Low-field NMR laboratory measurements of hydrocarbons confined in organic nanoporous media at various pressures

Low-field NMR laboratory measurement are conducted to characterize the adsorption-desorption process of hydrocarbon gases at various pressures in nanoporous media. The investigated media are oil-wet polymer-based spherical activated carbon (AC) beads and a crushed core sample from a gas-producing shale formation containing nanoporous kerogen structures. NMR relaxation times are used to observe the occurrence of sorption phenomena for propane and methane at room temperature under controlled pressure conditions. Results from a PVT simulation software, incorporating a novel phase equilibrium model, show very good agreement between acquired NMR data and simulation results. T-1-T-2 inversion recovery data confirm T-2 and T-1-T-2 ratio cutoff approaches to separate hydrocarbon in nano-scale pores from hydrocarbon in interparticle pores.