Microfabric and anisotropy of elastic waves in sandstone – An observation using high-resolution X-ray microtomography

Petrophysical experiments, using acoustic velocities to characterise anisotropies of mechanical behaviour of rocks are of essential relevance to understand the geomechanical behaviour of sandstone reservoirs under changing stress fields. Here, we present high-resolution X-ray microtomography (μ-CT) as a supplementary research tool to interpret anisotropic ultrasound velocities in sandstones with variation of isotopic stress.Specimens of two Lower Cretaceous sandstones (localities Bentheim and Obernkirchen, both Germany) have been used in petrophysical laboratory experiments under dry conditions to study ultrasonic sound velocities (frequency of signal input 1 MHz). Subsequently, oriented micro-plugs drilled from the sandstone samples were investigated using high-resolution X-ray microtomography. By means of image processing of the reconstructed scan images, geometric attributes such as mean structural thickness, orientation and tortuosity were evaluated from the μ-CT data for both pore space and grain skeleton. Our observations clearly indicate the different roles of pore space and grain skeleton in regard to the propagation of ultrasonic waves: because the pores do not transmit the waves, it was sufficient to investigate the average thickness of this fabric element. In contrast, as the ultrasonic waves traverse the rock via the adjacent grains, it was necessary to survey the actual travel lengths of seismic waves in the sandstone grain skeleton.

► Sandstone plugs used in ultrasonic measurements were investigated with X-ray μ-CT.
► The bulk anisotropy of P-wave velocities can be correlated to the sandstone fabric.
► Both tortuos grain skeleton and pore structure govern the elastic wave propagation.
► New perspectives for microfabric analysis by high-resolution μ-CT below 10 μm-range.