Unit Five - Petroleum Exploration
1. Oil Deposit Characterization
Lab exercise

Part 1: Measure the porosity of sand and fine-gravel.

Part 2: Measure the permeability of sand and fine-gravel.

Part 3: Determine which of the drill holes has the greatest discovery potential.

- Permeability column with clamp stand

- Water (2 gallons). 

- Quarts of each:  pea gravel, mortar sand, river bar sand.

- Stopwatch

- Large funnel

- Blue or red dye

- Large plastic beaker for measuring water

- Answer Sheet AS19

- Answer Sheet AS20

1. Fill a 1 liter plastic beaker about three fourths full with coarse gravel.
2. Fill a graduated cylinder or large measuring cup with water.  Note the starting  volume of the water level.
3. Carefully pour water into the beaker containing the coarse gravel.  Stop pouring just as the water level reaches the top level of the gravel in the beaker.
4. Note the water level in the measuring cup .  Subtract to determine the volume water used to fill the pore spaces in the gravel.  Record your observation on Answer Sheet AS19.
5. Empty the beaker and fill it with mortar sand.  Repeat the procedure to measure the volume of water which occupies the pore spaces in the mortar sand.  Record the results on Answer Sheet AS19.
6. Empty the beaker and fill it with the second type of sand.  Repeat the procedure to  measure the volume of water which occupies the pore spaces in the mortar sand.  Record the results on Answer Sheet AS19.
7. Which material has the greatest porosity ?

1. Set up the stand, support, permeability tube, drain with clamp in a stable arrangement.  Place the small bucket under the drain spout to collect the water.
2. Fill the column with fine gravel, leaving about 2 inches in the top to insert the funnel.
3. Secure the funnel to the top of the permeability tube.
4. Fill the large plastic beaker with water.  A little food coloring makes it easier to see.
5. Prepare to use the stopwatch to record the travel time for the water to travel down the column.
6. At the moment the water is poured into the top, start the stopwatch.
7. Replace the gravel with one sand type.  Record the travel time.
8. Replace the sand with the second sand type.  Record the travel time.
9. Which material has the greatest permeability ?

1. Evaluate the drill holes shown on the geologic cross section (Answer Sheet AS19).
2. Indicate the discovery potential (poor, good or excellent) based on the lithology and the likelihood for the existence of an oil trap.  Use the symbols shown to mark the boxes above the drill holes.

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