Geometrical and Topological Analysis of Pore Space in Sandstones Based on X-ray Computed Tomography

Linxian Gong, Lei Nie and Yan Xu
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Linxian Gong: Construction Engineering College, Jilin University, Xin Min Zhu Street, Changchun 130026, China
Lei Nie: Construction Engineering College, Jilin University, Xin Min Zhu Street, Changchun 130026, China
Yan Xu: Construction Engineering College, Jilin University, Xin Min Zhu Street, Changchun 130026, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: The pore geometry and topology properties of pore space in rocks are significant for a better understanding of the complex hydrologic and elastic properties. However, geometry and topology information about the sandstone pore structures is not fully available. In this study, we obtained the topological and geometrical pore parameters from a representative elementary volume (REV) for fluid flow in sandstone samples. For comparison, eight types of sandstones with various porosities were studied based on the X-ray micro-computed tomography technique. In this study, the REV size was selected based on the parameters from the respective pore network models (PNM), not just the porosity. Our analysis indicates that despite different porosity, all the sandstone samples have highly triangular-shaped pores and a high degree of pore structural isotropy. The high porosity group sandstones exhibit wider ranges of pore sizes than the low porosity group sandstones. Compared to the high porosity group sandstones, the low porosity group sandstones samples showing a higher global aspect ratio, indicating some pores exist in the form of bottlenecks. The pore topological properties of different sandstones show a high dependence of the porosity. The high porosity group sandstones obtain large coordination numbers, large connectivity densities and low tortuosities. The results from this study will help better understand the complex pore structure and the fluid flow in sandstone.

Keywords: digital rock physics; porosity; sandstone; geometrical analysis; topological analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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