Abstract
Formation evaluation of unconventional reservoirs is challenging due to the coexistence of different phases such as kerogen, bitumen, movable and bound light hydrocarbon and water. Current low-frequency (0.05 T) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) laboratory and logging methods are incapable of quantitatively separating the different phases. We demonstrate the utility of high-field (9 T) NMR 2D T1-T2 measurements for separating hydrocarbon and the clay-interacting aqueous phases in shale based on the difference in the frequency dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time. Furthermore, we demonstrate 23Na NMR as a promising complementary technique to conventional 1H NMR for shale fluid typing, taking advantage of the fact that sodium ions are only present in the aqueous phase. We validate high-field (9 T) 23Na-1H NMR relaxometry for assessing brine-filled porosity and brine salinity in various porous materials, including porous glass, conventional rocks, clays, and shale, and apply it for differentiating hydrocarbon versus aqueous components and also the clay-associated versus free water in Eagle Ford shale cores. This work lays the groundwork for developing future downhole 23Na-1H NMR logging techniques.
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