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Comprehensive pore structure characterization and permeability prediction of carbonate reservoirs using high-pressure mercury intrusion and X-ray CT

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Abstract

The heterogeneity of carbonate reservoirs, influenced by sedimentary environments and diagenetic processes, leads to the development of microfractures and vugs, posing significant challenges for reservoir evaluation. This study investigates the complex pore structures of Y-type carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East. We assess the performance of classical permeability prediction models and introduce a novel approach that incorporates a bimodal pore size distribution (PSD) derived from High-Pressure Mercury Injection (HPMI) measurements, accounting for gas slip flow effects. Our results, based on CT imaging, categorize carbonate rock core samples into matrix, fracture, and vuggy. Matrix-type carbonate rocks show a strong correlation between permeability and pore-throat radius, while fracture-type carbonate rock cores exhibit weaker correlations. Traditional model permeability predictions without core categorization yield suboptimal results, with the Winland model achieving the highest R2 of only 0.365. However, after categorization, classical model permeability predictions significantly improve in accuracy. Notably, the introduced bimodal Gaussian PSD model outperforms traditional permeability prediction models, with an R2 of 0.8138, providing a valuable tool for predicting the permeability of carbonate rocks characterized by complex pore structures.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Sinopec Research Project “Key Technologies for Greatly Improving Oil Recovery in Multilayer High Water Cut Reservoirs”, under Grant No. P22021.

Funding

Sinopec Research Project, P22021.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing, 102249, China

    Hui Yue & Haojie Hua

  2. Exploration and Development Research Institute, Shengli Oilfield Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, 257015, Shandong, China

    Haicheng Liu

  3. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China

    Jiangchen Han

  4. School of Civil and Resources Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China

    Fuyong Wang

Authors
  1. Hui Yue
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  2. Haicheng Liu
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  3. Haojie Hua
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  4. Jiangchen Han
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  5. Fuyong Wang
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Contributions

H.Y. analyzed the data and wrote the original paper; H.L., H.H., and J. H. revised the manuscript; revised the manuscript; F.W. proposed the idea and the method of the paper and revised the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fuyong Wang.

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Appendices

Appendix A

The pore size distribution of all cores has been fitted by Gaussian. Table 7 shows the fitting parameters and fitting reliability of 33 cores, respectively.

Table 7 Bimodal Gaussian density function fitting parameters
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Appendix B

The prediction results of the Gaussian bimodal model were revised by considering the gas slippage effect. Table 8 shows the model calculation and calibration results of the Gaussian bimodal model for 33 cores.

Table 8 Model calculation and correction results of bimodal Gaussian model
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Yue, H., Liu, H., Hua, H. et al. Comprehensive pore structure characterization and permeability prediction of carbonate reservoirs using high-pressure mercury intrusion and X-ray CT. Carbonates Evaporites 39, 18 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-024-00923-y

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