Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gas Permeability and Porosity Evolution of a Porous Sandstone Under Repeated Loading and Unloading Conditions

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The permeability and porosity of a porous sandstone under cyclic loading–unloading conditions are measured using an integrated permeability and porosity measurement system. Mineral content analysis of the rock is performed. The rock contains open microcracks and pores, which can be closed after cyclic loading–unloading; as a result, the permeability and porosity decrease. Based on the test results, the empirical relations of confining stress-dependent sandstone permeability and porosity are derived. A power law is suggested to describe the relationship between the stress-dependent porosity and permeability of the sandstone under both loading and unloading conditions within the stress range used in the experiment. The permeability of the sandstone is more sensitive to stress than to porosity. It is inferred from the test results that the evolution of sandstone porosity and permeability is related to the relative movement of particles and the closure of microcracks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Athy LF (1930) Density, porosity, and compaction of sedimentary rocks. AAPG Bull 14:1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernabe Y, Brace WF, Evans B (1982) Permeability, porosity and pore geometry of hot pressed calcite. Mech Mat 1:173–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernabe Y, Mok U, Evans B (2003) Permeability-porosity relationships in rocks subjected to various evolution processes. Pure appl Geophys 160:937–960

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brace WF, Walsh JB, Frangos WT (1968) Permeability of granite under high pressure. J Geophys Res 73(6):2225–2236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dana E, Skoczylas F (1999) Gas relative permeability and pore structure of sandstones. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36(5):613–625

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David C, Wong TF, Zhu W, Zhang J (1994) Laboratory measurement of compaction- induced permeability change in porous rocks: implication for the generation and maintenance of pore pressure excess in the crust. Pure appl Geophys 143:425–456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David C, Menendez B, Zhu W, Wong TF (2001) Mechanical compaction, microstructures and permeability evolution in sandstones. Phys Chem Earth (A) 26(1–2):45–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davy CA, Skoczylas F, Barnichon JD, Lebon P (2007) Permeability of macro-cracked argillite under confinement: gas and water testing. Phys Chem Earth 32:667–680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong JJ, Hsu JY, Wu WJ, Shimamoto T, Hung JH, Yeh EC, Wu YH, Sone H (2010) Stress-dependence of the permeability and porosity of sandstone and shale from TCDP Hole-A. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47(7):1141–1157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghabezloo S, Sulem J, Saint-Marc J (2009) Evaluation of a permeability-porosity relationship in a low-permeability creeping material using a single transient test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 46:761–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoholick JD, Metarko T, Potter PE (1984) Regional variations of porosity and cement: St. Peter and Mount Simons and stones in Illinois Basin. AAPG Bull 68(6):753–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Javadpour F, Fisher D, Unsworth M (2007) Nanoscale gas flow in shale gas sediments. J Can Petrol Technol 46(10):55–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones FO, Owens WW (1980) A laboratory study of low permeability gas sands. J Petrol Technol 32(09):1631–1640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein E, Reuschle T (2003) A model for the mechanical behaviour of bentheim sandstone in the brittle regime. Pure appl Geophys 160:833–849

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klinkenberg IJ (1941) The permeability of porous media to liquids and gases. API Drilling and Production Practices, pp:200–213

  • Li M, Bernabe Y, Xiao WI, Chen ZY, Liu ZQ (2009) Effective pressure law for permeability of E-bei sandstones. J Geophys Res 114(B07205):1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Loosveldt H, Lafhaj Z, Skoczylas F (2002) Experimental study of gas and liquid permeability of a mortar. Cem Concr Res 32:1357–1363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow CA, Lockner DA (1997) Permeability and porosity of the Illinois UPH 3 drillhole granite and a comparison with other deep drillhole rocks. J Geophys Res 102:3067–3075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow CA, Shi L, Byerlee JD (1984) Permeability of fault gouge under confining pressure and shear stress. J Geophys Res 89:3193–3200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow CA, Zhang BC, Byerlee JD (1986) Effective pressure law for permeability of Westerly granite under cyclic loading. J Geophys Res 91:3870–3876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pape H, Clauser C, Iffland J (2000) Variation of permeability with porosity in sandstone diagenesis interpreted with a fractal pore space model. Pure appl Geophys 157:603–619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollard DD, Segall P (1987) Theoretical displacement and stress near fractures in rocks: with application to faults, joints, veins, dikes, and solution surfaces. In: Atkinson BK (ed) Fracture mechanics of rock. Academic press, London, pp 277–349

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rice JR (1992) Fault stress states, pore pressure distributions, and the weakness of the San Andreas Fault. In: Evans B, Wong T-F (eds) Fault mechanics and transport properties of rocks. Academic Press, Cambridge, pp 475–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampath K, Keighin C (1982) Factors affecting gas slippage in tight sandstones of cretaceous age in the Uinta basin. J Petrol Technol 34(11):2715–2720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmoker JW, Halley RB (1982) Carbonate porosity versus depth: a predictable relation for south Florida. AAPG Bull 66:2561–2570

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi T, Wang CY (1986) Pore pressure generation in sedimentary basins: overloading versus aquathermal. J Geophys Res 91(B2):2153–2162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarafdar S, Roy S (1998) A growth model for porous sedimentary rocks. Phys B 254:28–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walder J, Nur A (1984) Porosity reduction and crustal pore pressure development. J Geophys Res 89(B13):11539–51148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HL, Xu WY, Shao JF, Skoczylas F (2014a) The gas permeability properties of low-permeability rock in the process of triaxial compression test. Mater Lett 116(1):386–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HL, Xu WY, Zuo J (2014b) Compact rock material gas permeability properties. Phys B 449:10–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HL, Xu WY, Cai M, Zuo J (2016) An experimental study on the slippage effect of gas flow in a compact rock. Transp Porous Med 112:117–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong TF, Zhu W (1999) Brittle faulting and permeability evolution: hydromechanical measurement, microstructural observation, and network modeling, in faults and subsurface fluid flow in the shallow crust. Geophys Monogr 113:83–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong TF, David C, Zhu WL (1997) The transition from brittle faulting to cataclastic flow in porous sandstones: mechanical deformation. J Geophys Res 102(B2):3009–3025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yıldırım H, Erşan H (2007) Settlements under consecutive series of cyclic loading. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 27(6):577–585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao JL, Yao J, Zhang M, Zhang L, Yang YF, Sun H, An SY, Li AF (2016) Study of gas flow characteristics in tight porous media with a microscale lattice boltzmann model. Sci Rep 6:1–11. doi:10.1038/srep32393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziarani AS, Aguilera R (2012) Knudsen’s permeability correction for tight porous media. Transp Porous Med. 91:239–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zoback MD, Byerlee JD (1975) Permeability and effective stress. AAPG Bull 59:155–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Zoback MD, Byerlee JD (1976) Effect of high pressure deformation on permeability of Ottawa sand. Am Assoc Petrol Geol Bull 60:1531–1542

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Financial support provided by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11572110, 51479049), Qing Lan Project, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2016B05314) are gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Coastal Disaster and Defence, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China

    H. L. Wang

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada

    H. L. Wang

  3. Institutes of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China

    W. Y. Xu, Z. P. Xiang & Q. Kong

  4. Bharti School of Engineering, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada

    M. Cai

  5. MIRARCO – Mining Innovation, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada

    M. Cai

Authors
  1. H. L. Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. Y. Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Z. P. Xiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Q. Kong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. L. Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, H.L., Xu, W.Y., Cai, M. et al. Gas Permeability and Porosity Evolution of a Porous Sandstone Under Repeated Loading and Unloading Conditions. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50, 2071–2083 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1215-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1215-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation