Scale-Dependent Nature of Porosity and Pore Size Distribution in Lacustrine Shales: An Investigation by BIB-SEM and X-Ray CT Methods

Junqian Li; Pengfei Zhang; Shuangfang Lu; Chen Chen; Haitao Xue; Siyuan Wang; Wenbiao Li

doi:10.1007/s12583-018-0835-z

Volume 30 Issue 4

Aug 2019

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Journal of Earth Science > 2019 > 30(4): 823-833.

Junqian Li, Pengfei Zhang, Shuangfang Lu, Chen Chen, Haitao Xue, Siyuan Wang, Wenbiao Li. Scale-Dependent Nature of Porosity and Pore Size Distribution in Lacustrine Shales: An Investigation by BIB-SEM and X-Ray CT Methods. Journal of Earth Science, 2019, 30(4): 823-833. doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0835-z

Citation:

Junqian Li, Pengfei Zhang, Shuangfang Lu, Chen Chen, Haitao Xue, Siyuan Wang, Wenbiao Li. Scale-Dependent Nature of Porosity and Pore Size Distribution in Lacustrine Shales: An Investigation by BIB-SEM and X-Ray CT Methods. Journal of Earth Science, 2019, 30(4): 823-833. doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0835-z

Citation:

Junqian Li, Pengfei Zhang, Shuangfang Lu, Chen Chen, Haitao Xue, Siyuan Wang, Wenbiao Li. Scale-Dependent Nature of Porosity and Pore Size Distribution in Lacustrine Shales: An Investigation by BIB-SEM and X-Ray CT Methods. Journal of Earth Science, 2019, 30(4): 823-833. doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0835-z

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Scale-Dependent Nature of Porosity and Pore Size Distribution in Lacustrine Shales: An Investigation by BIB-SEM and X-Ray CT Methods

doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0835-z

School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum(East China), Qingdao 266580, China

Funds:

the Research Project Funded by the SI-NOPEC Corp. P17027-3

the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China 17CX06036

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 41572122

the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China 15CX02086A

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 41672130

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 41602131

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 41330313

the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China 17CX02074

More Information

Corresponding author: Shuangfang Lu
Received Date: 15 Apr 2017
Accepted Date: 09 Oct 2017
Publish Date: 01 Aug 2019

Abstract

Abstract

Due to heterogeneous pore distributions within shales, petrophysical properties of shales determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) methods strongly depend on the observed domain size (analysis scale). In this paper, the influence of the analysis scale on areal and bulk porosities and pore size distribution (PSD) for lacustrine shales from the Dongying sag of Bohai Bay Basin, China were investigated using broad ion beam (BIB)-SEM and X-ray CT methods. The BIB-SEM cross-sections with high imaging resolution (10 nm/pixel) and a large field of view (>1 mm²) mainly describe the 2D nanoscale pore system in the two shales (samples F41#-2 and Y556#-1), while CT-based 3D reconstructions with resolutions of 0.42 (F41#-1) and 0.5 μm/pixel (H172#-1) reflect the 3D sub-micron pore system. The results indicate that the areal (bulk) porosity exhibits a multiple power-law distribution with increasing analysis area (volume), which can be used to extrapolate the porosity of a given area (volume). Based on SEM and CT investigations, the sizes of the minimum representative elementary areas (REAs) and volumes (REVs) were determined respectively, which are closely associated with the heterogeneousness of the pore system. Minimum REAs are proposed to be 2.93×10⁴ (F41#-2) and 0.91×10⁴ μm² (Y556#-1), and minimum REVs are 0.016 (F41#-1) and 0.027 mm³ (H172#-1). As the analyzed areas (volumes) are larger than the minimum REA (REV), obtained 2D (3D) PSDs are comparable to each other and can be considered to reflect the shale PSD. These results provide insights into the porosity and PSD characterization of shales by SEM and X-ray CT methods.
- lacustrine shale,
- porosity,
- pore size distribution,
- BIB-SEM,
- X-ray CT

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References(48)

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