COMPRESSIBILITY OF

RESERVOIR ROCKS
Porosity is reduced by compaction
Porosity reduction is determined by maximum
burial depth
Principal effects are:
Changes in packing
Pressure solution
Recrystallization
Deformation of rock fragments
Compaction effects are not reversed by
erosional unroofing (hysteresis effect)

COMPACTION OF SEDIMENTS
MECHANICS OF COMPACTION
Modified from Jonas and McBride, 1977
Platy Grains
(e.g., clays)
Non-Platy Grains
(e.g., qtz., feldspar)
Rotation and Closer
Packing
Ductile Grain
Deformation
Breakage of
Brittle Grains
Pressure Solution
At Grain
Contacts
Ductile Framework
Grain, e.g., Shale Rock
Fragment)
Relationship of Original Formation
Porosity to Overburden Pressure
50
Overburden pressure, psi
30
40
20
10
0
0 1,000 3,000 2,000 4,000 5,000 6,000
Sandstones
Shales
Isothermal Compressibility
General Definition
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)
Increasing pressure causes volume of material to
decrease (compression) - e.g. reservoir fluids
Decreasing pressure causes volume of material to
increase (expansion) - e.g. reservoir fluids
Isothermal Compressibility
General Equation

C: Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility
ALWAYS positive value
oilfield units: 1/psia
V: Volume
oilfield units: ft
3

p: Pressure exerted on material
oilfield units: psia
Negative sign in equation determined by cV/cp term, to
force the coefficient C to be positive
Volume is a function of pressure only (temperature is
constant, and amount of material is constant)
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
=
p
V
V
1
C
Formation Compressibility
Importance
Formation compressibility can have a significant impact
on reservoir performance
Subsidence can have significant environmental impact
Types
Matrix Compressibility ( C
m
): relative change in
volume of solid rock material (grain volume) per unit
pressure change (usually C
m
~ 0).
Pore Compressibility ( C
f
): relative change in pore
volume per unit pressure change.
Bulk Compressibility ( C
b
): relative change in bulk
volume per unit pressure change ( usually AV
b
~ AV
p
).
Significant decrease in bulk volume can cause
subsidence.
FORMATION COMPRESSIBILITY
FO
FM FF
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
=
p
V
V
1
C
p
p
f
Under static conditions, downward
overburden force must be balanced by
upward forces of the matrix and fluid in
pores
2. Thus:

p p p
F F F
m o
f m o
+ =
+ =
AND
3.
1.
As fluids are produced from reservoir, fluid pressure (p) usually
decreases while overburden is constant, and:
(a) force on matrix increases ( net compaction pressure,
p
m
=p
o
-p)
(b) bulk volume decreases, and
(c) pore volume decreases.
4.
Pressure Gradients,
Normal Reservoirs:
dp
o
/dZ = 1.0 psia/ft
dp/dZ = 0.465 psia/ft

Formation Compressibility
Equation

C
f
: Formation Compressibility (Pore Volume Comp.)
ALWAYS positive value
oilfield units: 1/psia
V
p
: Pore volume
oilfield units: ft
3

p: Pressure of fluid in pores
oilfield units: psia
Positive sign in equation determined by cV
p
/cp term, to
force C
f
to be positive
Pore volume is function of pressure only (temperature
is constant, amount of reservoir rock is constant)
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
=
p
V
V
1
C
p
p
f
Subsidence and Bulk Compressibility
- Process of subsidence
- Bulk volume decreases as fluids are produced
- Area is constant
- Formation thickness decreases (causing subsidence of strata above)
- Porosity: | = V
p
/V
b
= 1-(V
m
/V
b
); where V
b
=V
p
+V
m
- Net compaction pressure: p
m
= p
o
- p
- Overburden (p
o
) is constant dp
m
= -dp
- As net compaction pressure increases
- Bulk volume decreases; C
b
= -1/V
b
(cV
b
/cp
m
)
- Pore volume decreases; C
f
= -1/V
p
(cV
p
/cp
m
)
- Matrix volume decreases; C
m
= -1/V
m
(cV
m
/cp
m
)
- Substituting from definitions above
- C
b
= (-1/V
b
) [(cV
p
/cp
m
) + (cV
m
/cp
m
)

]
- C
b
= (-1/V
b
) [(- C
f
V
p
) + (- C
m
V
m
)]
- C
b
= |C
f
+ (1-|)C
m
; usually C
m
<< C
f
Formation Compressibility
Calculation of Pore Volume Change

Separate


and Integrate


Two common approaches for constant value of C
f

Exact Integration
1st Order Approximation


p
p
f
V
V
1
p C d d =
} }
=
p2
p1
2
1
V
V
p
p
p
p
f
V
V
1
p C d d
Formation Compressibility
Pore Volume Change - Continued

Exact Integration


Exponentiating (Inverse of Natural Logarithm) and rearranging


OR
| | | |
p2
p1
2
1
V
V
p
p
p f
) V ln( p C =
) p (p C
p1 p2
1 2 f
e V V

=
| | 1 e V V
) p (p C
p1 p
1 2 f
= A

Formation Compressibility
Pore Volume Change - Continued

1st Order Approximation


| | ) p (p C 1 V V
) p (p C V V
p p
V V
V
1
C
p
V
V
1
p
V
V
1
C
1 2 f p1 p2
1 2 f p1 p
1 2
p1 p2
p1
f
p
p
p
p
f
+ =
= A
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
~
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
d
d
Laboratory Determination of C
f

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
Remember that the net compaction pressure on the
matrix is the difference between the overburden
and pore pressures
This allows us to obtain useful results in the laboratory
Laboratory Determination of C
f

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
p
confining

Hysteresis Effect - Formation Compressibility
Hysteresis: The lagging of an effect behind its cause, as when the
change in magnetism of a body lags behind changes in the
magnetic field. (definition from dictionary.com, 2002)
Hysteresis is used by Petroleum Engineers to describe the effects
of path dependence and irreversibilities we observe in reservoir
behavior
For example, if we decrease reservoir pressure from initial conditions, pore
volume decreases. If we then increase reservoir pressure back to the initial
pressure, pore volume does not increase all the way back to the initial pore
volume.
P
o
r
e

V
o
l
u
m
e

Pore Pressure
Initial
Conditions