²³Na and ¹H NMR Relaxometry of Shale at High Magnetic Field

Formation evaluation of unconventional reservoirs is challenging due to the coexistence of different phases such as kerogen, bitumen, movable and bound light hydrocarbon and water. Current low-frequency (0.05 T) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) laboratory and logging methods are incapable of quantitatively separating the different phases. We demonstrate the utility of high-field (9.4 T) NMR 2D T₁-T₂ measurements for separating hydrocarbon and the clay-interacting aqueous phases in shale based on the difference in the frequency dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time. Furthermore, we demonstrate ²³Na NMR as a promising complementary technique to conventional ¹H NMR for shale fluid typing, taking advantage of the fact that sodium ions are only present in the aqueous phase. We validate high-field (9.4 T) ²³Na-¹H NMR relaxometry for assessing brine-filled porosity and brine salinity in various porous materials, including porous glass, conventional rocks, clays, and shale, and apply it for differentiating hydrocarbon versus aqueous components and also the clay-associated versus free water in Eagle Ford shale cores. This work lays the groundwork for developing future downhole ²³Na-¹H NMR logging techniques.