LABORATORY DETERMINATION

OF POROSITY

POROSITY DEFINITION
Porosity: The fraction of a rock that
is occupied by pores
Porosity is a static property it can be measured
in the absence of flow
Determining effective porosity requires fluid flow
to determine if pores are interconnected

Vp

Vb Vm
Porosity

Vb
Vb

ROCK MATRIX AND PORE SPACE

matrix

pore space

MEASUREMENT OF POROSITY
1. Core samples (measure two of: Vb, Vp, or Vm)
2. Openhole wireline logs

LABORATORY DETERMINATION
OF POROSITY

Most methods use small samples (core plugs)

multiple samples must be analyzed to get
statistically representative results
sampling technique is important
often all samples are taken from sweet
spots skewing analysis

To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3

volumetric parameters:
1. Bulk volume, Vb
2. Matrix volume, Vm (also called grain volume)
3. Pore volume, Vp

Volume is an extensive property

Fraction of volume
consisting of
pores or voids
Fraction of volume consisting
of matrix

V mV p

MATRIX DENSITIES ( m) OF TYPICAL PURE

COMPONENTS OF RESERVOIR ROCK

Lithology
Sandstone
Limestone
Dolomite

Matrix Density
3
(g/cm )
2.65
2.71
2.87

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
Bulk volume determinations
1. Direct calculation
2. Fluid displacement methods

Gravimetric

Volumetric mercury pycnometer ( a

precisely calibrated bottle)

BULK VOLUME BY DIRECT

MEASUREMENT
Applicable for regularly shaped cores or core plugs
Calculate from core dimensions
For example; volume of right circular cylinder

d L
Vb
4

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
Bulk volume determinations
1. Direct calculation
2. Fluid displacement methods

Gravimetric (Archimedes) methods

Volumetric in pycnometer

ARCHIMEDES METHOD
Wdry

Wsat

Vp =

Wsat - Wdry
fluid

Vm =

Wdry - Wsub
fluid

Vb =

Wsat - Wsub
fluid

Wsat - Wdry
Wsat - Wsub

Wsub

EXAMPLE 1
Bulk Volume Calculated by
Displacement
A core sample coated with paraffin immersed in a
container of liquid displaced 10.9 cm 3 of the liquid. The
weight of the dry core sample was 20.0 g, while the
weight of the dry sample coated with paraffin was 20.9 g.
Assume the density of the solid paraffin is 0.9 g/cm 3.
Calculate the bulk volume of the sample.

SOLUTION - Example 1
Weight of paraffin coating, Wparaffin =
Weight of dry core sample coated with paraffin - Weight of dry core sample
Wparaffin = 20.9 g = 20.0 g = 0.9 g
Volume of paraffin coating = Weight of paraffin / density of paraffin
Vparaffin = 0.9 g / 0.9 g/cm3 = 1.0 cm3

(V = m/)

Bulk volume of core sample = (Bulk volume of core coated with paraffin)
(volume of paraffin)

Vb = 10.9 cm3 1.0 cm3 = 9.9 cm3

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3
basic parameters:
1. Bulk volume (Vb)
2. Matrix volume (Vm)
Assume matrix (grain) density
Displacement method
Boyles Law
Pore volume

(Vp)

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
Matrix (Vm)
1. Assume rock density based on lithology and
measure dry mass

Displacement methods

volumetric
gravimetric (see previous description)

Boyles Law:

p1 V1 p 2 V2

MATRIX VOLUME FROM

MATRIX DENSITY
Known or assumed matrix density

Mass of Dry Sample

Vm
Matrix Density

APPLICABILITY AND
ACCURACY OF MATRIX
MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
Known or assumed matrix density
Accurate only if matrix density is known
and not assumed
Core samples are often mixtures of several
components with varying matrix densities,
so density must be measured

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3
basic parameters:
1. Bulk volume (Vb)
2. Matrix volume (Vm)
Assumed matrix (grain) density
Displacement method
Boyles Law
3. Pore volume (Vp)

MATRIX VOLUME FROM

DISPLACEMENT METHOD
Reduce sample to particle size
Measure matrix volume of particles by
Volumetric method
Archimedes method (gravimetric
measurement)

EXAMPLE 2
SOLUTION
Calculating the Matrix Volume and
Porosity of a Core Sample Using the
Displacement Method

SOLUTION - Example 2
Calculate the Porosity of a Core Sample Using the
Displacement Method and Matrix Volume
The core sample from Example 1 was stripped of the paraffin
coat, crushed to grain size, and immersed in a container with
liquid. The volume of liquid displaced by the grains was 7.7 cm3.
Calculate the matrix volume and the core porosity. Is this
effective porosity or total porosity? (It is total porosity)
Bulk Volume, Vb = 9.9 cm3
Matrix Volume, Vma = 7.7 cm3

