1 Introduction

With increasing oil and gas exploration and the growing demand for oil and gas reserves, the oil and gas exploration targets of clastic rocks have turned to low porosity and permeability reservoirs, even to tight sandstone reservoirs, and they have gradually become the main source of increasing reserves and production of oil and gas (Wang and Tian 2003; Dai et al. 2012; Hart 2006; Zou et al. 2013; Tobin et al. 2010; Jia et al. 2012; Worden et al. 2000; Bloch et al. 2002; Wang et al. 2010; Zhang et al. 2011). Mechanical compaction, as one of the major destructive aspects of diagenesis, can cause dramatic changes in sandstone pore structure and distribution. It results in a substantial reduction of pore space, which is the main factor that damages reservoirs and forms low porosity, low permeability reservoirs (Zhu et al. 2008; Chester et al. 2004; Zhu et al. 2013; Lv and Liu 2009; Maast et al. 2011; Taylor et al. 2010; Ajdukiewicz et al. 2010; Zhang et al. 2008; Wang et al. 2015; Zhang et al. 2014; Liu et al. 2014). Previous studies have suggested that mechanical compaction is influenced by a combination of various factors such as burial depth, sediment composition, particle size, sorting, abnormally high pressure, and burial time (Liu et al. 2007; Aplin et al. 2006).

However, current studies about various factors influencing compaction mainly focus on simple and qualitative description, and little work has been done on quantitative analysis based on simulation experiments, leading to the vague understanding of the evolution of physical properties and influencing mechanisms of various factors during mechanical compaction processes. This directly restricts the accurate characterization of the formation of low porosity and permeability sandstone reservoirs and their densification processes. Therefore, carrying out sandstone mechanical compaction simulation experiments and understanding the evolution of physical properties and the influencing mechanisms of various factors during mechanical compaction have not only an important theoretical significance for diagenesis, but also an important practical significance in physical property prediction of low porosity and permeability reservoirs.

2 Experimental facility and experimental procedures

The experiment was carried out in the Diagenetic Simulation Laboratory of China University of Petroleum, using a self-designed diagenetic simulation experiment system. This facility consists of two modules: the porosity and permeability testing module and the diagenetic simulation module. It measures sandstone porosity and permeability, simulating the high temperature and pressure conditions of subsurface strata, and monitoring physical property changes of sandstones in the course of diagenesis in real time. The sandstone mechanical compaction simulator is mainly composed of a constant current–constant voltage (CCCV) pump, intermediate container group, displacement sensors, axial compression control pump, core holder (with a built-in heating device), back-pressure booster pump, fluid-receiving scale, and automatic control system (Fig. 1). The upper temperature limit of the system is 300 °C, and the pressure limit is 80 MPa.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Sandstone mechanical compaction simulation diagram

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During sandstone mechanical compaction simulation experiments, the sample is in the core holder with movable pistons covering both ends. The axial compression pump is used to simulate overburden pressure and the micro back-pressure booster pump is manually operated to control the fluid pressure. A built-in core holder heating device and temperature control system are used to simulate the strata temperature. Precision displacement sensors at both ends of the core holder (with an accuracy of 0.001 mm) record compaction displacements. The intermediate container group is used to contain the fluid required for the experiment. The CCCV pump provides the displacement pressure to displace fluid and pore water toward the fluid-receiving scale at a constant flow rate. The automatic control system is used for measuring and recording sandstone permeability in real time.

3 Experimental design

3.1 Experimental samples

3.1.1 Sample collection

The samples selected for experiments were modern unconsolidated sands ranging from 5 to 20 cm below from the surface at Golden Beach and Silver Beach, Qingdao; Yellow River Estuary, Dongying; point bar, Mazhan River, Weifang; and mouth bar, Feng River, Jiaonan eastern China. During the sampling process, in order to keep the original packing state (grain combination sequence, sorting, etc.), we used copper tubes with a length of 140 mm and an inner diameter of 25.7 mm to take samples (Fig. 2). Two samples were collected within a distance of about 15 mm in each group, of which one was used for sandstone mechanical compaction simulation experiments and the other was for granularity parameter analysis. It was assumed that granularity parameters of the two samples were the same.

