The evaluation of permeability in reservoir assessment is a complex problem. Thus, it is diffi cult to perform direct evaluation permeability with conventional well-logging methods. Considering that reservoir permeability signifi cantly affects mud invasion during drilling, we derive a mathematical model to assess the reservoir permeability based on mud invasion. A numerical model is fi rst used to simulate the process of mud invasion and mud cake growth. Then, based on Darcy's law, an approximation is derived to associate the depth of mud invasion with reservoir permeability. A mathematical model is constructed to evaluate the reservoir permeability as a function of the mud invasion depth in time-lapse logging. Sensitivity analyses of the reservoir porosity, permeability, and water saturation are performed, and the results suggest that the proposed model and method are well suited for oil layers or oil-water layers of low porosity and low permeability. Numerical simulations using fi eld logging and coring data suggest that the evaluated and assumed permeability data agree, validating the proposed model and method.
Natural gas hydrates were discovered in the Muli area of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost, which is an area of alpine permafrost in the midlatitudes. Resistivity models were employed to understand the distribution and accumulation mechanism of gas hydrates in the Muli area, as these models are suitable for use in detecting the presence and amount of pore-and fracture-filling gas hydrates in consolidated rocks, and geophysical logs were used to constrain gas hydrate saturation. The results show that resistivity logs are sensitive to gas hydrate saturation in consolidated rocks in the Muli area. Geophysical log analysis enabled the discovery of eleven pore-filling gas hydrate reservoirs (total thickness: 21.95 m) and nine fracture-filling gas hydrate reservoirs (total thickness: 90.55 m). It is hypothesized that gas accumulation is more likely to occur in fractures within mudstones due to good permeability and sealing properties and that fracture-filling gas hydrates are more likely to occur than pore-filling gas hydrates. Poor preservation conditions may thus be the key factor in the absence of gas hydrates in the eastern part of the study area. Evidence from geophysical logs shows that the upper boundary of the gas hydrate stability zone in the Muli area is at a depth of 133.25 m and that the lower boundary is deeper than 400 m. The results of this study are useful for further gas hydrate exploration in alpine permafrost at the midlatitudes.Key Points:• Resistivity logs are more sensitive to gas hydrate saturation than compressional-wave velocity logs in consolidated rocks of the Muli area • Resistivity models of pore-and fracture-filling gas hydrate reservoirs are used to detect gas hydrates in consolidated rocks • Gas hydrate accumulation in the Muli area is affected by faults, lithology, and the gas hydrate stability zoneSupporting Information:• Supporting Information S1
The physical and mechanical properties of the ecological slope protection substrate will be affected by long-term variation of the meteorological condition, resulting in the stability of the substrate being reduced. So an artificial substrate of vegetation cement-soil was selected as the research object to prepare specimens with the different initial moisture content of 13%, 19%, 25%, 31%, 37%, and 43%. And a series of tests are conducted to investigate the evolution of the physical and mechanical properties under drying-wetting cycling conditions. Typical results of the vegetation cement-soil evolution can be divided into three stages: cement hydration stage, shrinkage stage, and stabilization stage. In terms of different initial moisture content, the shrinkage cracks number, cracks length, crack width, and cracks surface area are increased first and then stabilize with the increase of the number of drying-wetting cycles. In contrast, the cohesion and internal friction angle of the vegetation cement-soil is reduced with the increase of the number of cycles. Comprehensive analysis shows that the initial moisture content of vegetation cement soil ranges from 25% to 31% is the optimal choice to ensure substrate stability in production practice.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.