Pore system fundamentals

Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps
Series	Treatise in Petroleum Geology
Part	Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps
Chapter	Predicting reservoir system quality and performance
Author	Dan J. Hartmann, Edward A. Beaumont
Link	Web page
Store	AAPG Store

Porosity consists of relatively large voids, or pores, distributed among smaller passages called pore throats. A pore system is an aggregate of pores and pore throats that shares a similar morphology. These elements play a role in determining reservoir and seal petrophysics (the characteristic way that oil, gas, and water move through rocks). Figure 1 shows typical 3-D pore system geometries found in intergranular, intercrystalline, vuggy, or fractured rocks.

Figure 1 Typical 3-D pore system geometries found in intergranular, intercrystalline, vuggy, or fractured rocks. Copyright: Coalson et al.; courtesy RMAG.

Critical elements of pore-system geometry

The pores of a rock occur between grains or crystals, in fractures, or in vugs. A rock's storage capacity is controlled by the size and number of pores. A rock's permeability (flow capacity) is controlled by the size, shape, and number of the pore throats (connections) per pore. Four critical elements of the geometry of a rock's pore system are

• Pore system shapes
• Pore and pore throat sizes
• Pore connectivity
• Ratio of pore throats to pores

See also

• Pore systems
• Pore system shapes
• Pore and pore throat sizes
• Pore throat size and connectivity
• Capillary pressure (Pc) curves: pore throat size determination

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