Effect of Overburden Pressure on Some Properties
Of Sandstones
VALERY M. DOBRYNIN*
ABSTRACT
Experimental data demonstrate that physical
properties of porous rocks change under pressure.
In this paper an assumption is made and proved
that under pressure the changes of physical proper-
ties such as porosity, density, permeability, resis-
tivity and velocity of elastic waves are controlled
to a large extent by the pore compressibility of
rocks. It is also shown that the pore compressibility
of rocks can be determined, within the range of
pressures from 0 to 20,000 psi, by knowing the
maximum pore compressibility and the magnitude
of the pressure.
Mathematical equations were developed which
permit one to define changes in physical properties
of porous rocks under pressure. These equations
were verified by experimental data obtained from
ihe study of sandstones.
INTRODUCTION
In studying the behavior of porous rocks under
pressure in the field of petroleum technology, the
most interesting aspect is the observation of those
properties which characterize the rocks as possible
reservoirs - for example, porosity, permeability,
resistivity, density and the velocity of elastic
waves.
The literature dealing with this problem mainly
contains data concerning the study of only one or
at most two of these parameters, but not of the
group as a whole. An attempt is made in this paper
to find general equations involving each of these
parameters, which will permit the study of the
behavior of rocks under pressure. All experimental
data used here were obtained from the investiga-
tion of consolidated sandstones.
EXPERIMENTAL
In addition to the use of published experimental
data, an experiment was carried out which studied
the main physical properties of sandstones under
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engi-
neers office June 10, 1962. Revised manuscript received Oct.
10, 1962.
*Graduate student from the U.S.S.R. as part of the cultural
exchange agreement between the U. S. and the U.S.S.R.
3611
U. OF CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY, CALIF.
pressure. Two homogeneous quartz sandstones
were chosen for this purpose: (1) the Torpedo sand-
stone from Kansas, and (2) the Medina sandstone
from Ohio. The porosity of the Torpedo sandstone
was 20.2 per cent, and that of the Medina B.7 per
cent. Permeabilities were 45 md and less than 1
md, respectively. Each sandstone contained about
5 per cent clay minerals, consisting mostly of
kaolinite and chlorite, which were distributed quite
evenly throughout the samples. One cylindrical
sample 2 in. in diameter and 5 in. in length was
cut from each sandstone and then saturated in a
vacuum with a 3N solution of NaCl. This high con-
centration was used in order to obtain true forma-
tion factors and to decrease the swelling of the
clay minerals.
The methods of mounting the samples and measur-
ing the changes in porosity and resistivity were
practically the same as those described by Fatt
and Mann},2 Changes of resistivity under pressure
were studied for sandstones with 100 per cent water
saturation, and for sandstones with the irreducible
water saturation. The irreducible saturation was
obtained by enclosing the saturated rock samples
in relatively fine silicate powder so as to remove
the water by capillary action. This procedure is
described by Orkin and Kuchinski. 3
Changes of permeability with pressure were
determined at room temperature using nitrogen as
the flowing medium.
In studying the effects of pressure, one series of
measurements was made using an internal pore
pressure Pi equal to the atmospheric pressure,
while the overburden pressure Pe ranged from 0 to
20,000 psi. A second series of measurements was
used over the same range of overburden pressure,
but with an internal pore pressure of I,BOO psi.
When the results were compared on the basis of
net overburden pressure (Pe - 0.B5 Pi ), there was
