vary from 1 to zero.

Tables 4, 5 and 6 show the relation of F and 8 for various values of a

and cl. This information is shown graphically in Chart 2.

PLANES AND WGS

The rock particles of this system are small cubes of dimension b/n, the
corners of which have been removed. The resulting pore system is a network
of mutually perpendicular planes with a vug at each intersection of three
planes. Each vug is an octahedron. The distance between particle centers
is l/'n, b is the fraction of l/n, and f is the fraction of b.

@= h-b3 -t & lb-f13

+-/- ,42

__-
 Formation factor for this system is calculated in terms of the cross -
sectional area available for current to flow from one face of the cube to the
other.

Tables 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and Chart 3 show the relationship of F and 0

for this system.

Another system of interest is the system just described with the octahe-
dron vugs replaced by spherical vugs.

k-b2 + e
whcIw A= ( r
(.b-f)2

4 )
The same method of calculation is used to determine formation resistivity
factor as in the previous system. This system is shown in Table 12.

DISCUSSION

An examination of the F-Q) relationship of the systems developed brings

out several interesting features.

There is a surprising similarity between the tube system and the plane
system. The cementation factor "d' for both is quite low and decreases as
porosity decreases. This indicates that when the channels for current flow
are straight and of relatively constant area, the cementation factor is low.
The only way the cementation factor of either of these systems could be raised
appreciably would be to increase the tortuosity. Use the tube system for ex-
ample.

-8-
 A, - Aa -

The porosity of both cubes is the same.

Tortuosity T, is by definition the ratio of Lz to IL,. Therefore,

Formation resistivity factor of cube 2 would be

'Thus, we see that for a given porosity, formation resistivity factor is

proportional to the square of the tortuosity. This is in contradiction tg
previously published information concerning tortuosity. Wyllie and Rose
indic,ate that

T.he vug system illustrates that formation resistivity factor is controll-

ed by the accessibility to the vug. If there is easy access for current, F
is low. When access is more restricted, F increases. The concept of tortu-
osity does not apply to this system. To illustrate this, consider a cube of
rock with a spherical void, The sphere and cube are the same dimension.
Access to th'e void is through a small hole in each face of the cube.

-9-
 The maximum length of path through the void from one face to another
would be along the spherical surface, The tortuosity of this path length
would be

The mean path length would be somewhat less. The method described by Wyllie
and Rose, indicates that the path length and the mean cross sectional area
provide a method of calculating F.

The mean cross section area between faces of the cube is

Maximum formation factor of the cube would be

Reference to Table 3 indicates that the formation factor of such a rock

may be much higher than 3. This development simply indicates that the concept
of tortuosity does not apply to a vug pore system, but rather to tubes or sur-
faces of constant cross section area normal to the path of current flow.

There is also a definite similarity between the tube-vug system and the
plane-vug system. In these systems, %a" is controlled by the vugginess of the
rock. Chart 4 shows the relationship of "'m"to the ratio of vug porosity to

- 10 -
plane or t,ube porosity, Notice that as the vugginess increases so does "m".
The tortuosity concept is applicable to these systems particularly when the
resistance of the vugs is small compared to the total resistance of the system.

The effect of the vug shape in the plane-vug system is of interest. The
spherical 'vug provides more porosity than the octahedron vug without decreas-
ing the resistivity appreciably. Therefore, "m" is higher for the spherical
vugs.

The systems just described are not isotropic. The character of the for-
mation resistivity factor of the tube system is described by the relation

where: F' = formation resistivity factor of system when current direction is

skew to axes.
F = formation resistivity factor of system when current direction is
parallel to an axis. (As developed in this paper)

=Direction cosines of the angle between the current direction

and axis direction.

Presumably this expression would apply to the vug and tube-vug systems also.

An expression which accounts for the anisotropy of the plane and plane-
vug systems is:

where:

d,B!cY=Anglebetween the current direction and the normals of the

planes.

FF'IAs defined above,

The expressions concerning the anisotropic nature of the systems have not
been verified in a rigorous mathematical sense.

It is interesting to spec;ulate about the similarity of the synthetic pore

syst'ems and natural rock pore systems. Some of the observed characteristics of
natural rocks can be accounted for with this system. The following are examples:

- 11 -
 1. The shape and arrangement of the rock particles influences "m".
2. The type of pore system influences "m". The more vuggy the rock, the
higher is "m".
3. Compaction of the rock increases I'm". This may be illustrated with
the plane-vug system. The dashed curve of Chart 3 is for a constant
particle shape. Notice how rapidly F increases as the porosity de-
creases slightly.

