Preliminary Study of Effective Pore Connectivity Index (EPCI) to Detect Impermeable Layers in Porous Rock
Budi Dharmala Saputra (a*), Fourier Dzar Eljabbar Latief(a)

(a) Physics of Complex Systems, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bandung Institute of Technology, Jalan Ganesha 10, 40132, Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

This study investigates the use of EPCI, a computationally calculated parameter, to predict pore connectivity in 3D digital rock samples. EPCI is used as an initial screening tool to determine whether rock samples are permeable or impermeable. This screening is useful in the processing of digital rock samples that will have their permeability calculated using the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). LBM implemented in the Palabos library has been found to be unsuccessful in determining if a sample is impermeable. The study starts by using EPCI to verify simple cases consist of simple pipe models with predetermined connectivity at certain direction. EPCI is then tested on actual rock samples. The rock sample images used vary in levels of connectivity. To demonstrate that EPCI is able to detect the presence of an impermeable layer, a model of impermeable layer is added into a real sample. The results of the study show that the EPCI algorithm can be used to calculate the connectivity between pores in rock samples with good connectivity and can detect the presence of impermeable layers in rock samples.

Keywords: EPCI, permeability, pore connectivity, impermeable layer

Topic: EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC, AND SPACE SCIENCE