Fig. 2
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Collection of experimental samples

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3.1.2 Laboratory analysis of samples

Firstly, the sand samples selected for simulation experiments were processed to 90 mm long with both ends flat, and they were covered by metal filters to prevent sands from becoming loose and sliding. Then the sand samples of each group were dried using a 101-1A-type electrothermal drying box. Finally, after being dried completely, one sand sample of each group for the mechanical compaction simulation experiment was put into the core holder, and then the primary porosity and permeability were measured using the porosity and permeability testing module (Table 1). Meanwhile, the corresponding other sand sample was used for granularity parameter analysis using sieve analysis method to obtain parameters such as median particle size (Md), average particle size (M), and sorting coefficient (So) (Table 1).

Table 1 The parameters of experimental samples with different sources
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The sediments from Golden Beach and Silver Beach, Qingdao are mainly feldspar and quartz, with a relatively low content of volcanic rock debris and little biotite and magnetite, and the content of feldspar is higher than that of quartz. The content of rigid particles, e.g., feldspar and quartz, ranges from 70 % to 80 %, while the content of ductile particles like eruptive rock and mica is generally less than 20 %. The content of quartz is relatively higher than that of feldspar in the sediments from the Mazhan and Feng Rivers, with a low content of volcanic rock debris and visible chert. The content of rigid particles is over 85 % and that of ductile particles is less than 15 %. Sediments from Yellow River Estuary, Dongying are fine grained, with a low content of rigid particles and a high clay mineral content, which results in strong ductility.

3.2 Experimental conditions

To simulate the geological conditions of the Dongying Sag of the Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin in eastern China, the experimental conditions were set as follows: the geothermal gradient is 3.5 °C/100 m (average paleogeotherm gradient), the average formation density is about 2.4 g/cm3, the average surface temperature is 18 °C, and the pressure coefficient under normal compaction is 1.0 (Liu et al. 2006). In order to simulate a pure mechanical compaction, distilled water was used as the fluid medium. Previous studies have shown that overpressure can develop below 1600 m in the Dongying Sag (Liu et al. 2009). According to the stress–burial depth conversion formula 0.02262 MPa = l m (Gluyas and Cade 1999), the strata pressure at 1600 m is approximately 36.16 MPa. Therefore, taking the above geological factors into account, as well as the applicable temperature and pressure conditions of the facility, we designed a temperature and pressure reference list for sandstone mechanical compaction under normal compaction conditions with a pressure coefficient of 1.0 and under overpressure conditions with pressure coefficients of 1.2 and 1.4 for contrast experiments. In this way, the evolution of physical properties and the influencing factors during the simulation process of sandstone mechanical compaction can be analyzed (Table 2).

Table 2 Reference list of temperature and pressure experimental conditions
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3.3 The calculation of porosity and permeability

3.3.1 Porosity calculation

The porosity calculation method during the simulation process of sandstone mechanical compaction is as follows:

$$S_{0} = \pi r^{2};$$
(1)
$$V_{0} = L_{0} S_{0};$$
(2)
$$V_{\varPhi } = V_{0} - V_{\text{g}};$$
(3)
$$\varPhi_{0} = V_{\varPhi } /V_{0} \times 100\;\%.$$
(4)

Here, r is the cross-sectional radius of sample, cm, L 0 is the initial length of sample, cm, S 0 is the cross-sectional area of sample, cm2, V 0 is the initial volume of sample, cm3, V Φ is the initial pore volume of sample, cm3, V g is the framework volume of sample, cm3, and Φ 0 is the primary porosity,  %.

Primary porosity Φ 0 could be measured by the porosity and permeability testing module of the diagenetic simulation system (Table 1).

Therefore, sample volume at each pressure point during compaction could be calculated with the recorded compaction displacement:

$$V = S_{0} (L_{0} - L_{1} ).$$
(5)

Here, L 1 is the recorded compaction displacement, cm, V is the sample volume at each pressure point during compaction, cm3.

The loss of sample volume during compaction mainly consists of intergranular pore volume during the experiment by assuming the framework volume as a constant, thus:

$$V_{0} - V_{\varPhi } = V - V \times \,\varPhi,$$
(6)
$$\varPhi = (V - V_{0} + V_{\varPhi } )/V \times 100\%.$$
(7)

3.3.2 Permeability calculation

Permeability during the simulation of sandstone mechanical compaction can be calculated using Darcy’s law.

$$K = Q\mu L/(\Delta PS_{0} ).$$
(8)

That is

$$K = Q\mu \left( {L_{0} - L_{ 1} } \right)/\left( {\Delta PS_{0} } \right).$$
(9)

Here, Q is the quantity of flow through the sample per unit time, cm3/s, S 0 is the cross-sectional area of the sample, cm2, μ is the fluid viscosity, × 10−3Pa s, L 0 is the original length of the sample, cm, L 1 is the recorded compaction displacement, cm, and ΔP is the pressure differential before and after fluid flowing through the sample, MPa.