Possible implications also include:

1. A resemblance of the plane system to a fracture type porosity and in-

tercrystalline porosity.
2. A resemblance of the plane-vug system to unconsolidated sand and also
cemented sand.
3. The possibility that "m" decreases with a decrease in porosity in
some rock.

CONCLUSIONS

1. A pore system of interconnecting tubes or planes has a low cementation

factor, "m". Tortuosity increases the "ml'of these systems.

2. A vug pore system can exhibit a wide range of "m". The greater the in-
terconnection of the pores, the lower is "m".

3. The tube-vug and plane-vug systems cementation factor is controlled by the

vugginess of the pore system as well as the tortuosity of the interconnec-
tion between vugs. The greater the percentage of vug porosity to inter-
connecting porosity, the higher is "m".

4. Some of the characteristics of natural rocks can be explained with these

synthetic pore systems.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to thank Welex for permission to prepare this paper, to
acknowledge the benefit of many discussions on this subject with Joe Spalding,
and to thank Gloria Ellis for typing the manuscript.

- -12 -
 REFERENCES

1. Archie, G.E.: "The Electrical Resistivity Log as an Aid in Determining

Some Reservoir Characteristics", Trans., AIME (1942) 146,54.

2. Chombart, Louis G.: "Well Log Interpretation in Carbonate Reservoirs",

Geophysics (1960) 25, 779.

3. Guyod, Hubert: "Electrical Well Logging", The Oil Weekly (Aug.-Dec., 1944)

4. Atkins,, E.R. Jr. SC Smith, G.H.: "The Significance of Particle Shape in

Formation Resistivity Factor - Porosity Relationships", Trans., AIME (1961)
222, 285.

5. Archie,, G.E.: "Classification of Carbonate Rocks and Petrophysical Consid-

erations", Bull. , AAPG (1952) 36, 278.

6. Wyllie, M.R.J., & Rose, Walter D.: "Some Theoretical Considerations Re-
lated to the Quantitative Evaluation of the Physical Characteristics of
Reservoir Rock from Electrical Log Data", Trans., AIME (1950) 189, 105.

7. Winsauer, W. O., Shearin, H. M. Jr., Masson, P. H. and Williams, M.:

"Resistivity of Brine Saturated Sands in Relation to Pore Geometry", Bull.,
.AAPG (1952) 36, 253.

8. Glanville, C. R.: "Laboratory Study Indicates Significant Effect of Pres-

sure on Resistivity of Reservoir Rocks", Jour. Pet. Tech. (April, 1959)
:X1 No. 4, 20.

9. Fatt, I.: "Effect of Overburden and Reservoir Pressure on Electrical

ILogging Formation Factor", Bull., AAPG (1957) 41, 2456,

10. ISundberg, K.: "Effect of Impregnating Waters on Electrical Conductivity

of Soils and Rocks", Trans., AIME - Geophysical Prospecting (1932) 367.

11. I?irson, S.J.: "Factors Which Affect True Formation Resistivity", Oil and
Gas Journal, Reference Manual on Electric Logging (1952).

12. Wyllie, M.R.J., Gregory, A.R.: "Formation Factors of Unconsolidated

l?orous :Media: Influence of Particle Shape and Effect of Cementation",
Trans., AIME (1953) 198, 103.
 TUBE SYSTEM

a 8 F m

0.5 0.500 3. 15 1. 65

0.4 0.352 5. 04 1. 55

0.3 0. 216 9. 32 1.45

0.2 0. 104 22. 1 1. 36

0. 1 0.028 92. 7 1. 27

0. 08 0.017 148. 1. 23

0.06 0.0104 267. 1. 19

0.04 0.0047 614. 1. 19

0.02 0.00 12 2467. 1. 16

0.01 0.0003 9929. 1. 13

TABLE 1
 PLANE SYSTEM

b B I? m

0.8 0.488 2. 45 1.250

0.9 0. 271 4. 93 1.220

0.92 0.221 6. 16 1.201

0.94 0. 169 8. 28 1. 185

0.96 0.115 12.48 1.165

0.97 0.085 17.00 1. 145

0.98 0.060 24.67 1. 138

0.99 0.029 49.67 1.117

0.995 0.014 99.67 1.070

TABLE 2
 VUG SYSTEM

a c F m

0. 1 0.524 5.65 2. 67

0.08 0.524 7.06 3. 02

0.06 0.524 9.41 3.46

0.04 0. 524 14. 1 4. 08

0.02 0.524 28. 2 5. 16

0.01 0.524 56. 5 6. 23

0.005 0.524 113. 7. 30

0.000 0. 524 OQ

TABLE 3
 TUBE - VUG SYSTEM

a=:O.1 d 8 F m

1.0 0.524 5.63 2.67

0.9 0.385 15.6 2.87 127.

