1 Conventional and Unconventional Reservoir Rocks: Advances in Experiments, Modeling, and Simulations

Monday, 25 March 2019
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Konza Prairie Room

3D PRINTING MUDROCKS: EXPERIMENTS IN VALIDATING THE 3D-PRINTING PROCESS WHEN USING KAOLINITE CLAY AS A BUILD MATERIAL

Paper number: 1-1
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM

Authors

Abstract

3D Printing technologies have the ability to turn digital, 3D designs into tangible, lab-testable objects. While 3D printing in plastic and granular materials is quite common now, new equipment has been developed that can 3D print using paste-like materials (e.g., clay, Portland cement). This study was initiated to characterize simple core-plug-sized models to evaluate whether this technology can be applied to producing 3D printed analogs for mudrocks. Most models produced were designed as solid one-inch diameter cylinders, one-inch tall in two different types of clay. Models were printed on a DeltaWASP 60100 with the DeltaWASP low-density material extruder kit.

Models displayed negligible dimensional loss after desiccation, but shrank considerably after first firing (8-12% loss for both height and diameter). Mass loss was 8-11% after first firing. A second firing yielded 5-6% loss for height and diameter, 0.1-0.2% mass loss. Models produced from Clay Type 1 reduced from ~39% porosity after desiccation to ~7% after first firing to ~1% after second firing. Clay Type2 reduced its porosity less with firing going from ~36% to ~23% to ~10%.

For Clay Type 1, mercury intrusion porosimetry experiments showed modal pore throat size decreased from ~2.5 microns to ~0.3 microns after first firing. After a second firing, this value decreased ~0.15 microns and second, smaller peak appeared at ~0.05 microns. Using the values provided in Nelson (2009, AAPG Bulletin), these size correlate with a fine siltstone/tight sandstone, tight sandstone, and a shale, respectively. The reduction in pore throat size suggests that the pore throat size distribution can be modified by adjusting the parameters of the firing process.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 51, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2019SC-326875

© Copyright 2019 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.