The above K in Eq. (9) is the sample’s permeability. It shows fluid flow capacity through the sample within a certain pressure differential.

Primary permeability K 0, permeability without compaction, could be measured by the porosity and permeability testing module after constant fluid passing through (Table 1). During the experiment, the fluid viscosity was set as 1 × 10−3 Pa s and other parameters were recorded by the automatic control system in real time, and then permeability variations could be calculated.

There is a close relationship between fluid viscosity (μ) and temperature (T). Therefore, on the basis of reviewing water viscosities at different temperatures (Yuan 1985), an empirical formula can be fitted as follows:

$$T = 1.0 5 6 2 3 3 {\text{e}}^{ - 0.0 1 8 1 1 8\mu } \,\,\,\,\,\,R^{ 2} = 0. 9 7 6 3 6 2.$$
(10)

We calculated fluid viscosity at different temperatures using Eq. (10) and then corrected the recorded permeability values.

3.4 Data acquisition and processing

Detailed procedures of data acquisition and processing during sandstone mechanical compaction simulation experiment are as follows:

First, according to the reference list of temperature and pressure conditions, we set the experimental temperature and pressure and then conducted mechanical compaction simulation experiments. After compaction at each pressure point was stable (the compaction displacement was a constant), we recorded the data with a fixed time interval of 2 min, and the record time of each pressure point was about 120 min, that is, there were 60 sets of record data. The recorded experimental parameters included experimental time, overburden pressure, fluid pressure, fluid flow, pressure differential between the ends of the core, experimental temperature, compaction displacement, and permeability. In the normal compaction simulation experiments, the upstream pressure on the sample is higher than the downstream pressure, so the fluid can be discharged onto the fluid-receiving scale in time. In the undercompaction simulation experiments, the differential between upstream pressure and downstream pressure was respectively set according to the pressure coefficients of 1.2 and 1.4, making the downstream pressure higher than the upstream pressure. In this way, fluid discharge was blocked and abnormally high pressure was formed.

Second, according to the compaction displacement, we calculated the corresponding porosity value of each data point.

Third, according to the relationship between viscosity and temperature, we corrected the corresponding permeability value of each data point.

Fourth, we precisely analyzed the data of overburden pressure, fluid pressure, temperature, porosity and permeability, and excluded abnormal data points caused by system errors.

Fifth, we calculated the average value of each parameter including overburden pressure, fluid pressure, temperature, porosity, and permeability after removing the abnormal data points, and regarded the average value as the experimental result of each pressure point to conduct experimental analysis and discussion.

4 Experimental results

According to experimental purposes, normal compaction simulation experiments were conducted on samples I, II, III, IV, and V, while with the simulated burial depth below 1600 m (overburden pressure was approaching 36.16 MPa), undercompaction simulation experiments with pressure coefficients of 1.2 and 1.4 were conducted on samples VI and VII, respectively. After data acquisition and processing of each sample, the experimental results can be obtained as follows (Tables 3, 4).

Table 3 Experimental results of several samples under normal compaction
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Table 4 Experimental results of several samples under overpressure conditions
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5 Discussion

5.1 Sandstone primary porosity analysis

Primary porosity is defined as the porosity of newly formed sediment. It is the starting point of porosity evolution during the reservoir burial process, and directly influences the accuracy of study of porosity evolution and is of great significance to reservoir porosity prediction.

Previous studies have shown that primary porosity is influenced by a combination of parameters such as particle size, sorting, and sphericity, of which particle size and sorting are the most important factors influencing primary porosity and particularly the influence of sorting is more pronounced (Beard and Weyl 1973; Folk and Ward 1957; Rogers and Head 1961). Therefore, the average particle size and sorting coefficient were analyzed for their influences on primary porosity. Results show that there is a logarithmic relationship between primary porosity and particle size as well as sorting (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3
figure 3

Relationship between primary porosity and particle size as well as sorting coefficient

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$$\varPhi_{0} = - 3.652 {\text{ln}}\left( M \right) + 35.744 \quad R^{ 2} = 0. 7755,$$
(11)
$$\varPhi_{0} = - 12.61 {\text{ln}}\left( {So} \right) + 48.508\quad R^{ 2} = 0. 8621,$$
(12)

where M is average particle size, So is sorting coefficient, and Φ 0 is primary porosity.

