Cross-property correlations and permeability estimation in sandstone

We computationally investigate cross-property correlations linking fluid permeability to conductive properties in sedimentary rock for a number of pore size parameters based on three-dimensional digitized rock images. In particular, we focus on correlations based on the pore volume-to-surface-area ratio (V(p)/S), a critical channel diameter (c) associated with mercury porosimetry measurements, length scales associated with the nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation time T2, as well as the mean survival time (tau). Differences between the length scales are discussed. All these correlations yield good agreement with our simulations, but permeability estimates based on the critical diameter (c) are found to be most reliable.