Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach

Archie's equation has been widely used in well-log interpretations for the fluid saturation calculation from electrical resistivity measurements. Though constrained standard Archie parameters are accepted in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs, the same parameters are more complex to define in S...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhong, Zhiqi, Rezaee, Reza, Esteban, L., Josh, M., Feng, Runhua
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: ELSEVIER 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89539
_version_ 1848765239998283776
author Zhong, Zhiqi
Rezaee, Reza
Esteban, L.
Josh, M.
Feng, Runhua
author_facet Zhong, Zhiqi
Rezaee, Reza
Esteban, L.
Josh, M.
Feng, Runhua
author_sort Zhong, Zhiqi
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Archie's equation has been widely used in well-log interpretations for the fluid saturation calculation from electrical resistivity measurements. Though constrained standard Archie parameters are accepted in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs, the same parameters are more complex to define in Shales. Indeed, the use of standard Archie parameters on shale reservoirs proved to be inaccurate due to the heterogeneities and ultra-tight nature of those formations, and also the excessive conductivity exerted by the strong Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) property of clays particle surfaces. This study aims to determine Archie's cementation exponent (m) from two Australian shales (oil-shale and gas shale with a maximum of 60% clay content) with the minimization of the CEC effect using high saline pore fluid. The shales were first fully saturated under hydrostatic pressure for about two weeks before conducting electrical resistivity and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) laboratory measurements. The resistivity measurements were conducted under ambient conditions, though a small 50 psi axial pressure was added to improve sample-electrode surface contact, and under 2800 psi confining pressure to simulate the reservoir condition. NMR was measured in ambient conditions only to compute the effective porosity (excluding clay bound water volume), and to detect potential residual oil after oil removal treatment. The oil cleaning process enhances the development of micro-fractures but their effects are negligible on the NMR effective porosity (<5%). The results indicated that Archie m is stress-dependent averaging around 2.48 in ambient conditions and increasing to 2.70 in reservoir conditions, an 11% increase that is similar in both oil- and gas-shales. However, Archie m is systematically higher in oil shales despite oil cleaning (m > 3) and lower in gas shales (m < 2.55).
first_indexed 2025-11-14T11:32:06Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-89539
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:32:06Z
publishDate 2021
publisher ELSEVIER
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-895392023-01-16T06:43:36Z Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach Zhong, Zhiqi Rezaee, Reza Esteban, L. Josh, M. Feng, Runhua Science & Technology Technology Energy & Fuels Engineering, Petroleum Engineering Shale Electrical properties Cementation exponent Cation exchange capacity(CEC) Nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) Archie's equation has been widely used in well-log interpretations for the fluid saturation calculation from electrical resistivity measurements. Though constrained standard Archie parameters are accepted in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs, the same parameters are more complex to define in Shales. Indeed, the use of standard Archie parameters on shale reservoirs proved to be inaccurate due to the heterogeneities and ultra-tight nature of those formations, and also the excessive conductivity exerted by the strong Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) property of clays particle surfaces. This study aims to determine Archie's cementation exponent (m) from two Australian shales (oil-shale and gas shale with a maximum of 60% clay content) with the minimization of the CEC effect using high saline pore fluid. The shales were first fully saturated under hydrostatic pressure for about two weeks before conducting electrical resistivity and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) laboratory measurements. The resistivity measurements were conducted under ambient conditions, though a small 50 psi axial pressure was added to improve sample-electrode surface contact, and under 2800 psi confining pressure to simulate the reservoir condition. NMR was measured in ambient conditions only to compute the effective porosity (excluding clay bound water volume), and to detect potential residual oil after oil removal treatment. The oil cleaning process enhances the development of micro-fractures but their effects are negligible on the NMR effective porosity (<5%). The results indicated that Archie m is stress-dependent averaging around 2.48 in ambient conditions and increasing to 2.70 in reservoir conditions, an 11% increase that is similar in both oil- and gas-shales. However, Archie m is systematically higher in oil shales despite oil cleaning (m > 3) and lower in gas shales (m < 2.55). 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89539 10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108527 English ELSEVIER restricted
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Technology
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Petroleum
Engineering
Shale
Electrical properties
Cementation exponent
Cation exchange capacity(CEC)
Nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)
Zhong, Zhiqi
Rezaee, Reza
Esteban, L.
Josh, M.
Feng, Runhua
Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title_full Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title_fullStr Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title_full_unstemmed Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title_short Determination of Archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
title_sort determination of archie's cementation exponent for shale reservoirs; an experimental approach
topic Science & Technology
Technology
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Petroleum
Engineering
Shale
Electrical properties
Cementation exponent
Cation exchange capacity(CEC)
Nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89539