The primary sandstone porosity is influenced by a combination of sorting coefficient and average particle size. Moreover, predicting or estimating the dependent variable using the optimal combination of multiple independent variables is more effective and realistic than using only one independent variable (Hu et al. 2013). Therefore, the binary function relationship among primary porosity and average particle size and sorting coefficient is established with a stepwise regression method.

$$\varPhi_{0} = - 3.0413So - 3.4907M + 47.828123.$$
(13)

Stepwise regression results show that the multiple correlation coefficient is 0.9031177, the average deviation is small and the precision is high (Table 5).

Table 5 Stepwise regression results of sandstone primary porosity and average particle size and sorting coefficient
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5.2 Physical property evolution during sandstone mechanical compaction

According to the above experimental conditions and the relation of overburden pressure and depth (Gluyas and Cade 1999), the overburden pressure can be converted into approximate depth (Fig. 4). The analysis shows that the evolution of porosity and permeability has a segmentation characteristic with the increasing overburden pressure and depth during mechanical compaction, and the evolution trend line can be divided into two stages. During the earlier stage of mechanical compaction, when the overburden pressure is less than 12 MPa and the equivalent burial depth is shallower than 600 m, with pressure increasing, detrital particles slide, displace, and rotate to rearrange and adjust their positions so that they can achieve a close-packing state with minimum potential energy. At this stage, i.e., the rapid compaction stage, porosity and permeability decrease rapidly (Fig. 4). Afterwards, detrital particles reach a stable packing state. With increasing pressure, the degree of close packing increases, and porosity and permeability decrease slowly. This is, the slow compaction stage (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4
figure 4

Variation of porosity and permeability with increasing overburden pressure and depth during normal compaction

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The experimental data from the slow compaction stage can be used to analyze the evolution of porosity and permeability with increasing overburden pressure during normal compaction (Liu et al. 2006). Regression analysis results show that there is an exponential relationship between porosity and overburden pressure, and the relationship can be expressed as y = AeBx; while a power function relationship exists between permeability and overburden pressure, that is y = Cx D. Meanwhile, the relationship between porosity and permeability is exponential (Table 6).

Table 6 Evolution of porosity and permeability with overburden pressure under normal compaction
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According to the comparison of experimental results of different samples, the coefficient A of the functional relationship y = AeBx between overburden pressure and porosity mainly depends on the primary porosity value, which is mainly controlled by the sorting coefficient. While the coefficient B is principally influenced by the average particle size. The coefficient C of the functional relationship y = Cx D is mainly controlled by the average particle size, while the coefficient D is greatly influenced by the sorting coefficient.

5.3 The influence of particle size on sandstone mechanical compaction

Sample I and sample II are characterized by the same composition, similar sorting, but different average particle sizes. Sample I is fine sand, but sample II is medium sand. Simulation experiment results show that two samples have approximately equal primary porosity (Table 1). During the rapid compaction stage, the evolution processes of two samples are almost the same. After entered into the slow compaction stage, the decrease rate of porosity of sample II with coarser average particle size is obviously smaller than that of sample I with finer average particle size during the increasing overburden pressure process. Meanwhile, the difference of the remaining porosity of the two samples is more significant (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5
figure 5

Influence of particle size on sandstone mechanical compaction

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By quantitative analysis of experimental data, the porosity reduction of sample I is 6.29 %, which is obviously larger than that of sample II 4.43 % when the overburden pressure increases to 65 MPa. Studies of different compaction stages show that during the rapid compaction stage, the average porosity reduction of sample I and sample II is 0.339 % and 0.334 %, respectively, with 2.3 MPa increase of the overburden pressure (about 100 m of the burial depth, the same below), which is almost the same. However, during the slow compaction stage, the porosity reduction of sample I is 0.197 %, which is larger than that of sample II 0.156 % with 2.3 MPa increase of the overburden pressure (Table 7).

