Multiscale description of shale pore systems by scanning SAXS and WAXS microscopy
File(s)Leu et al Energy & Fuels 2016.pdf (2.95 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The pore space of shales and mudrocks ranges from molecular dimensions to micrometers in length scale. This leads to great variation in spatial characteristics across many orders of magnitude, which poses a challenge for the determination of a representative microscopic pore network for such systems. Standard characterization techniques generally provide volume-averaged properties while high-resolution imaging techniques do not assess a representative range of pore sizes because of limitations in the spatial resolution over the field of view. Due to this complexity, open questions remain regarding the role of the pore network in retention and transport processes, which in turn control oil and gas production. Volume-averaged but spatially resolved information is obtained for pores of size from 2 to 150 nm by applying scanning small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) microscopy. Scattering patterns are collected in a scanning microscopy mode, such that microvoxels are sampled sequentially, over a total of 2 × 2 mm2 raster area on specifically prepared thin sections with a thickness of 10–30 μm. Spatially resolved variations of porosity, pore-size distribution, orientation, as well as mineralogy are derived simultaneously. Aiming at a full characterization of the shale pore network, the measurements and subsequent matrix porosity analysis are integrated in a multiscale imaging workflow involving FIB-SEM, SEM, and μ-CT analysis.
Date Issued
2016-11-02
Date Acceptance
2016-11-01
Citation
Energy & Fuels, 2016, 30 (12), pp.10282-10297
ISSN
1520-5029
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
10282
End Page
10297
Journal / Book Title
Energy & Fuels
Volume
30
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2016 American Chemical Society. This is an open access article published under an ACS AuthorChoice License (http://pubs.acs.org/page/policy/authorchoice_termsofuse.html), which permits copying and redistribution of the article or any adaptations for non-commercial purposes.
Sponsor
Shell Global Solutions International BV
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000390072900028&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
PO no. 4550134619
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Chemical
Engineering
SMALL-ANGLE-SCATTERING
X-RAY-SCATTERING
CLAY MONT TERRI
OPALINUS CLAY
BIB-SEM
NEUTRON-SCATTERING
SPACE MORPHOLOGY
POSIDONIA SHALE
GAS-ADSORPTION
SURFACE-AREA
Energy
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
Publication Status
Published