Multi-scale analysis of porosity in diagenetically altered reservoir sandstone from the Permian Rotliegend (Germany)

We present a multi-scale 3D analysis of the pore network in a Rotliegend reservoir sandstone, both at the scale of the sand grains and the scale of the diagenetic clay cements that grow in the intragranular volume (IGV). For this we combine optical microscopy, micro-CT, Broad Ion Beam polishing, Sca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of petroleum science & engineering 2016-04, Vol.140, p.128-148
Main Authors: Desbois, Guillaume, Urai, Janos L., Hemes, Susanne, Schröppel, Birgit, Schwarz, Jens-Oliver, Mac, Monika, Weiel, Dominik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BIB-SEM
Cements
Clay (material)
Fabrics
FIB–SEM tomography
Networks
Porosity
Porosity microstructure
Reservoirs
Rotliegend reservoir sandstone
Sand
Sandstone
Wood's metal injection
X-ray computed tomography
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Summary:We present a multi-scale 3D analysis of the pore network in a Rotliegend reservoir sandstone, both at the scale of the sand grains and the scale of the diagenetic clay cements that grow in the intragranular volume (IGV). For this we combine optical microscopy, micro-CT, Broad Ion Beam polishing, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Woods Metal Porosimetry and Focussed Ion Beam–SEM tomography. In cm-scale layers the samples show differences in IGV and sand fabric. In the layers where IGV is higher, there is less diagenetic cement and the IGV forms a connected network; in the layers where the sand fabric is more compacted, larger pores are connected via the pore network in the diagenetic clay cements with pore throat size down to 20nm in diameter. We show that the pore network in all types of diagenetic clay is connected and conclude that the total gas volume that can be produced from such a reservoir sandstone includes the pore volume in the diagenetic clay cements. We predict a major change in transport properties when the diagenetic clay fill renders the IGV disconnected. •Multiscale 3D analysis of the pore network in a Rotliegend reservoir sandstone.•Development of an imaging chain tool of porosity in reservoir sandstones.•Accessing 3D porosity by Xray and FIB–SEM tomographies.•Porosity in free IGV and diagenetic clay is connected with pore throat below 20nm.•Outlook: microstructural porosity towards the estimation of bulk transport properties.
ISSN:0920-4105
1873-4715
DOI:10.1016/j.petrol.2016.01.019