practically no difference for these two sandstones.
The origin of the factor 0.B5 in the expression for
net overburden pressure is given by Brandt,4 FactS
and Geertsma. 6
The relatively large bulk volumes of the sample
(about 15 cu in.) made it possible to observe a
lReferences given at end of paper.
SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL
large change in the pore volume under pressure; The straight-line relationships of Fig. 1 may be
and, consequently, changes in porosity or pore expressed mathematically as
compressibility could be determined with an accu-
racy of ± 1 to 2 per cent. The accuracy of the re- c pmax P max
C log . . . . . . . (2)
sistivity measurements was also about ± 1 to 2 per P
log P.max
cent. P min
Not enough data were obtained to estimate the
accuracy of changes in permeability. The maximum pore compressibility C max in Eq. 2
was determined by extrapolation of experimental
CHANGES IN THE PHYSICAL PROPER TIES curves to zero pressure, using Cartesian co-
OF SANDSTONES UNDER PRESSURE ordinates. For determining P min it was assumed
It seems logical to expect that changes in the that there is essentially no change in pore com-
physical properties of porous rocks under pressure pressibility within the small range of pressures
should be determined largely by changes in the from 0 to P min • The value of Pmax was obtained
pore space of the rocks. The magnitudes of these at the intersection with the abscissa. For practical
changes necessarily depend upon the compressibil- purposes, Pmax is the pressure above which changes
ity of the rocks, as long as the pressure remains in pore compressibility are negligible.
below the point where a serious disturbance of the Bulk compressibility C b can be expressed as
rock matrix does not occur. In this sense, compres-
. . . . (3)
sibility represents a very important specific prop-
erty of rocks in which are reflected the influence where cp is porosity, and Cr is rock matrix com-
of the rock minerals, the distribution and quantity pressibility, psi-l. Combining Eqs. 2 and 3, we
of the more elastic minerals, sorting and packing can find the relation between bulk compressibility
of grains, etc. and pressure.
COMPRESSIBILITY max
Cp log
The pore compressibility of rocks can be deter-
mined from the standard definition as log P max
P min
C __1_ dV p • • • • • • • • • • • • • (1)
p - dP V . . . (4)
p
It should be mentioned that, according to Mann, 1
where Vp is pore volume, cubic units, and P is the rock matrix compressibility does not depend
net overburden pressure, psi. upon pressure in the range from 0 to 20,000 psi.
Experimental data on Medina and Torpedo sand-
POROSITY
stones in Fig. 1 demonstrate the decrease in the
pore compressibility with an increase in net over- Relative changes of porosity, M, in rocks under
burden pressure. These data were compared with
cp
overburden pressure can be obtained through the
other data that have been obtained on a number of
sandstones by Fatt? But the data given in Fig. 1 relative changes of pore volume, ~P, and the
p
also show that, between a certain minimum pressure
P min and a certain maximum pressure Pmax' the relative changes of bulk volume, t", using the
relation between pore compressibility and logarithm equation
of pressure can be approximated by a straight line.
As indicated in Fig. 1, Pmin is between 150 and
300 psi, and P max is between 25,000 and 30,000
psi. ----=1- . . (5)
~ 1- ~V
4.o.1o-·r----------------------, V V
_ <_..J,. MEDINA
7
V>
3.5 ,,
,, '"I
0 TORPEDO
WEST MONTALVO(7)
Ignoring the influence of the rock matrix compres-
"'- 3.0 «.-..t. , , sibility,
, /1
--', , , ,
2
r
,, , 3
"
BREA CANYON (7)
~ 2.5 ,, , 4 HUNTINGTON BEACH(7)
~V
cp ~VP,
/2
m 5 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEy(7)
• . . . • . • . . . . . . (6)
i2 2.0 --'. -3 6 OXNARDI7l
w --<.J....
, V Vp
a: 4
~ 1.5
u 1.0
and Eq. 5 becomes
w
gj
1- _~V_p
..
"'-

