Advances in Computed Tomography for Geomaterials: GeoX 2010

3D and Geometric Information of the Pore Structure in Pressurized Clastic Sandstone

M. Takahashi¹ — M. Kato² — A. Changwan³ — Y. Urushimatsu¹ — Y. Michiguchi¹ — H. Park¹

¹Advanced Industrial Science and Technology1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki [e-mail]

 

²Hokkaido UniversityFaculty and Graduate School of EngineeringKita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, [e-mail]

 

³Saitama UniversityGraduate School of Science and Engineering255, Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, Saitama, [e-mail]

ABSTRACT. The three-dimensional geometry and connectivity of pore space play a fundamental role in governing fluid transport properties of porous media. The spatial and three-dimensional information of pore geometry is difficult to obtain under air and pressurized conditions. To quantify the flow-relevant geometric properties of the pore structure in clastic sandstone, we introduce the three-dimensional medial axis (3DMA) method. We verified the applicability of the 3DMA method for glass beads aggregate as porous material. We present the effect of the hydrostatic pressure on permeability using the transient pulse method and giving a quantitative characterization of pore distributions in intact clastic sandstone and clastic sandstone pressurized to 25 MPa.

 

KEYWORDS: pore, throat, 3-dimentional geometry, permeability, tortuosity, medial axis

1. Introduction

Sedimentary rocks are named and classified ...