Chapter 2 – Petrophysics (Part 1) PEB2044
Checking your understanding
1. Describe and define porosity and pore volume
2. There are relationships between porosity, 𝜙, bulk volume, 𝑣𝑏 , grain volume,
𝑣𝑔 , and pore volume, 𝑣𝑝 .
𝜙𝑣𝑔
a. Show that 𝑣𝑝 = (1−𝜙)
𝑣𝑔
b. Show that 𝑣 = (1 − 𝜙)
𝑏
3. Differentiate effective porosity and total porosity.
4. Explain the following terms
a. Grain packing
b. Grain shape
c. Grain sorting
d. Cementation and compaction
5. Describe how the factors mentioned above affect porosity.
6. Determine the porosity of porous media containing uniform size spherical
grain with the following packing.
a. Simple cubic
b. Body centred cubic
c. Face centred cubic
7. Define void ratio.
𝑒
8. Show that 𝜙 = 1+𝑒.
𝜙
9. Show that 𝑒 = 1−𝜙.
1
10. Determine the porosity of a rock if the void ratio, 𝑒 = 3.
11. Determine the void ratio of a rock if the, 𝜙 = 0.25
12. Given the bulk volume of a rock sample is 100 cc. The grain volume is 80 cc.
Determine the void ratio, 𝑒 and the porosity, 𝜙 of the rock.
13. Estimate the grain density of a dry rock sample with bulk volume 100 cc, grain
volume 80 cc and bulk density 2.12 g/cc.
14. Given the porosity of a rock sample is 0.15. The rock is fully saturated with
brine of density 1.05 g/cc. If the mass of the rock is 481 g and the volume is
200 cc, determine the grain volume.
15. Show that 𝑑𝑉𝑏 = 𝑑𝑉𝑝
Chapter 2 – Petrophysics (Part 1) PEB2044
16. Show that percentage of change of bulk volume in terms of porosity 𝛿𝑉𝑏 ,
(Change of bulk volume per unit original bulk volume) in terms of porosity
before compaction, 𝜙1 , and porosity after compaction, 𝜙2 , can be written as
1 − 𝜙1
𝛿𝑉𝑏 = 1 −
1 − 𝜙2
17. Show that the decrease in porosity per unit of the original bulk volume can be
expressed as
𝛿𝑒
𝛿𝜙 =
1 + 𝑒0
𝜕𝜙
Where, 𝛿𝜙 = ,
𝜙
𝜕𝑒
𝛿𝑒 = 𝑒
𝑒0 is the original void ratio
18. Prove that the maximum possible porosity of a granular porous medium is
47.6%? At what conditions this state can be achieved?
Effective porosity is that portion of the total void space of a porous material that is capable of
transmitting a fluid. Total porosity is the ratio of the total void volume to the total bulk volume.
Porosity ratios traditionally are multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percent
Packing refers to the distribution of grains and intergranular spaces (either empty or filled with
cement or fine-grained matrix) in a sedimentary rock
Grain shape is a key factor affecting the mechanical properties of
granular materials
Sorting describes the distribution of grain size of sediments, either in
unconsolidated deposits or in sedimentary rocks grain
Compaction is when sediment is pushed together by the weight of water and
other sediment pushing down on it. Cementation is the last stage in the cycle
and happens when sediment is glued together by minerals such as silica and
calcium carbonate as the minerals infiltrate pore space between compacted
sediment
The theoretical maximum porosity for a cubic packed rock made of
spherical grains of a uniform size is 0.4764, and is independent of grain
siz
The theoretical maximum porosity for a cubic packed rock made of spherical grains of a uniform
size is 0.4764, and is independent of grain size
possible density of (hexagonal close packed or face centered cubic)
The void ratio of a mixture is the ratio of the volume of voids to volume of solids
