Frequency-Dependent Streaming Potential of Porous Media—Part 2: Experimental Measurement of Unconsolidated Materials

Abstract

Frequency-dependent streaming potential coefficient measurements have been made upon Ottawa sand and glass bead packs using a new apparatus that is based on an electromagnetic drive. The apparatus operates in the range 1 Hz to 1 kHz with samples of 25.4 mm diameter up to 150 mm long. The results have been analysed using theoretical models that are either (i) based upon vibrational mechanics, (ii) treat the geological material as a bundle of capillary tubes, or (iii) treat the material as a porous medium. The best fit was provided by the Pride model and its simplification, which is satisfying as this model was conceived for porous media rather than capillary tube bundles. Values for the transition frequency were derived from each of the models for each sample and were found to be in good agreement with those expected from the independently measured effective pore radius of each material. The fit to the Pride model for all four samples was also found to be consistent with the independently measured steady-state permeability, while the value of the streaming potential coefficient in the low-frequency limit was found to be in good agreement with other steady-state streaming potential coefficient data.

Geophysical Properties of the Near Surface Earth: Electrical Properties

“…The few previous measurements can be classified into two groups: (i) transient measurements with a percussive source and (ii) harmonic measurements with a vibrating source (Glover et al, 2012c). The first of these approaches mimics many of the possible applications more closely, while the latter is capable of providing higher-quality frequency-specific data.…”

“…Only one rock has ever been measured at frequencies greater than 100 Hz -a Boise sandstone with 35% porosity (Reppert, 2000). However, recent laboratory developments (Glover et al, 2012b) have provided new apparatuses that have produced high-quality data on Ottawa sand (Tardif et al, 2011) and several grades of glass beads (Glover et al, 2012c) up to 600 Hz, which holds hope for the measurement of rocks in the near future. Figure 28 shows some recent data for the frequencydependent streaming potential coefficient made on Ottawa sand together with several models.…”

Measurements of the Relationship Between Microstructure, pH, and the Streaming and Zeta Potentials of Sandstones

“…Glover et al (2006) collated a database of C sp and ζ determinations as a function of salinity, which is reproduced in Fig. 1 with supplementary data from AC measurements on Ottawa sand (Tardif et al 2011;Glover et al 2012a), and omitting carbonate samples. Four aspects of the data are worth mentioning explicitly.…”

“…(Sprunt et al 1994;Pozzi 1995a, 1997;Li et al 1995;Jiang et al 1998;Pengra et al 1999); [2] sandstone with NaCl as a function of permeability/microstructure (pH5) (Jouniaux and Pozzi 1995b); [3] St. Bees, Stainton, and Fontainebleau sandstones with NaCl (Jaafar et al 2009;Vinogradov et al 2010); [4] sandstone with KCl (Alkafeef and Alajmi 2007); [5] sand with NaCl (Guichet et al 2003;Block and Harris 2006);[6] granite with NaCl (Morgan et al (1989)); [7] glass with NaCl (Pengra et al 1999;Block and Harris 2006);[8] zeolitized tuffs with NaCl (Revil et al 2002);[9] basalt with NaCl (Revil et al 2003 (Tardif et al 2011;Glover et al 2012a). b [1] Quartz with NaCl (Pride and Morgan (1991)); [2] silica with NaCl (Gaudin and Fuerstenau 1955;Li and Bruyn 1966;Kirby and Hasselbrink 2004);[3] glass beads with NaCl (Bolève et al 2007);[4] St.…”

A review on electrokinetically induced seismo-electrics, electro-seismics, and seismo-magnetics for Earth sciences

“…So the frequency dependence of the streaming potential coefficient has been studied (Packard, 1953;Cooke, 1955;Groves and Sears, 1975;Sears and Groves, 1978;Chandler, 1981;Reppert et al, 2001;Schoemaker et al, 2007Schoemaker et al, , 2008 mainly on synthetic samples, and recently on sand (Tardif et al, 2011), and on unconsolidated materials (Glover et al, 2012). In 1953 Packard (1953) proposed a model for the frequency-dependent streaming potential coefficient for capillary tubes, assuming that the Debye length is negligible compared to the capillary radius, based on the Navier-Stokes equation:…”