PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT

Reservoir Engineering A
Laboratory experiment 1
Full name: Ali Mammadov
Experiment name: Rock porosity determination
Date of the experiment: 2 November, 2022
Date of submission: 20 November, 2022
Supervisor: Aida Soltanova

  
Contents
Synopsis.....................................................................................2
Introduction...............................................................................2
Theory.......................................................................................3
Apparatus and equipment.........................................................4
Procedure..................................................................................5
Results.......................................................................................6
Discussion..................................................................................7
Conclusion.................................................................................8
References.................................................................................9

1
Synopsis
The provided report will give the information about the conducted experiment which is
aimed at to calculate the porosity value of the rock sample with the certain method. First of
all, the overall info related to the porosity of the rock and its vital aspects were indicated in
the Introduction section. This experiment was based on the law of Boyle-Mariotte about
which the further information was provided in theory part. Helium Porosimeter was utilized
as equipment where clarification about it was done in apparatus and equipment section.
Finally, based on the formulas provided in theory part, results of the calculations were
indicated in results section and the clarification of possible inaccuracies during the
calculations were represented in the discussion part.

Introduction
Porosity enables the empty space amount of rock to be determined. Basically, fraction of
the pore volumes over the total volume is the method of defining rock porosity. Porosity
value is indicated either as a percentage or a decimal fraction ranged in 0 and 1. For the
majority of the rocks, the value of porosity stands at between 1% and 40%. Since porosity
measurement is able to determine the capacity of rock type for holding hydrocarbons, it is
expressed as a vital action. The aspects that define the progress of reservoir and ways of
production contain permeability, saturation, distribution, and the amount of porosity.

Porosity value may straightforwardly be evaluated by measuring the samples of core which
came to the surface within drilling process. Several methods exist in order for porosity
amount to assess after getting proper samples pf core and forwarding them to the
laboratory. To determine the amount of porosity, some properties should be defined
beforehand including two volumes out of three, bulk, pore, and solid matrix volume of
sample. As soon as the amount of porosity and third volume are evaluated, these
properties can be calculated.

Several methods exist to evaluate the pore volume of the rock sample without reckoning
grain volume, therefore, these methods assist to determine the amount of effective
porosity. Throughout this laboratory experiment, the technique of expansion of gas is

2
applied in order to reckon the volume of pore space by dint of helium pycnometer, and this
technique is explained by the Boyle-Mariotte gas law. Further details about this method
were provided in theory part.

Theory
First and foremost, basic equation of the porosity should be indicated:

Pore Volume
φ ( p orosity)=
Overall Volume

Where, pore volume can also be expressed as:

Pore volume=Overall volume−Grain volum

Which lead the equation to be described in the following way:

Overall Volume−Grain volume Grain volume

φ (porosity )= =1−
OverallVolume Overall Volume

As stated below, the entire experiment is based on the Boyle Mariotte law. Mentioned law
is applied for determining the values of V p∧V g with two distinct pressure evaluations while
the injected helium mass is known. The clarification of the Boyle Mariotte law can be
represented as follows:

P ref × V ref Pexpand ×V expand

=
T ref T expand

Since the values of T are equal for every situation, the equation can be written in the
following way in order to do a simplification:

3
 Pref ×V ref =P expand × V expand

Coming to our experiment, the amounts for pressures as well as the reference volume for
both situations are clear. Solely gas volume left as unknown which is now straightforward
to calculate.

Finally, in order to reckon the porosity value, below mentioned equation should be applied:

Gas v olume
φ ( porosity )=
Overall Volume (Coreholder)

Apparatus and equipment

Helium Porosimeter is utilized for the conducted experiment. Performing the isothermally
expanded helium and the formula of Boyle, expansion of helium gas porosimeter allows the
sample grain as well as the porous volume (diameter of 1” or 1.5”) to be measured. In
order for the sample to be held, sample cell is utilized. By dint of the of the pressure
measurements, both pore volume and the porosity of the sample can be reckoned.

As reference for volume cylinders, billets are utilized. Six different billets, where all of them
have different masses, were used for the experiment.

4
Procedure
Load Sample

1. The level of the pressure should be atmospheric for the Matrix cube.

2.Spin the top handle in the direction of anti-clockwise

3.Then cup is taken off from the cylinder

4. Small grains of sand and other dirt left on the surface of the seal as a result of past
experiments should be cleaned.

