Modified approach to estimate effective porosity using density and neutron logging data in conventional and unconventional reservoirs

Abstract

Porosity is a critical petrophysical parameter that governs storage capacity in reservoirs. Despite the introduction of various techniques to assess pore structure, the complexity of rock components and the wide range of pore types have led to limitations in accurately evaluating porosity, particularly in clay-dominant reservoirs. Discrepancies and inconsistencies remain among different analytical calculation methods. Determining porosity using neutron and density logs is especially challenging in the presence of clay minerals and hydrocarbon saturation, particularly gas. Gas saturation reduces rock density, while in clay-dominant formations, neutron logs often indicate excessively high porosity due to the water content in clays. The impact of clay-bound water on rock porosity is still not fully accounted for. This study proposes a modified method for estimating porosity in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs, addressing the effect of clay-bound water on porosity calculations. The proposed method incorporates the rock's composition through its response observed in the neutron and density logs. Analytical equations are formulated to account for the influence of clay-bound water on these logs, and porosity is estimated. To validate the methodology, it was applied to two wells in organic shale reservoirs and one well in a conventional reservoir. The proposed porosity estimation method produced results that closely aligned with previously established methods, demonstrating consistency across all three wells with minimal deviations. This method offers broad applicability for exploration and exploitation in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.