~0'=-0=----'--i---'--':-50-,L0::'-'-':!:10~OO::----'---'--'::-!--:'-::lJLiX::::g;~i"'-:-5o,J...OOO,L1-J...IOuJo,OOO
~cp =
u
Pmm 1 - _ _-,-:VPc:--.. • • • • • • • • (7)
P, PRESSURE, PSI Pmax.
cp l-cp ~Vp
FIG. 1 - PORE COMPRESSIBILITY AS A FUNCTrON Vp
OF NET OVERBURDEN PRESSURE.

DECEMBER, 1962 361

 As mentioned before, within the range of pres- Now, the relative changes in the density of rocks,
sure 0 < P < P min we can assume that pore com-
~, under these conditions can be determined from
pressibility is essentially independent of pressure. P
Therefore, the relative changes in pore volume
under pressure can be determined according to Eq.
1 using ~P
PI' - PI J ¢' ..... ~cp
(12)

~Vp
Vp
= J
0
min
Cmax dP
p
+ r
P
mln
C dP
p
P [ ¢PI' - (PI' - PI)

P min Or, substituting Eq. 10 into Eq. 12,

c max P P
= Crpax f dP + P flog~ dP
o log Pmax
P min
Pm in P ~P =~ p,.-
P .!!..
cp - (p ,
PI
PI)
J [1 X
1 - C max P(P)J

1 - cp:;ax PCP)
. . . . . . (8)

Or, after integration, . . . . . . . . . . . . . (13)

cpOXfmin + P max
P
The results of the calculation of relative changes
of density under pressure according to Eq. 13 are
given in Fig. 3. In this calculation it was assumed
that PI' = 2.65 gm/cc and PI = 1.0 gm/cc. From the
experimental data, it appears that the maximum
+ 0.434 _ Pmin (log P max +
P Pmin pore compressibility for consolidated sandstones
is primarily in the range of 0.5 x 10-5 psi -1 to
which can be written more simply as 2.0 x 10-5 psi-I. Therefore, according to Fig. 3,
~V
the average decrease in porosity for net overburden
~ = C
max
PCP) (9) pressure of 0 up to 20,000 psi is 0 to 10 per cent,
V p
and at the same time the increase in density is in
p
the range of 0 to 2 per cent.
Now, substituting Eq. 9 into Eq. 7, we have
RESISTIVITY

1 -
p
1 - C ax PCP)
• • • • • • (10)
Experimental results for the change in relative
1 - Cp
max
cp PCP) resistivity, RP/R, with increasing overburden
pressure are given in Fig. 4 for the Medina and
Torpedo sandstones with two water saturations,
Fig. 2 demonstrates the effect of pressure on 100 per cent and the irreducible satuation. Data
relative changes in porosity for different values of from Fatt's2 studies on 100 per cent water-saturated
maximum pore compressibility as calculated using Alundum core are also included. It is apparent
Eq. 10. The average values of Pmin and P max that the water phase in the large pores has relatively
were 200 and 25,000 psi, respectively. Experimental little influence upon the changes in resistivity
data are included in Fig. 2 and are in good agree- max._
~ Cp -
ment with the calculated curves. cf } 0.5' 10-5
Q
DENSITY ~ 4
::>
In general, the change in density of porous rocks ~ ~ 6
::>w
UJO::
under pressure is dependent upon the changes in ~ 0.. 8
0::0
pore volume, and changes in the density of the 0..0::
W 10
mineral grains and the contained fluids. In the O::N
W

case of water-saturated sandstones that are sub- ~ e:i 12

::>0 , '.
jected to low or moderate pressure (up to 20,000 z , , '. '.
>-::> 14
I-
psi), one can assume as a first approximation that ~~ 16 EXPERIMENTAL OAT:.... :~.~ •..•••.
changes in the density of the sandstones come O::(f)
00
0.. ~ 18
Cp
mOlt
'Il10 ' ~ SOURCE .............. ~.~.~~ •...•... } 41(10-5
about mainly as a result of a change in pore volume. 0..
o I. I 20.2 TORPEDO .... - __
r,. 1.4 8.7 MEDINA (7\ -(/)=20%
In other words, we can ignore changes in the density ~ 20 ~ 2.0 24.0 HUNTINGTON BEACH ....... cp: 10%
2.2 8,9 SAN JOAQUIN VALlEy(7) ____ cp:: 50/0
of both the rock matrix and the contained water. (;>

~Is 22 '17 3.5 19.9 u "

The following is the equation for the density of 0.25 28.6 SINTER ED ALUMINUM OXIDE(7}

porous rocks, P, with porosity cp, and densities of 240~-L-40~OO~~8~O~O~O-L'~2~P~O~O-L~16~,OO~O~~2~~~O~OO~----~

grains and fluid, Pr and PI' respectively. P, PRESSURE, PSI

FIG. 2 - CALCULATED CURVES OF CHANGES IN
POROSITY VS NET OVERBURDEN PRESSURE COM-
P PI' - (PI' - PI) cp • • . • . • . • • • (11) PARED WITH EXPERIMENTAL DATA.

