Fluid Flow Properties of Different Carbonate Pore Classes

Abstract

AbstractCarbonate reservoirs are usually heterogeneous and may contain rock material from several pore classes. The main pore classes in carbonates are inter- and intraparticle porosity, intercrystalline porosity, mouldic and vuggy material, and also chalk and chalky micro-porosity. The definition of the carbonate pore classes is according to pore structure and petrophysical properties. The proper classification scheme can simplify relationships between carbonate pore types, petrophysical parameters and single phase fluid flow characteristics.Different petropyhysical parameters such as tortuosity, pore size distribution and dispersivity have been compared for relationship between the petrophysical parameters. A recent pore classification scheme was used to characterize miscible displacement in carbonates with variety of pore types.Pore system classification for carbonates originated among other from porosity-permeability correlation was found to provide correlations also for other petropyhysical parameters such as pore size distribution, dispersion and tortuosity. These relationships were strongest for pore classes with intergrain porosity.