Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Gary Mavko

Porosity

POROSITY is defined as the ratio of pore volume to

total volume:
vP vT − v S
φ= =
vT vT
where:
φ is the porosity
vP is the pore volume
vS is the solid volume
vT is the total volume
Be careful of different definitions of porosity!
total porosity = total non-mineral space
connected porosity = pore space connected to the
exterior of sample
disconnected or = space not well connected
trapped porosity

Also in well logging: neutron porosity, density porosity, etc.

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Gary Mavko

Porosity

Special Cases:

Incoherent media, such as soils and suspensions, which

take on structural properties only when wetted with water or
pore fluids.

Shaly or clay-rich materials, which contain water in three

different states:
• free water between particles, which can be removed by
drying at low temperatures < 70˚
• interfoliate water, between crystalline folia, which
requires energy (temperatures ≈ 100˚) to remove, and
which can cause structural changes
• formation water of clay crystals, which requires
temperatures > 200˚ to remove and is associated with the
destruction of the crystals

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