362 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

because the curves in Fig. 4 have very much the changes in the resistivity of oil or gas sandstones
same shape, for a given sample, at 100 per cent under pressure will not differ significantly from
saturation and irreducible saturation. Thus, it is the changes in the resistivity of 100 per cent water-
believed that changes in resistivity ate primarily de- saturated sandstones.
pendent upon the shrinkage of the smaller pore chan- To investigate the relationship between resistivity
nels which are mostly filled with immobile water. s and pressure, the well known empirical equation
The clay fraction, of course, will control the number between formation factor P and porosity ¢ was used.
of these small channels. Change in resistivity of
porous rock when subjected to overburden pressure (14)
is controlled by pore shape and the presence of
fine materials in the small pores or channels. The
small changes in resistivity obtained with the In this equation, m is the formation resistivity factor
Alundum core under pressure may be explained, exponent, which is an empirical constant that
for instance, by an absence of clay minerals, in depends upon the amount and distribution of cement-
addition to the low compressibility of Alundum. ing materials between sand grains. The porosity of
However it must be pointed out that aluminum a rock under pressure is decreased by /1¢; and,
oxide, from which Alundum core samples are made, according to Fatt, 2 m is increased by the value I'l.m.
has about the same compressibility as quartz and In this case, Eq. 14 can be rewritten as
yet Alundum cores have a lower pore volume com-
pP 1
pressibility than do very clean quartzitic sandstone . . . . . . . (15)
cores. On this basis, it may also be assumed that

o Dividing Eq. 15 by Eq. 14 gives

Q

pP 1
• . • (16)
P

For the sake of simplicity, we can assume with

good approximation that 0-~¢)I'l. m "" 1 and for

1'l.¢\2
14 16 18 m = 2'(TJ "" O. Then,
- ¢ = 20%
iii
a..
..... ¢ = 10% pP 1
8 - - ¢ = 5%
p ( 17)
W-
0::
::J
Ul 12
Ul
W
0::
a.. 16 Using the experimental data obtained on the Medina
Il:"
and Torpedo sandstones, it was possible to cal-
20ller
max .........,..... .........,..... culate the effect of pressure on /1m, as shown in
Cp =0.5lI0-~ I lIO-~
Fig. 5. Additional calculations were made for
other samples taken from the literature,2 and the
FIG. 3 - GRAPH FOR DETERMINING CHANGES IN
POROSITY AND DENSITY AS A FUNCTION OF NET ... MEDINA
OVERBURDEN PRESSURE. • TORPEDO
I SESPE (2)
W 0.24 2
0:: 3
~ ~ 2.2
::JUl
...
'"
MEDINA SANDSTONE, Sw = 100 %
Sw = 32 % (IRREDUCIBLE) 0.20~ 14
18
LYONS (2)
LOWER WILCOX(2)
Ul~ • TORPEDO Sw = 100% 21 ALUNDUM CORE~(2~)~'--1~~~~~--
~ a.. 2.0
0::0 o Sw= 15 %(!RREDUCIBLE)
a.. 0::
w o ALUNDUM CORE FROM FATT'S DATA (2)
0:: N 1.8
~~
;S ~ 1.6
_ -6,- _ -L::J.- _.....6- -
.....6- _-t:::.
>-::J
.... >
~~ 14
~L::.-- -"'-
~i=
UlUl
~ ~ 1.2
0:: 4000 8000 12.000 16.000 20,000
P, PRESSURE, PSI
4000 8000 12,000 16,000 2QOOO
P, PRESSURE, PSI FIG. 5 CHANGE IN FORMATION-RESISTIVITY-
FIG. 4 - RELATIVE RESISTIVITY AS A FUNCTION FACTOR EXPONENT, m, AS A FUNCTION OF NET
OF NET OVERBURDEN PRESSURE. OVERBURDEN PRESSURE.

