Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin
The physical properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs are important factors affecting the percolation ability of the reservoirs. Tight-sand reservoirs exhibit complex pore throat connectivity due to the extensive development of micro- and nano-scale pore and throat systems. Characterizing the microscopi...
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Energy Geoscience |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000095 |
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| author | Junlong Liu Xiangchun Zhang |
| author_facet | Junlong Liu Xiangchun Zhang |
| author_sort | Junlong Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The physical properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs are important factors affecting the percolation ability of the reservoirs. Tight-sand reservoirs exhibit complex pore throat connectivity due to the extensive development of micro- and nano-scale pore and throat systems. Characterizing the microscopic properties of these reservoirs using nondestructive, quantitative methods serves as an important means to determine the characteristics of microscopic pores and throats in tight-sand reservoirs and the mechanism behind the influence of these characteristics on reservoir porosity and permeability. In this study, a low-permeability sandstone sample and two tight sandstone samples collected from the Ordos Basin were nondestructively tested using high-resolution nano-CT technology to quantitively characterize their microscopic pore throat structures and model them three-dimensionally (in 3D) based on CT threshold differences and gray models. A thorough analysis and comparison reveal that the three samples exhibit a certain positive correlation between their porosity and permeability but the most important factor affecting both porosity and permeability is the microscopic pore throat structure. Although the number of pores in tight sandstones shows a minor impact on their porosity, large pores (more than 20 μm) contribute predominantly to porosity, suggesting that the permeability of tight sandstones is controlled primarily by large pore throats. For these samples, higher permeability corresponds to larger average throat sizes. Therefore, throats with average radii greater than 2 μm can significantly improve the permeability of tight sandstones. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d0fb154c64e446e877acb1f40d1be91 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-7592 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
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| series | Energy Geoscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d0fb154c64e446e877acb1f40d1be912025-08-20T02:35:36ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Energy Geoscience2666-75922025-06-016210038810.1016/j.engeos.2025.100388Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos BasinJunlong Liu0Xiangchun Zhang1College of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal University, GuiZhou, 563006, China; Corresponding author.College of Biology and Agriculture, Zunyi Normal University, GuiZhou, 563006, ChinaThe physical properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs are important factors affecting the percolation ability of the reservoirs. Tight-sand reservoirs exhibit complex pore throat connectivity due to the extensive development of micro- and nano-scale pore and throat systems. Characterizing the microscopic properties of these reservoirs using nondestructive, quantitative methods serves as an important means to determine the characteristics of microscopic pores and throats in tight-sand reservoirs and the mechanism behind the influence of these characteristics on reservoir porosity and permeability. In this study, a low-permeability sandstone sample and two tight sandstone samples collected from the Ordos Basin were nondestructively tested using high-resolution nano-CT technology to quantitively characterize their microscopic pore throat structures and model them three-dimensionally (in 3D) based on CT threshold differences and gray models. A thorough analysis and comparison reveal that the three samples exhibit a certain positive correlation between their porosity and permeability but the most important factor affecting both porosity and permeability is the microscopic pore throat structure. Although the number of pores in tight sandstones shows a minor impact on their porosity, large pores (more than 20 μm) contribute predominantly to porosity, suggesting that the permeability of tight sandstones is controlled primarily by large pore throats. For these samples, higher permeability corresponds to larger average throat sizes. Therefore, throats with average radii greater than 2 μm can significantly improve the permeability of tight sandstones.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000095Tight reservoirNano-CTPermeabilityOrdos Basin |
| spellingShingle | Junlong Liu Xiangchun Zhang Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin Energy Geoscience Tight reservoir Nano-CT Permeability Ordos Basin |
| title | Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin |
| title_full | Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin |
| title_fullStr | Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin |
| title_short | Quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight-sand reservoirs using nano-CT technology: A case study of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin |
| title_sort | quantitative characterization of permeability heterogeneity of tight sand reservoirs using nano ct technology a case study of the yanchang formation ordos basin |
| topic | Tight reservoir Nano-CT Permeability Ordos Basin |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000095 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT junlongliu quantitativecharacterizationofpermeabilityheterogeneityoftightsandreservoirsusingnanocttechnologyacasestudyoftheyanchangformationordosbasin AT xiangchunzhang quantitativecharacterizationofpermeabilityheterogeneityoftightsandreservoirsusingnanocttechnologyacasestudyoftheyanchangformationordosbasin |