Pore-scale simulations help in overcoming laboratory limitations with unconsolidated rock material: A multi-step reconstruction based on scanning electron and optical microscopy data

This article explores the possibility to assess the flow and transport properties of loosely consolidated rock material—something that is very hard or impossible to achieve in the laboratory due to fragility of cores. We present two cases of weakly consolidated and unconsolidated rocks. We provide a solution based on pore-scale simulations and stochastic reconstructions using scanning electron (SEM) and grain optical microscopy images as input data. The hybrid reconstruction approach is based on 3D grain shape construction out of 2D optical images, packing of grains to match the target porosity measured from SEM imaging, and addition of clay and other cementing phases with the help of phase-recovery method. Note that standard digital rock protocol based on X-ray microtomography did not work for considered samples due to fine-grained particle size distribution (insufficient resolution of X-ray microtomography). After creation of 3D digital replicas of rock samples based on their SEM and optical microscopy images, we applied pore-scale modeling to obtain permeability and two-phase flow properties. Simulated permeability of 259 mD for the first sample was in surprisingly good agreement with laboratory measurements of 248 mD. For the second sample permeabilities deviated by an order of magnitude. After additional studies it was found that the mesh attached to the sample during measurements affected the results. After pore-scale simulations of the grain packing with the mesh we were able to achieve very good agreement with the experiment, confirming that the lab was basically exploring the properties of the mesh clogged with unconsolidated rock material. Thus, pore-scale hybrid rock structure reconstruction technique combined with pore-scale simulations was able to correct inaccurate laboratory assessment and obtain flow properties for unconsolidated rock sample. We believe the developed hybrid reconstruction technique to be robust enough to serve as a basis of the industrial technology for petrophysical studies of weakly and unconsolidated core material.