ROCK COMPRESSIBILITY BASICS

The total pressure at any reservoir depth, due to the weight of overlying fluid saturated rock
column, is called the overburden pressure, Po. The total pressure at any depth is the sum of
the overlaying fluid-column pressure Pp and the overlaying grain or matrix column pressure
Pm:
1: Po = Pp + Pm

A typical value of overburden pressure gradient is approximately one psi per foot of depth.
Overburden pressure depends on depth, structure, consolidation of the formation, geologic
age, and history of the rock.

The weight of the overburden applies a compressive force to the reservoir. The pressure in the
rock pore spaces does not normally approach the overburden pressure. A typical pore
pressure gradient, commonly referred to as the reservoir pressure, is approximately 0.45 psi
per foot of depth, assuming that the reservoir is sufficiently consolidated so the overburden
pressure is not transmitted to the fluids in the pore spaces. Some reservoirs are
overpressured, with gradients as high as 1.0 psi/ft, and some are underpressured due to
production of fluids.

Effects of
compression on rocks

Normal sedimentary
processes of compaction
compress the rocks,
reducing porosity and
sometimes changing the
shape and size of rock
grains, as shown in the
illustration above.

The pressure difference

between overburden and
internal pore pressure is
referred to as the
effective overburden
pressure. During
pressure depletion (oil or
gas production) operations, the internal pore pressure decreases and, therefore, the effective
overburden pressure increases. This increase causes the bulk volume of the reservoir rock to
reduce, and the rock grains to expand, reducing porosity.

Compressibility is the relative volume change of matter per unit pressure change under
conditions of constant temperature. Usually, petroleum reservoirs can be considered
isothermal (an exception: thermal stimulation such as steam assisted gravity drainage, SAGD,
or fire floods). Increasing pressure causes volume of material to decrease (compression).
Decreasing pressure causes volume expansion.

The coefficient of isothermal compressibility, C is always a positive value, which accounts for
the negative sign in the following equations:
2: Cm = - (1 / Vm) * (dVm / dP)
3: Cp = - (1 / Vp) * (dVp / dP)
4: Cb = - (1 / Vb) * (dVb / dP)
Wjere:
Cm, Cp, Cb = rock matrix, pore space, and bulk compressibility (psi-1)
Vm, Vp, Vb = rock matrix, pore space, and bulk volume (cu.ft)
Pp = pore pressure (psi)
P = effective pressure (psi)

For some oilfield purposes, Cm and Cb are small, and the composite formation compressibility
Ct is assumed to be equal to Cp. Typical values for Ct are 3 to 25 * 10^-6 psi-1. Ct varies
inversely with porosity and pressure, and numerous authors have published correlations
applicable to specific rock types.

The inverse of a compressibility is a bulk modulus, for example Kc = 1 / Ct is the composite

bulk modulus of the porous rock. Descriptive terms and abbreviations used in the literature
vary widely, for example Cr is sometimes used to represent the rock matrix compressibility
Cm, and the rock matrix is sometimes referred to as the "empty rock frame".

MEASURING COMPRESSIBILITY
In reservoirs, overburden pressure is constant and the pressure of fluid in pores changes,
resulting in pore volume change. In the laboratory, we change the confining pressure on the
core plug (overburden) while holding the pore pressure constant. The net compaction pressure
on the matrix is the difference between the overburden and pore pressures, so the net effect is
the same in both cases. This allows us to obtain useful results in the laboratory.

The laboratory procedure: Core plug is 100% saturated with brine. Core plug is placed in
rubber or soft copper sleeve. As pressure outside sleeve is increased, pore volume decreases
and the volume of expelled brine is measured.
 Laboratory apparatus for measuring rock compressibility

ELASTIC PROPERTIES FROM MICRO CT SCANS

Processing of micro CT scans to
determine elastic moduli is done by by
simulating a static deformation
experiment on a 3D digital rock sample.
These tests are nondestructive and can
be run on small samples such as drill
cuttings.

The application of stresses to the faces of the sample generates strains in the rock frame that
are computed locally using the finite element method (FEM). The resulting effective
deformations of the sample are related to the stresses applied at the boundaries to calculate
the effective elastic moduli. This application assumes linear elasticity laws are valid within the
sample. Therefore, the elastic moduli can be converted into the elastic-wave velocities.

Various loading configurations are applied to the same digital sample to obtain the effective
elastic moduli (e.g., the bulk and shear). Source: www.ingrainrocks.com.
 THIS PAGE
Compressibility Basics
Measurement
Micro CT Scans

THIS CHAPTER
Water Chemistry Analysis
Core Analysis Basics
Coring and Core Porosity
Core Saturation
Core Permeability
Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Relative Permeability
Rock Compressibility
Electrical Properties A,M,N
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Thin Section Petrography
Averaging Core Data
Core Analysis Lab Manual

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