Pore systems
Rocks can be classified on the basis of their pore geometry into four major pore categories that can be divided into ten subcategories. Extensive experience and laboratory analysis show that these pore type categories have a particular behavior when interacting with fluids that can be used to predict the behavior of reservoir systems over time.
Pore geometry is categorized as intergranular, intercrystalline, vuggy/moldic, or fracture. Pore throat sizes are categorized into mega-, macro-, meso-, and micro-pore types. Combining both pore geometry and port type into a classification scheme is an effective method of describing pore systems. For example, a very fine-grained sandstone might be classified as having intergranular mesoporosity or a limestone as having vuggy macroporosity.
Table 1 describes a typical rock type for each pore type in the classification.
Pore geometry/port type | Archie | Non-Archie | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intergranular/interparticle | Intercrystalline | Clay cemented | Vuggy | Fracture | |
Mega/macro | Clean, coarse sandstone or carbonate grainstone |
|
Chlorite or illite cemented (pore lining) coarse sandstone | Connected vugs or vugs in a crystalline matrix | Fracture width >50µ |
Meso | Clean, coarse silt to very fine sandstone or carbonate grainstone |
|
|
Poorly connected vugs or vugs/oomolds in a fine to medium crystalline matrix | Fracture width 5-50µ |
Micro | Clean clay-size to fine siltstone or clay-size carbonate |
|
Sandstone with clay in pore throats | Disbursed vugs in microcrystalline matrix | Fracture width <5µ |