DECEMBER, 1962 363

results are also included in this figure. equation. 9
Thus, the value of 6.m can be represented as a
function of pressure and lithology. Since it is apparent ~n
from Fig. 5 that the relationships between 6.m and K 2 ~ (2n - 1)
= T? . . . . . . . .
(19)
8n i= 1
P are of similar character, it is possible to dis-
tinguish them by the maximum change in 6.m, which where Ti is the radius of the ith pore channel, and
n is the number of channels. Under a very small
will be defined as~( 6.m~ • The value of difference of pressure, dP, permeability will change
LdP P~O J by dK. This change can be reflected by revising
this maximum change in fl:.m depends upon the number Eq. 19 to
of small conducting channels. It is assumed here (cp _ dcp) 2 n 2
that clay content controls the percentage of small K - dK ~---=-2-'-- ~ (2n - 1) (T i - dTi)
conducting channels. In Fig. 6 is given the relation- 8n i= 1
ship between the maximum change in 6.m with . • • . . • • . (20)
pressure and the clay content, expressed as a per
cent of the total pore space~. Here c is the And, dividing Eq. 20 by Eq. 19,
C+'f' n
fraction of the bulk volume occupied by clay. K _ dK (cp _ dcp) 2 i: pn -1)(Ti - dT;)2
Substituting the value of ~P from Eq. 10 into Eq. n
K ~ (2n - 1) T~
17 and expres sing 6.m as f~, c : ¢} we have i= 1
,
• (21)
pP 1 Since the values dTj/T; are very small under these
P h 1- C p
max
PcP)
tlp _c_~
cp'. c+cpJ
conditions, Eq. 21 can be transformed into

~ l_cpC p
max
PcP) K -dK
K
(18)

The graphs in Fig. 7 were calculated using Eq. • • • • • • . • • • (22)

18 for two different net overburden pressures. These
graphs show the change in the formation factor 10 P"_2.o00 ;5.
1

P P / P under pres sure with increasing relative clay 0.8 </>=YJ 15

s 0.6
content. Fig. 8 shows a comparison of the measured I
u ~ 0.4
values of pP/P with the calculated values as deter- 0.2

mined from Fig. 7 in the range of 2,000 to 18,000

F"
psi. The maximum deviation of these results is F
about ± 10 per cent, and for 85 per cent of the
cases the deviation is less than 5 per cent. FIG. 7-CALCULATED CURVES OF RELATIVE FOR-
MATION FACTOR AS A FUNCTION OF NET OVER-
BURDEN PRESSURE, POROSITY AND RELATIVE
PERMEABILITY CLAY CONTENT.
It may be assumed that changes in permeability
1.8r-----------------------------~
under pressure depend mainly upon the contraction •
of the pore channels. To develop this idea, we o
1.7
shall represent permeability according to Marshall's
1.6
1.0 .....- - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . ,
o
~ 1.5
• ~
en
c(
w 1.4 A
~

't..1'" 1.3
• UNDER p. 2.000 PSI

···
A p. 3,000
1.2 x p. 4,000
0 p. 5,000
0.0 ~ ___ ~ _ _ _......._ _ ____'______J v P. 6,000

··
1.1 0 P'14,OOO
IX10- 5 2X10- 5 3x10- 5 • P'18,OOO
d(Am>]
[ dP P-O
1.1 1.2
FP
1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
CALCULATED
T
FIG. 6 - RELATIVE CLAY CONTENT VS MAXIMUM
CHANGE IN FORMATION-RESISTIVITY-F ACTOR EX- FIG. 8 - COMPARISON OF CALCULATED VALUES OF
PONENT, m, UNDER NET OVERBURDEN PRESSURE. pP/p AND MEASURED VALUES OF pP/P.

