PETE 216

RESERVOIR ROCK AND FLUID PROPERTIES

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUID
SATURATED ROCKS
FALL 2012 2013
Dr. Mahmut Parlaktuna
mahmut@metu.edu.tr
DEFINITION
Reservoir rocks are comprised of:

Solid Grains

Hydrocarbon gases and liquids

Water


DEFINITION
Solids that make up the reservoir rocks are NON-
CONDUCTORS, except certain types of clay
minerals.

Similarly, hydrocarbon gases and liquids are also
NON-CONDUCTORS

However, water is CONDUCTOR if it contains
dissolved solids such as NaCl, MgCl
2
and KCl




CONDUCTIVITY
Current is conducted in water by movement of ions
and can therefore be termed as ELECTROLYTIC
CONDUCTION

When a voltage is applied to the electrodes dipped
into an electrolytic solution, ions of the electrolyte
move and, therefore, electric current flows through
the electrolytic solution. The power of the
electrolytes to conduct electric current is termed
CONDUCTANCE or CONDUCTIVITY.


OHMS LAW
Ohm's law : This law states that the current flowing
through a conductor is directly proportional to the
potential difference across it,

I V
where
I is the current strength (Amperes)
V is the potential difference applied across the
conductor (Volts)
RESISTANCE
or
I= V/r or V = Ir

where
r is the constant of proportionality and is
known as RESISTANCE of the conductor. It is
expressed in Ohm's and is represented as O. The
above equation is known as Ohm's law.
RESISTIVITY
Resistance : It measures the obstruction to the
flow of current. The resistance of any conductor is
directly proportional to the length (L) and inversely
proportional to the area of cross-section (A) so that

r L/A or r =R L/A
where
R is the constant of proportionality and is
called specific resistance or RESISTIVITY.
RESISTIVITY
The resistivity of a material is given as:


where
R is the resistivity (ohm-cm),
r is the resistance (ohm),
A is the cross-sectional area of the conductor
(cm
2
) and
L is the length of the conductor (cm).
L
rA
R =
RESISTIVITY
Let us consider a cube of salty water having cross-
sectional area A, length L and resistivity R
w


If an electrical current is caused
to flow across the cube
through an area A and a length
L, the resistance of the cube
can be determined. Let the
resistance be r
1
. Then,

A
L R
r
W
1
=
RESISTIVITY
Now consider a cube of porous rock of the same
dimensions of the above cube and 100% saturated
with water of resistivity R
w

Remembering that the
solids are non-conductors,
the electric flow must be
through the water-filled
pores.
Solid grains
RESISTIVITY
The cross-sectional area
available for conduction is now
A
a
- the actual or effective cross
section of the water filled
pores.

The path length of current flow
is increased to a value L
a
, the
average length that an ion
must traverse in passing
through the pore channels.
Solid grains
RESISTIVITY
The resistance of the porous
medium, r
2
is:
Solid grains
a
a w
2
A
L R
r =
By definition:
L
A r
R
2
o
=
where R
o
is the resistivity of rock when saturated
100% with water (brine) having a resistivity of R
w

FORMATION FACTOR
Combining:
Solid grains
Lets define:
w
o
R
R
F =
where F is the most fundamental concept considering
electrical properties of rocks, FORMATION FACTOR
a
a w
o
LA
A L R
R =
FORMATION FACTOR
Solid grains
where:
2
a
L
L
|
.
|

\
|
= t
t is the tortuosity
/A A

/A A
/L L
R
R
F
a a
a
w
o
= = =
RESISTIVITY
Let us consider now that the cube of porous rock
contains both water and hydrocarbons, the water is
still the only conductor.
The cross-sectional area
available for conduction is
reduced further to A
a
and
the path length changed to
L
a

Solid grains
Water
Oil
RESISTIVITY
The resistance of the cube
is given by:
Solid grains
Water
Oil
'
a
'
a w
3
A
L R
r =
The resistivity of a partially
water saturated porous
rock is given by:
L
A r
R
3
t
=
where R
t
is defined as the True Formation Resistivity
RESISTIVITY
The resistance of the cube
is given by:
Solid grains
Water
Oil
'
a
'
a w
3
A
L R
r =
The resistivity of a partially
water saturated porous
rock is given by:
L
A r
R
3
t
=
where R
t
is defined as the True Formation Resistivity
RESISTIVITY INDEX
Combining:
Lets define:
o
t
R
R
I =
where I is the second fundamental notion of electrical
properties of porous rocks, RESISTIVITY INDEX
Solid grains
Water
Oil
L A
A L R
R
'
a
'
a w
t
=
RESISTIVITY INDEX
Substituting the definitons of R
t

and R
o
results with:
Solid grains
Water
Oil
'
a a
'
a a
/L L
/A A
I =
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
The above relationships of F and I to geometric
dimensions are not very useful.

But, these two quantities can be related to physical
parameters such as porosity and saturation.

ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
If pore openings are considered continuous:
A A
a
| =
Substituting into Formation Factor equation
|
1
L
L
/A A
/L L
F
a
a
a
= =
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
If a hydrocarbon is introduced into the pores, the
water saturation S
w
can be expressed as a function
of the pore volume as
Substituting into Resistivity Index equation
A S A
w
'
a
| =
w
'
a
'
a a
w
S
1
L
L
/L L
A S / A
I = =
| |
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
In an idealized model, Wylie and Gardner proposed
the following relationships:
2
1
F
|
=
2
w
S
1
I =
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
However, because of the complexity of the pore
systems, the results of these theoretical models
deviate from real data. Archie, in 1942, correlated
observed formation factors with porosity as:
m
a F

= |
where
| is the fractional porosity and
m is the cementation factor.
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Archie further reported that:
The cementation factor, m ranges from 1.8 to
2.0 for consolidated sands and for clean
unconsolidated sands is about 1.3.

The coefficient a is generally taken as equal to
1.0 for carbonates and about 0.81 for sandstones.
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
A similar correlation, Humble relation, is one of the
best for sandstones:
15 . 2
62 . 0 F

= |
ELECTRICAL vs. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Archies saturation exponent is generally used to
calculate water saturation from electrical log data:
1/n
t
w
w
)
R
R
(F S =
n
w
S
1
I =
where n is the saturation exponent. In the lack of
experimental data, the saturation exponent can be
taken as 2.0 for most consolidated rocks, although it
is best to determine it experimentally at reservoir
conditions.