X-ray computed microtomography—a useful tool for petrophysical properties determination

The main goal of the research was to employ the unique data delivered by various methods to improve the determination of rock reservoir properties. Results of X-ray computed tomography (XRCMT), one of the newest techniques providing high-resolution images of rocks, were used to show that very precise information from this tool is complementary to results from other methods. Standard laboratory measurements (helium pycnometer, mercury injection porosimetry, permeameter) and sophisticated experiments (X-ray computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) were performed to obtain and compare results. Four types of specimens: typical Miocene sandstone-mudstone-claystone rock samples, artificial corundum specimens, shale gas plugs, and limestone sample were investigated to obtain the porosity, permeability, density, and other parameters used in rock descriptions. Mutual relationships between selected groups of rock material properties were presented to provide an integral picture of rock characteristics. The XRCMT results were in general not influenced by lithology, but there were observed shaliness effects on the shape of pores, cross sections, and the tortuosity of porous channels. An analysis of the average porosity and the standard deviation of each XRCMT plot provided information about differences in the heterogeneity of a formation. Thus, the XRCMT method was recommended in pore space parameter determination for microfracture fluid propagation monitoring. There was also observed equivalence between part of the NMR signal from clay-bound water and the XRCMT volume subgroups in porosity/permeability—structural classes I and II. So, the use of the two-subsample approach in the XRCMT interpretation was promoted.