ISSN:
1573-8981
Keywords:
Sedimentary aquifers
;
geochemical reactions
;
diagenesis
;
porosity—permeability relationship
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geosciences
Notes:
Abstract A new model for simulating porosity and permeability changes caused by sedimentary reservoirsdiagenesis is presented. Permeability is computed from changes in the mineral volume fractionsresulting from precipitation and dissolution of the rock-forming mineral as fluid flows throughvariable salinity and temperature fields. Its evolution is controlled by a power—law relationship,in which a weighting coefficient is assigned to clay minerals. This approach allows theincorporation of the widely observed influence of clay content on the porosity—permeabilityrelationship. A synthetic example is set up to analyze the sensitivity of the results to a set offour controlling parameters: the effect of the clay-weighting coefficient compared to the effectof the salinity gradient, temperature gradient, and exponent coefficient of the permeabilityevolution law. Using a large range of values for these parameters, the results show that theirinfluence is of equivalent magnitude in terms of permeability evolution rate. It also seemsthat the value of the clay-weighting coefficient affects the evolution trend: permeability mayincrease when the porosity decreases (and vice versa). The model is compared to the classicalapproach for which permeability is a function of porosity change only. Results display thestrong influence of even low values of the clay-weighting coefficient on the permeabilitychange. Consequently, the specific influence of mineral transfers on pore structure changes isa key parameter for modeling permeability changes and cannot be bypassed by the use ofsimple porosity—permeability evolution law.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010199511554
Permalink
