Date of Award
6-2008
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Geological and Environmental Sciences
Department
Geosciences
First Advisor
Dr. G. Michael Grammer
Second Advisor
Dr. William B. Harrison III
Third Advisor
Dr. Robb Gillespie
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Recent work has shown that there is a complex relationship among porosity, permeability, and rock fabric in carbonate rocks. Porosity/permeability transforms are of limited value when evaluating carbonate reservoirs because permeability is controlled by pore type. Vuggy, moldic, or fenestral pore types have high porosity but poor permeability; in contrast, intergranular and intercrystalline pore networks have high porosity and high permeability. Visible pore types of key facies in five Middle Silurian (Niagaran) Reef reservoirs of the Michigan Basin were evaluated to better understand related permeability. Image analysis was performed on key facies to understand pore geometries and pore connectivity. Facies and related pore geometries were compared to sonic velocity values to identify the relationship of velocity and pore architecture. To confirm the relationship between pore architecture, permeability, and acoustic impedance, x-ray computerized tomography was used on key facies to visualize three-dimensional pore networks. This integrated study established a first order relationship between pore architecture and permeability. Understanding rock and well log data relationships allows for better prediction of reservoir quality with logs in the absence of rock data.
Recommended Citation
Noack, Amy Kathryn, "Analysis of Pore Architecture and Correlation to Sonic Velocity Values in Silurian (Niagaran) Reefs of the Michigan Basin" (2008). Masters Theses. 4406.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4406