Evolution of petrophysical properties of oil shales during high-temperature compaction tests: Implications for petroleum expulsion

The transport properties of Permian to Miocene oil shales (Torbanite, Posidonia, Messel, Himmetoglu, and Condor) were studied using petrophysical and geochemical techniques. The aims of this study were to assess permeability of oil shales, evaluate the evolution of porosity, specific surface area and intergranular permeability during high temperature compaction tests and to verify the suitability of intergranular permeability for petroleum expulsion. Measured permeability coefficients for two samples were 0.72 × 10⁻²¹ m² for the Eocene Messel shale and 2.63 × 10⁻²¹ m² for the Lower Jurassic Posidonia shale from S. Germany, respectively. BET specific surface areas of the original samples ranged from 0.7 to 10.6 m²/g and decreased after compaction to values from 0.3 to 3.7 m²/g. Initial porosity values ranged from 7.6 to 20.1 % for pre-deformation and from 9.99 to 20.7 % for post-deformation samples. Porosity increased during the high-temperature compaction experiments due to petroleum generation and expulsion. Permeability coefficients estimated using the Kozeny–Carman equation varied from 6.97 × 10⁻²⁴ m² to 5.22 × 10⁻²¹ m² for pre-deformation and from 0.2 × 10⁻²¹ m² to 4.8 × 10⁻²¹ m² for post-deformation samples reflecting the evolution of their porosity and BET specific surface areas. Measured and calculated permeability were similar for the Messel shale whereas calculated permeability was two orders of magnitude lower for the Posidonia shale from S. Germany. Petroleum expulsion efficiencies under the experimental conditions ranged from 38.6% for the Torbanite to 96.2% for the Posidonia shale from S. Germany. They showed strong positive correlation with the petroleum generation index (R² = 0.91) and poor correlations with porosity (R² = 0.46), average pore throat diameters (R² = 0.22), and compaction (R² = 0.02). Estimated minimum pore-system saturations for petroleum expulsion during the experiments were 12% for the Torbanite and 30% for the Posidonia shale from N. Germany. Pore-system saturation determines whether expulsion occurs mainly through matrix or fracture permeability. For samples with saturation levels above 20%, fracture permeability dominated during the experiments. Evidence based on the measured permeability coefficients, expulsion flow rates, consideration of capillary displacement during generation-related pore invasion and the existence of transport porosity suggests that fracture permeability is the principal avenue of petroleum expulsion from source rocks. This conclusion is supported by microscopic observations.