Energy & Mineral Engineering: Petroleum Geology Brooke Abrams Jesus Ramos Austin Jacob Aaron Womack SEEMS Team K

Why study Petroleum Geology? Shortage in natural resources Majority come from rocks Hypothesis: Fluid flow through fractured porous media is greater than fluid flow through unfractured porous media

Fluid Flow through Porous Media Fluids – Gas Natural Gas CO 2 – Liquids Water Oil Porous Media – Sand – Soils – Rocks Sedimentary Rocks – Limestone – Shale – Sandstone – Coal

Alluvial Environment RAIN Ocean Organics/soils Sandstone Limestone/Shale Boulders Stone Organic Detritus ShaleCoal Dead Sea Life Sand Beach Swamps

Porosity Sorting Definition: Measure of pore space in porous media. Packing Grain Shape High Low

Helium Porosimeter Boyle’s Law: Relation of P & V Pressure readings to get Volume measurements

Darcy’s Law Q= Flow Rate [cc/s] K= Permeability [D] ∆P= Difference in Pressure [atm] For Liquid Flow Relates Rocks and Fluid Properties to Pressure Difference and Flow rate = Viscosity [cP] L= Length [cm]

Absolute Permeability Experiment Bead Pack Experiment:  Set up  Vacuum  Pump  Measure Set: Flow Rate (Q) Measure: Pressure Difference (∆P )

Absolute Permeability Results ∆P (psi)∆P (atm)Q (mL/mn)Q (cm 3 /s)QµL = Slope

Gas Permeability (P 1 ) Higher Pressure (V 1 ) Smaller Volume Gas flows from high to low P Gas expands from high to low P Boyle’s Law Darcy’s Law Porous Media (P 2 ) Lower Pressure (V 2 ) Larger Volume Boyle’s Law P 1 V 1 =P 2 V 2

Gas Permeameter Measure: ∆P Measure: Q

Measurements Made Unfractured RockFractured Rock ∆P [atm]Q [cc/sec]K [D] ∆P [atm]Q [cc/sec]K [D] Average K: Unfractured Average K: Fractured 1.44 [D]1.74 [D]

Example: Sandstone IMPROVEMENT FROM FRACTURE: 0.30 [D] Example: Shale What does this mean? Fractured increase can be applied to any rock! Average K: Unfractured Average K: Fractured 1.44 [D]1.74 [D] Average K: Unfractured Average K: Fractured [D] [D]

Effects Positive Economical Natural Gas produces less Carbon Emissions Vast domestic reserves Negative

Acknowledgements College of Earth & Mineral Sciences Dr. Zuleima Karpyn Chris Landry Alton Aydin Ms. Jody Markley Mr. Derek James

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