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Measurement of ultralow permeability
Author(s) -
Ramakrishnan T. S.,
Supp Michael G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.15094
Subject(s) - permeameter , porosity , permeability (electromagnetism) , porous medium , gas pycnometer , helium , adsorption , materials science , mechanics , biological system , chemistry , composite material , geology , physics , soil science , biochemistry , organic chemistry , hydraulic conductivity , membrane , biology , soil water
A permeability measurement method based on perturbed pressure decay between a source and a sink communicating through a porous medium is formulated. Nonideality of gas as well as corrections due to adsorption are considered. The method allows us to infer permeability at a given rock and fluid state. The accuracy of the method may be evaluated through comparison with theoretical decay characteristics and its modal amplitudes. A quantitative evaluation of the experimental inference is therefore possible. Based on the pressure decay theory, an apparatus built in our laboratory for measuring permeability is presented. As a secondary output, data analysis also provides porosity. The lowest permeability that the present apparatus is capable of characterizing is about 0.3 nm 2 , and with additional improvements, capability down to 0.05 nm 2 is anticipated. Where a steady‐state permeameter is pragmatic, excellent agreement between the two measurements is showed, validating the method. Measurements in synthetic samples also show that the method is accurate. Porosity data from a standard helium pycnometer confirm the porosity obtained from the decay method. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 62: 1278–1293, 2016