AN ELECTRONIC MINIPERMEAMETER FOR USE IN THE FIELD AND LABORATORY

The quantification of permeability and geostatistical scaling from lab oratory to well field to regional systems requires large spatial data sets for which field and laboratory minipermeameters have proven to be effective tools. We developed an electronic gas minipermeameter for u se in either the field or the laboratory. This design alleviates sever al problems common to minipermeameters. In particular, errors in measu rement of gas flow rate, calibration of flow rate meters, and counteri ng pressure and temperature effects were reduced by using electronic m ass-flow transducers. Problems of sealing the injector (probe) tips an d of measuring the permeability of weathering rinds and fracture ''ski ns'' were remedied with a sample chamber capable of handling thin wafe rs or rock cores of arbitrary dimensions. Calibrations with samples of known permeability were excellent. It is now possible to measure perm eability very accurately on weathering rinds, fracture surfaces, outcr ops, and large hand samples.