Core-scale heterogeneity and dual-permeability pore structure in the Barnett Shale
| dc.contributor.advisor | Flemings, Peter Barry, 1960- | |
| dc.creator | Cronin, Michael Brett | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-02-02T16:04:19Z | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-01-22T22:27:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-01-22T22:27:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014-12 | en |
| dc.date.submitted | December 2014 | en |
| dc.date.updated | 2015-02-02T16:04:20Z | en |
| dc.description | text | en |
| dc.description.abstract | I present a stratigraphically layered dual-permeability model composed of thin, alternating, high (~9.2 x 10⁻²⁰ m²) and low (~3.0 x 10⁻²² m²) permeability layers to explain pressure dissipation observed during pulse-decay permeability testing on an intact Barnett Shale core. I combine both layer parallel and layer perpendicular measurements to estimate layer permeability and layer porosity. Micro-computed x-ray tomography and scanning electron microscopy confirm the presence of alternating cm-scale layers of silty-claystone and organic-rich claystone. I interpret that the silty-claystone has a permeability of 9.2 x 10⁻²⁰ m² (92 NanoDarcies) and a porosity of 1.4% and that the organic-rich claystone has a permeability of 3.0 x 10⁻²² m² (0.3 NanoDarcies) and a porosity of 14%. A layered architecture explains the horizontal (k [subscript H] = 107 x 10⁻²¹ m²) to vertical (k [subscript V] = 2.3 x 10⁻²¹ m²) permeability anisotropy ratio observed in the Barnett Shale. These core-scale results suggest that spacing between high-permeability carrier beds can influence resource recovery in shales at the reservoir-scale. I also illustrate the characteristic pulse-decay behavior of core samples with multiple mutually-orthogonal fracture planes, ranging from a single planar fracture to the Warren and Root (1963) "sugar cube" model with three mutually-orthogonal fracture sets. By relating sub core-scale matrix heterogeneity to core-scale gas transport, this work is a step towards upscaling experimental permeability results to describe in-situ gas flow through matrix at the reservoir scale. | en |
| dc.description.department | Geological Sciences | en |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2152/28229 | en |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.subject | Permeability | en |
| dc.subject | Core analysis | en |
| dc.title | Core-scale heterogeneity and dual-permeability pore structure in the Barnett Shale | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |