Lab 5

Porosity Determination Using Liquid Satuarating Method

By: Richard Frimpong Owusu

Group Leader: Alfred

Group Members: Richard, Alfred, Graham

Instructor: Junchen Liu

Petroleum Engineering
Missouri University of Science & Technology

Date Performed: 10/10/2023

Date Reported: 10/30/2023

Objective
To determine the interconnected pore volume, bulk volume and effective porosity of core
samples by liquid saturating method.

Equipment Listed
• Clipper
• Sandstone cores
• KCl solution (wt.% 2%)
• Weight balance
• Haian vacuum and saturation system

Principles
A fluid of known density is introduced into a dry core sample that is vacuumed. The
difference between the weight of the saturated sample (Wsat) and the dry weight of the
sample (Wdry) is the fluid weight that filled in the pore space of the core. If the density of
the introduced fluid is known, the pore volume can be determined.

Wbrine = Wsat-Wdry;
Vp = Wbrine/ρbrine

N/B: Deionized water (D.I water) cannot be used in the experiments because the
clay in cores will swell or move when they contact with deionized water. 2% KCl is
usually selected as the saturation fluid to prevent the swelling of clay.

Procedures (Flow Chart)

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of Vacuum Pump System

Results & Discussion
Temperature: 21°C

Core dimensions:
Length = 5.9 cm
Diameter = 2.48 cm
Bulk Volume (Calculated) = 28.5 cm3

Wdry(g) Wsat(g) Wbrine(g) ρbrine (g/cm3) Vp(cm3) Porosity

67.36 73.38 6.02 1.00

1. Calculate the saturated brine weight, Wbrine = Wsat-Wdry.

Wbrine = 73.38-67.36 = 6.02 g

2. Find the density of 2% KCl at room temperature, ρbrine, from Reference 2

(TDS=20000 mg/L).
20,000 mg/L = 20 g/L
If 20 g of dissolved solids (KCl) = 2%
Then total mass of the solution = 100% = 1000 g

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1000 𝑔

Volume of solution = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟) = 1 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 = 1000 cm3

𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒈

Density of brine, ρbrine = 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒄𝒎𝟑 = 1 g/cm3

3. Calculate the pore volume (saturated brine volume), Vp = Wbrine/ρbrine.

6.02 𝑔
Vp = 1 𝑔/𝒄𝑚3 = 6.02 cm3

4. Calculate the porosity (what kind of porosity is measured: effective or total?).

𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
Φ= = 6.02/28.5 = 0.211 = 21.1%
𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑘 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

References
1. Missouri S&T Petroleum Engineering Lab Manual, Lab 5: Porosity
Determination Using Liquid Saturating Method
2. Torster, O. Abtahi, M. Experimental Reservoir Engineering Laboratory
Workbook, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Jan., 2003.
3. http://www.csgnetwork.com/h2odenscalc.html