skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Redox reactions involving hydrocarbons and mineral oxidants: Mechanism for porosity enhancement

Conference ·
OSTI ID:140969
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

Hydrocarbon invasion into a sandstone containing mineral oxidants and carbonate or sulphate cements may result in redox reactions that enhanced porosity. When hydrocarbons invade red sandstones, significant bleaching (i.e., iron reduction) occurs. Reactions responsible for the color distribution in the red (oxidized) and white (reduced) zones are reactions of iron oxides ({plus_minus}sulphate) with hydrocarbons. Commonly the red sandstones are tight due to carbonate and sulphate cements, whereas the white zones are more porous. Organic acids are one product of these reactions and are available to dissolve carbonate cements. Volumetric calculations show that significant porosity can be generated in any sandstone by these reactions. These redox reactions may explain why hydrocarbon accumulations appear to have created porosity in some cases and emphasize the importance of redox reactions involving kerogen/hydrocarbons and mineral oxidants as a significant source oxygenated organic compounds in diagenetic systems.

OSTI ID:
140969
Report Number(s):
CONF-930304-; TRN: 93:003688-0523
Resource Relation:
Conference: 205. American Chemical Society national meeting, Denver, CO (United States), 28 Mar - 2 Apr 1993; Other Information: PBD: 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of 205th ACS national meeting; PB: 1951 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English