Optimal X-ray micro-CT image based methods for porosity and permeability quantification in heterogeneous sandstones

Callow, Ben; Falcon-Suarez, Ismael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8576-5165; Marin-Moreno, Hector ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3412-1359; Bull, Jonathan M; Ahmed, Sharif. 2020 Optimal X-ray micro-CT image based methods for porosity and permeability quantification in heterogeneous sandstones. Geophysical Journal International, 223 (2), ggaa321. 1210-1229. 10.1093/gji/ggaa321

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This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Geophysical Journal International following peer review. The version of record Ben Callow, Ismael Falcon-Suarez, Hector Marin-Moreno, Jonathan M Bull, Sharif Ahmed, Optimal X-ray micro-CT image based methods for porosity and permeability quantification in heterogeneous sandstones, Geophysical Journal International, ggaa321 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa321.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa321

Abstract/Summary

3D X-ray micro-CT (XCT) is a non-destructive 3D imaging method, increasingly used for a wide range of applications in Earth Science. An optimal XCT image-processing workflow is derived here for accurate quantification of porosity and absolute permeability of heterogeneous sandstone samples using an assessment of key image acquisition and processing parameters: Image resolution, segmentation method, representative elementary volume (REV) size and fluid-simulation method. XCT image-based calculations obtained for heterogeneous sandstones are compared to two homogeneous standards (Berea sandstone and a sphere pack), as well as to the results from physical laboratory measurements. An optimal XCT methodology obtains porosity and permeability results within ± 2 per cent and vary by one order of magnitude around the direct physical measurements, respectively, achieved by incorporating the clay fraction and cement matrix (porous, impermeable components) to the pore-phase for porosity calculations and into the solid-phase for permeability calculations. Two Stokes-flow finite element modelling (FEM) simulation methods, using a voxelised grid (Avizo) and tetrahedral mesh (Comsol) produce comparable results, and similarly show that a lower resolution scan (∼5 µm) is unable to resolve the smallest intergranular pores, causing an underestimation of porosity by ∼3.5 per cent. Downsampling the image-resolution post-segmentation (numerical coarsening) and pore network modelling both allow achieving of a representative elementary volume (REV) size, whilst significantly reducing fluid simulation memory requirements. For the heterogeneous sandstones, REV size for permeability (≥ 1 cubic mm) is larger than for porosity (≥ 0.5 cubic mm) due to tortuosity of the fluid paths. This highlights that porosity should not be used as a reference REV for permeability calculations. The findings suggest that distinct image processing workflows for porosity and permeability would significantly enhance the accurate quantification of the two properties from XCT.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1093/gji/ggaa321
ISSN:	0956-540X
Date made live:	06 Jul 2020 08:23 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528091

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1093/gji/ggaa321

ISSN:

0956-540X

Date made live:

06 Jul 2020 08:23 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528091