Table 7 Data about the influence of particle size on sandstone mechanical compaction
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Therefore, the influence of particle size on mechanical compaction is mainly in the slow compaction stage during the burial process of sandstone. The coarser the particle size, the slower the compaction rate and the larger the final porosity. The influence of the particle size on mechanical compaction is more pronounced with increasing burial depth and overburden pressure. After experienced the rapid compaction, detrital particles are generally in contact with each other. The sample with finer particle size has a larger specific surface area and thus a smaller force per unit area. Sliding deformation does not occur easily with increasing overburden pressure which is mainly used to squeeze the pore space, resulting in the rapid loss of porosity. While the sample with coarser particle size has a smaller specific surface area and thus a larger force per unit area, so sliding deformation occurs with increasing overburden pressure which offsets a portion of force squeezing the pore space, and the rate of porosity loss decreases.

5.4 The influence of sorting on sandstone mechanical compaction

Sample II and sample III selected from the Golden Beach and Silver Beach, Qingdao, eastern China are characterized by the same composition, similar particle size of medium sand, but different sorting, of which sample III has poorer sorting. Simulation experiment results show that sample III with poorer sorting has a smaller primary porosity (Table 1). During the rapid compaction stage, a great difference exists between the porosity evolution processes of the two samples, and the porosity reduction rate of sample III is significantly greater than that of sample II. After entered into the slow compaction stage, the evolution processes of the two samples are almost the same with increasing overburden pressure (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6
figure 6

Influence of sorting on sandstone mechanical compaction

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The experimental results of different compaction stages show that during the rapid compaction stage, the average porosity loss of sample II is 0.334 % per 2.3 MPa increase of overburden pressure and the average porosity loss of sample III is 0.886 %, which is 2.65 times greater than that of sample II. However, the average porosity reduction of sample II and sample III is 0.156 % and 0.127 %, respectively, per 2.3 MPa increase of overburden pressure during the slow compaction stage, which is similar, and the porosity loss is in a negative relation to the average particle size (Table 8).

Table 8 Data about the influence of sorting on sandstone mechanical compaction
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Therefore, the influence of sorting on sandstone mechanical compaction is mainly in the rapid compaction stage. The poorer the sorting, the higher the compaction rate and the more distinct the difference between the rapid compaction stage and the slow compaction stage. Also the dividing overburden pressure of the two stages will be larger (Fig. 6), that is, the rapid compaction stage lasts longer, and the equivalent burial depth is deeper. During the rapid compaction stage, for the sandstone sample with poorer sorting, when the position adjustment and rearrangement of detrital particles occur, finer particles will easily fill in the pore space formed by the arrangement of coarse particles, which results in a rapid loss of porosity. However, after entering the slow compaction stage, particles have a stable packing state, compaction further increases the tightness of particles, and the compaction rate is mainly influenced by the particle size.

5.5 The influence of abnormally high pressure on sandstone mechanical compaction

During the burial process of clastic sediments from early deposition to mid-deep strata, abnormally high pressure is mainly formed by tectonic evolution, disequilibrium compaction, hydrothermal pressurization, clay mineral transformation, and hydrocarbon generation (Akrout et al. 2012). It inhibits compaction and protects primary pores and is of great significance to the development of mid-deep high quality reservoirs (Hunt 1990; Ma et al. 2011; Bloch et al. 2002; Cao et al. 2014).

In this paper, undercompaction simulation experiments with pressure coefficients of 1.2 and 1.4 were conducted on sample VI from the Silver Beach of Qingdao, eastern China (the same parameters as sample I) and sample VII from the Yellow River Estuary of Dongying, eastern China (the same parameters as sample IV), respectively, under an overburden pressure larger than 34 MPa. Then the experimental results were compared with those of sample I and sample IV under normal compaction, and the influence of abnormally high pressure on sandstone mechanical compaction was analyzed.

Experimental results show that the mechanical compaction rate under abnormally high pressure is obviously smaller than that under normal compaction; moreover, the higher the pressure coefficient, the greater the difference between the evolution trend line of actual porosity under abnormally high pressure and that under normal compaction (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7
figure 7

Influence of formation overpressure on sandstone mechanical compaction

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The development of abnormally high pressure is in the slow compaction stage. Experimental results show that when the pressure coefficient is 1.4, the average porosity loss of the normally compacted sample and the undercompacted sample is 0.182 % and 0.0708 %, respectively, per 2.3 MPa increase of overburden pressure. The porosity loss of the normally compacted sample is 2.571 times that of the undercompacted sample. When the pressure coefficient is 1.2, the average porosity loss of the normally compacted sample and the undercompacted sample is 0.124 % and 0.094 %, respectively, per 2.3 MPa increase of overburden pressure. The porosity loss of the normal compacted sample is 1.305 times that of the undercompacted sample (Table 9). Therefore, abnormally high pressure inhibits sandstone mechanical compaction. The higher the pressure coefficient, the slower the compaction rate. The compaction rate increases twofold when the pressure coefficient decreases by 0.2.

