Thermal conductivity calculation from P-wave velocity and porosity assessment for sandstone reservoir rocks

Abstract

Abstract Empirical relationships between thermal conductivity (TC) and other petrophysical properties depend on local conditions such as the type of diagenesis for the rocks. Therefore, we studied sandstone core samples obtained from two different geographic locations, geological provinces and ages. The relationships between thermal conductivity and other petrophysical properties have been analyzed for sedimentary sandstone sequences of both the Bahariya (Upper Cretaceous, Egypt) and the Szolnok (Miocene-Pliocene, Hungary) formations. We approved three reliable regression petrophysical models ( El Sayed, 2011 ) connected to these formations that permit us (R 2 ranges from 0.74 up to 0.92) to build an innovative nomography. It predicts rock thermal conductivity from either seismic, logging or laboratory data such as rock porosity (O) and longitudinal seismic wave velocity (Vp). A regression analysis of thermal conductivity measured data for dry (λ d ) and water saturated (λ s ) rock samples yields very moral opportunity (R 2 = 0.80 for average, and 0.60 for all data) to estimate thermal conductivity (λ s) with an average accuracy of better than 0.2 (W /m K). The results can be used to infer thermal conductivity for boreholes without appropriate core data that are drilled in a similar geological setting. The present nomography is verified by laboratory measured thermal conductivity data for dry and saturated sandstone core samples. These samples are collected among five wells ( Lionel et al., 2015) in Perth Basin, Western Australia (Jurassic in age) and Soultz-sous-Forets Basin, Eastern France (Permian – Triassic). The obtained predicted thermal conductivity data (λ d and λ S ) by using the present models are close to the measured data values and confirmed by reliable and robust (R 2 ranges from 0.80 up to 0.93) coefficient of correlations.