0. 8 0.274 25.6 2. 50 44.

o. 6 0. 189 35.6 2. 14 20.

0. 5 0. 125 45.6 1. 83 9.4

0.4 0.080 55.6 1. 59 4.4

0. 3 0.042 65.6 1. 32 1.86

TABLE 4
 TUBE - VUG SYSTEM

8 vug
a=O. 03 a a F m fi tube
--

1.0 0. 524 18. 8 4. 53

0.8 0.268 240. 4. 15 496.

0.6 0.114 462. 2. 82 105.

0.4 o. 0376 685. 1.98 22.2

0.2 0.0063 907. 1.34 1.94

TABLE 5
 TUBE - VUG SYSTEM

a:=O.0 1 d (b F m

1. 0 0.524 56. 3 6, 23 a

0.9 0.382 1060. 7. 20 12700.

0. 8 0.268 2060. 5.80 4470.

0. 7 0.180 3060. 4.66 2000.

0.6 0.113 4060. 3. 80 940.

0. 5 0.0655 5060. 3. 12 436.

0.4 0.0335 6060. 2. 56 186.

0. 3 0.0143 7060. 2. 08 67.

0. 2 0.00443 8060. 1.66 17.

TABLE 6
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Vug Octahedron)

b=O. 9 f 8 F --

1. 0 0.271 5. 27 1. 27 0.

0.8 0.271 5. 59 1.31 .00363

0.6 0.279 5. 23 1.29 .0310

0.4 0.297 4. 71 1.28 . 119

0.2 0.333 4. 05 1..27 .337

0. 0.393 3. 30 1.27 .899

TABLE 7
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Vug Octahedron)

B
0 plane
f F
b=O. 99 b -- m

1. 0 0.0297 50.5 1.11 0.

0. 8 0.0310 48.2 1.11 .0446

0.6 0.0400 41.4 1, 15 .112

0.4 0.0650 32. 7 1. 27 1.44

0. 2 0.113 23.4 1.44 4.1

0. 0. 192 13.8 1. 59 10.9

TABLE 8
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Vug Octahedron)

fl F m
cB plane
b=O. 995 f --

1. 0 0.0150 111. 1.11 0.

0.8 0.0160 103. 1. 12 .101

0.6 0.0256 85. 2 1.21 .762

0.4 0.0405 64. 7 1.31 2.89

0. 2 0.099 43. 1 1.62 8. 22

0. 0.179 21.5 1. 78 21.8

TABLE 9
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Vug Octahedron)

0 vug
0 plane
-- m
b=O. 999 f 0 F

1. 0 0.0030 500. 1.07 0.

0. 8 0.0043 440. 1.11 .469

0.6 0.0136 345. 1.36 3. 81

0.4 0.0388 246. 1.69 14.5

0. 2 0.0880 147. 2.05 41.6

0. 0.169 47.4 2, 16 111.

TABLE 10
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Vug Octahedron)

b=O.9999 f F m
A.___------

1.0 0.0003 5000. 1.05 0.

0. 8 0.0016 4147. 1.29 4.41

0.6 0.0110 3152. 1. 78 42.0

0.4 0.0361 2154. 2.30 145.

0. 2 0.0853 1154. 2.86 415.

0. 0. 1673 155. 2.82 1110.

TABLE 11
 PLANE - VUG SYSTEM

(Spherical Vugs)

b=:O. 999 f 8 - F 2 -

1. 0 0.003 500. 1.07 0.

0. 8 0.007 404. 1.21 1.37

0.6 0.036 308. 1. 72 12.6

0.4 0.115 206. 2.45 52.0

0. 2 0.270 105. 3. 54 179.

TABLE 12
 F 104

Formation resistivity factor and porosity relationship of tube system

and plane system.

Chart 1
 m7c 0

F 104

jG

Formation resistivity factor and porosity relationship of plane-vug

system.

Chart 3
 0

l
0

0
a f
loo - a 0
0

0 O-6
.
P/one - Vuq
0;
0 . ._ Octahcdmn

00
l
+- Sphere

l*0 o_Tube- Vuq

l

c”
a

,o
I I I I
I 23 4567
m

Cementation factor verL;u; "wlgginess" for tube-vug and plane-vug systems.

Chart 4