364 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

On the assumption that we can make the approxi- the relationship between y and pore size distribution.
mations
VELOCITY OF LONGITUDINAL WAVES
dr.)2 (dcp,\ 2 The velocity of longitudinal waves, V L (em/sec),
(- '
ri avg
",0 and 0, \(fJj '" in an isotropic medium of infinite extent is given by

Eq. 22 can be reduced to

V L '" fO.2 x 10 6 _ 1 _ (1 - a)] ¥.> • • • • • (28)
L (1 + a)J
~-2 ~) ~-2~~tJ ... (23)
pCb
K-dK
K
where C b is the bulk compressibility, psi-I, p is
the density of media, gm/cc, and a is Poisson's
The total pore volume is j n7T (r;3) if n is the ratio. To show the relation between VL and P, the
expressions for Cb and p (which were given by Eqs.
number of pores and if the pores are assumed to 4 and 11) can be substituted into Eq. 28; and, then,
to be spherical. Then dV = 4 n Tf (rj)2 dr; and
dividing through by V gives avg

dr(\ = y dVp = Y C p dP • • . • • • • (24) P

( rj avg I Vp
0.2 x 10 6 log max
P mln
.

where y is an empirical coefficient, which is

necessary because the operations leading to Eq.
24 are not exactly true for any arbitrary pore size
distribution. And if the very small change in bulk
volume can be ignored, we will have from Eq. 5

dcp dV
- = .::...:...J!... '" C p dP • • • • • • • • • • (25)
cp Vp
6r----------------------------,
t--
Substituting Eqs. 24 and 25 into Eq. 23, we obtain
for a small change in permeability; ~ 5
u
u::~
U. N 4
dK W .
2(1+y) C p dP - 4y (C p dP)2 , • • • (26) 00
UW
K 3
-lW
<[W
ucn
and for certain net overburden pressure P, ignoring 0: ~ 2
the second term of Eq. 26 as a very small value, a::
::E

11K p max
W
~
0.33 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
--- ---
- - - - - - - :- -
- '" 2(1 + y) J Cp dP '" 2(I+y) Cp PCP)
2'10- 5 4'10- 5 6'10-5
K 0 °0
mo
• • . • . . • . . • . . (27) Cp •. ,MAXIMUM PORE COMPRESSIBILITY, PSI-I

In general, one would anticipate that the empirical FIG. 9 - EMPIRICAL COEFFICIENT Y VS MAXIMUM
PORE COMPRESSIBILITY.
coefficient y depends upon pore size distribution
and pore compressibility. For a uniform pore size
distribution or for a very high pore compressibility,
the value of y will be close to one-third. An attempt o
has been made in Fig. 9 to show the relationship Q.~ 80
o:N
between y and C max for sandstones with poor ""'0:
~~ 60
sorting. Data from the Torpedo, Basal Tuscaloosa, 10 ::>z
,.. ::>
Southern California 10 and Los Angeles basin 10 5~ 40 o TORPEDO
CD=' o BASAL TUSCALOOSA"O)
sandstones were used in preparing this figure. «ID • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA"O)
~~ 20 "" LOS ANGELES BASIN ''0)
From the relationship of y vs Cpmax given in 0:",

Fig. 9, it is possible to calculate changes in ~~a. I0 0 L-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

permeability as a function of net overburden pressure
using Eq. 27. A comparison of calculated curves
with experimentally determined data is given in
Fig. 10. Unfortunately, sufficient data are not
available to permit a more complete description of
ZOOO 4000 6000 8000 0,000 12,000 14;000 16,000 18,000 2q000
";:1>< P, PRESSURE, PSI
FIG. 10-CALCULATED CURVES SHOWING CHANGES
IN PERMEABILITY OF SANDSTONES AS A FUNCTION
OF NET OVERBURDEN PRESSURE COMPARED WITH
EXPERIMENTAL DATA.