5.A billet is located onto the cup, and then the upper handle is turned clockwise to fix the
position of that billet.

Expand gas into sample

1. Open the V01 valve, then pressure is applied on small tank till the reference pressure
+/215 psi.

2.After possessing a constant pressure, valve V02 is ready to open to have an extensive
volume

3.Read the P(exp) value from the manometer

4. Next, to release the pressure in the matrix, V02 valve is turned to the VENT

5. The billet and the rock sample which were located on the cup are taken from the cup.

6. Finally, the following billet is located on the cup with proper sample.

Results
In this part of the report, the gotten amount of Pref ,V ref ,∧Pexpand are utilized in formulas
which were provided in section of Theory in order to define the value of the porosity of the
sample. First of all, core holder volume needs to be determined:

5
 π × d2
V ref ( core holder )= × Length=86.39 ml
4

The volume of each billet should also be taken into consideration in each step.

V ref ( 3456 )=V Core holder−V bullets ( 3456 ) =86.39 ml−5.41ml=80.98 ml

Table 1. Obtained pressure and volume values

Step number Pref Plab (bar) V ref (Grain ml) V lab Pref / Plab
(ml)
1 1.37 0.80 86.40 146.39 1.71
2 1.39 0.83 86.99 144.29 1.67
3 1.38 0.84 75.57 122.90 1.64
4 1.37 0.88 64.57 99.74 1.56
5 1.37 0.94 41.11 59.55 1.46

Table 2. Amounts of porosity for the sample rocks

Step number V ref PV bulk V gas(ml) Porosity

(Grain ml) (ml) (%)
1 86.40 146.39 59.99 1.69
2 86.99 144.29 57.3 1.65
3 75.57 122.90 47.33 1.62
4 64.57 99.74 35.17 1.54
5 41.11 59.55 18.44 1.44

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Graph 1. Volume of billets against Pref / Plab

Volume of billets against P(ref)/P(lab

100
90
80
70
Volume of billets

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1.4 1.45 1.5 1.55 1.6 1.65 1.7 1.75

P(ref)/P(lab

Discussion

The objectives of this investigation were to describe the behavior and parameters of the
rock porous structure for each cartridge used in the study. In the study, different-sized
projectiles are used to measure the porosity of sand grains in the sample holder. The
varying bullet sizes and core holding capacities are to account for the methods'
contradictory consequences. Because the temperature was consistent under each
circumstance and the pressure data were recorded in the laboratory setting, porosity was
determined assuming Boyle's law. However, by applying the law's equation, we were able
to establish the volume levels and then identify the porosity quantities. As stated in Results
section, the porosity values for each step stood at 1.69%, 1.65%, 1.62%, 1.54%, 1.44%
correspondingly.

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Since the documented information was gathered using this method, the Helium
Porosimeter gadget formed a crucial part of the investigation. There ought to be some
errors made throughout study performed for various causes. Since the investigation is
being carried out by the learners, one of these factors is the physical aspect. The main
causes of errors and discrepancies in the recorded information are incorrect data
collection, disregard for precautionary measures, and other variables. Additionally, the
application of a gadget that is malfunctioning and other device-related issues may be the
cause of mistakes in the results.

Conclusion

Considering all the mentioned points, the main purpose of conducting this experiment was
defining the porosity values of samples applying the Helium Porosimeter finished albeit
small errors. By reading the amounts of pressure on the sensor of Helium Porosimeter and
applying the law of Boyle, gas volume was reckoned in each sample. Gas volume fraction
over the bulk volume provided us with the porosity value. All obtained outcomes were
indicated in Table1, Table 2, and Graph 1. Although small amount of inaccuracies
happened during the experiment, where reasons were clarified in Discussion section,
overall experiment can be called successful one since acceptable porosity values were
obtained.

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References

1. Recommended Practices for Core Analysis. second edition ed. Washington,

DC: API.

2. https://petrowiki.spe.org/Porosity_determination

3. Chapter 2, Laboratory Porosity Measurement. In: Fundamentals of Fluid Flow

in Porous Media

4. Dutton, J. A., n.d. Porosity from Laboratory Measurements. In: Introduction to

Petroleum and Gas Engineering. College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.