Vp

V Vma
Porosity
b
Vb
Vb

9.9 cm3 7.7 cm3

9.9 cm

= 0.22

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3
basic parameters:
1. Bulk volume (Vb)
2. Matrix volume (Vm)
Assumed matrix (grain) density
Displacement method
Boyles Law (Gas Expansion)
3. Pore volume (Vp)

MATRIX VOLUME FROM

GAS EXPANSION METHOD
Involves compression of gas into pores
Uses Boyles law

p1 V1 p 2 V2

GAS EXPANSION METHOD

TO CALCULATE Vma
Initial conditions, with volumes of 2
cells known
Place core in second cell, evacuate
gas (air) from second cell
Open valve

GAS EXPANSION METHOD TO

CALCULATE Vma
P1

Initial conditions

Core

V1

Cell 1

Valve
closed

Evacuate
Cell 2

GAS EXPANSION METHOD TO

CALCULATE Vma
P1

Final conditions

P2

Core

Cell 1

Valve
open

Cell 2

GAS EXPANSION METHOD TO

CALCULATE Vma
Vf = Volume of Cell 1 + Volume of
Cell 2 - Matrix Volume of Core
Vt =

Volume of Cell 1 + Volume of

Cell 2

Vm =

Vt - Vf

APPLICABILITY AND
ACCURACY OF MATRIX
MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
Displacement method - Very accurate when
core sample is crushed without destroying
individual matrix grains
Gas expansion method - Very accurate,
especially for samples with low porosities
Neither method requires a prior knowledge of
core properties

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3
basic parameters:
1. Bulk volume (Vb)
2. Matrix volume (Vm)
3. Pore volume (Vp)

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
Pore volume determination (Effective)
1. Gravimetric (Archimedes)
Vp = Wsat - Wdry
fluid
2. Boyles Law:
(Gas expansion)

p1 V1 p 2 V2

PORE VOLUME FROM

SATURATION METHOD
Measures the difference between the
weight of a core sample saturated with
a single fluid and the dry weight of the
core
Pore volume,

Vp

Wsat Wdry

EXAMPLE 3
Archimedes Method of Calculating
Porosity a Core Sample
Using the gravimetric method with the following data,
calculate the pore and bulk volumes and the porosity. Is
this porosity total or effective?
Dry weight of sample, Wdry = 427.3 g
Weight of sample saturated with water, Wsat = 448.6 g
Density of water (f ) = 1.0 g/cm3
Weight of saturated sample submerged in water, Wsub =
269.6 g

EXAMPLE 3
Solution
Archimedes Method of Calculating
Porosity a Core Sample
Wsat Wdry = 448.6 427.3 g
3
Vp =
=
21.3
cm
1.0 g/cm3
f
g = 179.0 cm3
Vb = Wsat Wsub = 448.6 269.6
1.0 g/cm3
f

Porosity

Vp
Vb

21.3 cm3
=
= 0.12
3
179.0 cm

Applicability and Accuracy of

Pore Volume Measurement
Techniques
Saturation (Archimedes) method
Accurate in better quality rocks if effective
pore spaces can be completely saturated
In poorer quality rocks, difficult to completely
saturate sample
Saturating fluid may react with minerals in
the core (e.g., swelling clays)

LABORATORY METHODS OF
POROSITY DETERMINATION
Pore volume determination (Effective)
1. Gravimetric (Archimedes)
Vp = Wsat - Wdry
fluid
2. Boyles Law:
(Gas expansion)

p1 V1 p 2 V2

PORE VOLUME FROM GAS

EXPANSION METHOD
Initial conditions
P1

Core

V1

Cell 1

Valve
closed

Cell 2

PORE VOLUME FROM GAS

EXPANSION METHOD
Final conditions
P1
P2

Core

Cell 1

Valve
open

Cell 2

PORE VOLUME FROM GAS

EXPANSION METHOD
Very accurate for both high-quality (high )
and low-quality (low ) core samples
Should use low-molecular-weight inert
gases (e.g., helium)
Measures effective (connected) pore volume

SUMMARY
To determine porosity, measure 2 of 3
basic parameters:
1. Bulk volume
2. Matrix volume
3. Pore volume

CORES
Allow direct measurement of reservoir
properties
Used to correlate indirect measurements,
such as wireline/LWD logs
Used to test compatibility of injection fluids
Used to predict borehole stability
Used to estimate probability of formation
failure and sand production

SOME KEY FORMULAS

Vp

Vb Vma
Porosity

Vb
Vb

V V V
V (V )
V (1 )(V )
m ( )(V )
b

CROSS BEDDING, CARRIZO

SANDSTONE