DECEMBER, 1962 365

 IOxI03r---------------------------------~
8 ",:30
u >-
w 6
(f)
"-
ex:
~ 4
w 910
~ 5
>-
f- 2 V • VELOCITY. METER/SEC.
u
o FIG. 12 - CALCULATED CURVES OF LONGITUDINAL
...J
W VELOCITIES AS A FUNCTION OF POROSITY AND NET
> OVERBURDEN PRESSURE. PARAMETERS OF THE
...J I
> 0.8
0.6~~~~~ ______~__~~__~~~~
400 600 (JOO 2000 5000 10,000
P, PRESSURE, PSI
FIG. 11 - CALCULATED CURVES OF LONGITUDINAL
VELOCITIES AS A FUNCTION OF NET OVERBURDEN
PRESSURE.
Fig. 11 shows, as an example, the results of
calculated values of VL vs P according to Eq.
29. The following constants were chosen for this
calculation: P r = 2.65 gm/cc, PI = 1.0 gm/cc., C: ax
= 1.0 x 10-5 psi -1, C r = 2.0 x 10-7 psi -1, P min
= 200 psi, Pmax = 25,000 psi and a = 0.15. Also,
it was assumed that the Poisson's ratio does not
change with pressure, because so far there is no
well known relation between a and P that could
be applied to this type of calculation. Some experi-
mental data obtained by Zisman 11 and Wyllie 12
show that Poisson's ratio increases with pressure.
If Poisson's ratio were to change from 0.15 to 0.20,
as an example, the effect on calculated values of
VL would be as shown by the dashed curves In
Fig. 11.
Eq. 29 can also be used for the calculation of
the relationship between velocity of longitudinal
waves and porosity. The results of these calculations
are given in Fig. 12 for two different net overburden
pressures. Two assumptions were made concerning
the Poisson's ratio: (1) Poisson's ratio does not
change with pressure, and (2) Poisson's ratio
increases with an increase in the pore compressibility
o C max 10-"5 .-1
fromOa = 0'h1 , Cw~~~ P4 0 = 100·~5x . -1 pSI , to
a = .30, w en p =. X pSI.
It is interesting to observe that, regardless of
these assumptions, experimental data of Wyllie, et
al,13 for water-saturated sandstones under pressures
varying from 5,000 to 10,000 psi compare satisfac-
torily with the curves on Fig. 12. With reference to
the graphs for P = 10,000 psi, all of their data will
lie between the curves of C pax 5
= 0.5 x 10- and
1.5 x 1O-5psi- 1. Other data by the same authors, 14
which were obtained at negligible pressure, fall
within the same range of pore compressibilities on
the graphs shown for P = 2,000 psi.
The calculated curves of Fig. 12 also should be
of assistance in determining maximum pore com-
pressibility given appropriate values of ¢ and VL'
Such compressibility data are needed to improve our
understanding of the behavior of sandstones under
pressure. Further work is needed, however, to verify
the relations shown in Fig. 12.
366
35
35 4 2 I 0.5 4 2 I 0.5
.. 30
,:
~ 25 ~ 25
~ 20
If)
:i 20
~ 15 '"
1r 15
910
O~~~-L~~~~
700 1000 2000 5000
CURVES ARE MAXIMUM PORE COMPRESSIBILITY,
Cpu x 10 5 PS:r- 1.
CONCL USIONS
Changes in the physical properties of sandstones
under overburden pressure are determined to a large
extent by the pore compressibility. The pore com-
pressibility of sandstones under pressures in the
range of 0 to 20,000 psi can be characterized by
the maximum pore compressibility and the net
overburden pressure. Several general equations
that describe the main physical properties of
sandstones under pressure were obtained. These
equations permit a better understanding of the
behavior of sandstones under pressure.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author is very grateful to Irving F att of the
Dept. of Mineral Technology, U. of California,
Berkeley, for providing laboratory facilities for the
experimental work, and particularly for his many
useful suggestions during the course of this work.
Also, the author greatly appreciates the efforts of
Paul A. Witherspoon, of the same department, in
editing this paper. Laboratory supplies were pro-
vided by API Grant-in-Aid No. 111.
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