Table 9 Data about the influence of abnormally high pressure on sandstone mechanical compaction
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Further studies show that the compaction rate of sample VII with finer particle size and poorer sorting is larger than that of sample VI with coarser particle size and better sorting under normal compaction condition, which accords with particle size and sorting influencing sandstone mechanical compaction. However, when abnormally high pressure develops, the compaction rate of sample VII with a pressure coefficient of 1.4 is smaller than that of sample VI with a pressure coefficient of 1.2 in the undercompaction condition. Sandstone mechanical compaction is mainly controlled by abnormally high pressure, which does not accord with particle size and sorting influencing mechanical compaction. Therefore, the control of abnormally high pressure on mechanical compaction is stronger than that of particle size and sorting.

5.6 The influence of burial time on sandstone mechanical compaction

Clastic sediments experiencing different burial time suffer different compaction effects under the same overburden pressure (Liu et al. 2007). By analyzing the experimental data at the final pressure point of rapid compaction stage and slow compaction stage during the simulation experiment, it is concluded that there is no evident correlation between porosity and compaction time during the rapid compaction stage, while a good negative relation exists between them during the slow compaction stage. Moreover, the longer the compaction time, the slower the rate of porosity reduction under the constant overburden pressure (Fig. 8). Quantitative calculations show that when the overburden pressure of the final pressure point during the slow compaction stage is constant, the porosity reduction caused by compaction per hour can be as high as 0.119 %–0.389 %, and porosity reduction caused by compaction is mainly controlled by the average particle size (Table 10). Therefore, during geological time, burial time and burial depth are the two equivalently important factors influencing sandstone mechanical compaction, and the influence of time is mainly reflected in the slow compaction stage. Only after the particles are in close contact with each other, can the creep characteristics of formation be shown with increasing compaction time.

Fig. 8
figure 8

Influence of burial time on sandstone mechanical compaction

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Table 10 Data about the influence of burial time on sandstone mechanical compaction
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6 Conclusions

  1. 1.

    There is a logarithmic relationship between primary porosity and particle size as well as sorting, and the binary function relation between primary porosity and the two factors is Φ 0 = −3.0413So − 3.4907 M + 47.828123, which can provide reference for the calculation of primary porosity of sandstone reservoir.

  2. 2.

    During sandstone mechanical compaction, the evolution of porosity and permeability has a segmentation characteristic with the increasing overburden pressure and depth, and the evolution curves can be divided into two sections, i.e., a rapid compaction stage with a steep slope at the earlier stage and a slow compaction stage at the later stage. The dividing pressure of two sections is about 12 MPa. During the slow compaction stage, there is an exponential relationship between porosity and overburden pressure, while a power function relationship exists between permeability and overburden pressure. The relationship between porosity and permeability is exponential.

  3. 3.

    The influence of particle size on mechanical compaction is mainly reflected in the slow compaction stage. The coarser the particle size, the slower the compaction rate and the larger the final porosity. The influence of particle size is more pronounced with increasing depth and overburden pressure.

  4. 4.

    The influence of sorting on sandstone mechanical compaction is mainly in the rapid compaction stage. The poorer the sorting, the higher the compaction rate and the more distinct the difference between the rapid compaction stage and the slow compaction stage. The dividing overburden pressure value of the two stages will be larger.

  5. 5.

    Abnormally high pressure inhibits sandstone mechanical compaction. The higher the pressure coefficient, the slower the compaction rate. The control of abnormally high pressure on sandstone mechanical compaction is stronger than that of particle size and sorting.

  6. 6.

    During geological time, burial time and burial depth are the two equivalently important factors influencing sandstone mechanical compaction. The influence of burial time is mainly reflected in the slow compaction stage, and porosity reduction caused by compaction is mainly controlled by the average particle size.

  7. 7.

    Although the experiments cannot be compared completely with real geological processes, they can provide some useful guidance for understanding the real geological processes. Further study should focus on simulating longer geological time by changing the pressure and temperature conditions.