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Petrophysical and acoustic assessment of carbonate rocks, Zahle area, central Lebanon

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Abstract

Transport and acoustic measurements have been conducted on fifteen rock samples collected from central Lebanon to characterize the rock properties and to assess the impact of lithology, pore types, pore sizes, and textural parameters on the storage capacity and elastic characteristics. The spontaneous imbibition of selected samples was examined by detecting the moving capillary front across a sample. The coefficient of capillarity derived from the spontaneous imbibition is positively correlated with permeability. Seismic velocities in the studied rocks vary widely and are positively correlated with the rock density. Matrix-supported rocks with a larger proportion of micropores have lower seismic wave velocities, whereas the grain-supported carbonates exhibit low to moderate porosity and higher acoustic velocities. The elastic properties of the studied carbonates indicate a granular, rather than a crystalline, texture for the majority of the studied rocks. The widely variable elastic behavior of basically carbonate rocks implies that seismic reflection profiles in carbonate sequences may contain seismic reflections that do not result from non-carbonate intercalations but which result mainly from variable porosity, pore types, and shapes in the carbonate rocks themselves. This study provides important information on the textural, petrophysical, and elastic properties of carbonate rocks which are crucial for the assessment and understanding of the seismic reflection sections in subsurface carbonate reservoirs.

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Funding

This research has been partially financed through a URB (University Research Board) Grant from the American University of Beirut (Award No. 103009; Project No. 22759).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    Mohamed K. Salah

  2. Earth and Environment Sci. Department., Faculty of Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid, 21163, Jordan

    Mohammad Alqudah

  3. Department of Geosciences & Environment, CY Cergy Paris Université, F-95031, Cergy-Pontoise, France

    Christian David

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Salah, M.K., Alqudah, M. & David, C. Petrophysical and acoustic assessment of carbonate rocks, Zahle area, central Lebanon. Bull Eng Geol Environ 79, 5455–5475 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01900-0

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