Fluid Mobility Evaluation of Tight Sandstones in Chang 7 Member of Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin

Abstract

Fluid mobility has been important topic for unconventional reservoir evaluation. The tight sandstones in Chang 7 Member of the Ordos Basin has been selected to investigate the fluid mobility based on the application of core flooding-NMR combined method and core centrifugation-NMR combined method, and the porous structure is studied using optical microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), CT and mercury injection. Our results include: (i) Feldsparrock fragments dissolution pores, calcite dissolution pores, clay mineral dissolution pores, intergranular dissolution expansion pores, inter-granular pores, intra-kaolinite pores, and intra-illite/smectite mixed layer pores are developed in Chang 7 tight sandstones; 3D CT pore structure shows that the pore connectivity is positively related to physical properties, and the overall storage space is connected by the throat with diameter between 0.2 and 0.3 µm. The percentage of storage space connected by throats with diameter less than 100 nm can reach more than 35%. (ii) Movable fluid saturation of Chang 7 tight sandstones is between 10% and 70%, and movable oil saturation is between 10% and 50%. Movable fluid saturation may cause misunderstanding when used to evaluate fluid mobility, so it is recommended to use movable fluid porosity in the evaluation of fluid mobility. The porosity ranging from 5% to 8% is the inflection point of the fluidity and pore structure. For samples with porosity less than 8%, the movable fluid porosity is generally less than 5%. Moreover, the movable fluid is mainly concentrated in the storage space with a throat diameter of 0.1 to 1 µm. For samples with porosity greater than 8%, the porosity of the movable fluid is more than 5%, and the movable fluid is mainly concentrated in the storage space with a throat diameter of 0.2 to 2 µm. (iii) The movable fluid saturation measured by core flooding-NMR combined method is generally higher than that measured by core centrifugation-NMR combined method. The former can evaluate the mobility of the oil-water two-phase fluid in samples, while the latter can better reflect the pore structure and directly evaluate the movable fluid in the pore system controlled by different throat diameters. All these results will provide valuable reference for fluid mobility evaluation in tight reservoirs.

Keywords

tight oil / shale oil / unconventional petroleum accumulation / nano-pores / movable oil

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