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2 - 5 - RelativePermeability
2 - 5 - RelativePermeability
Relative Permeability
Relative Permeability
Dependent Upon:
– Rock Structure (Pore Geometry)
– Fluid Properties
– Wettability
– Saturation History
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.2
Relative Permeability
k = absolute permeability, where only one fluid
is present
If 2 or more fluids are present, neither fluid will
flow as efficiently. Thus, relative permeability is
the ratio between the ability to flow a particular
fluid at a specific saturation percentage divided
by the absolute permeability.
k ro = relative permeability to oil for 0 ≤ kro ≤1.0
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.3
Absolute, Relative and Effective Permeability
keff = k × k r
keff = effective permeability of the system to fluid “x”
k = absolute permeability of the rock
k r = relative permeability of the system to fluid “x”
1
Mobile
Saturation
Range
k abs = is constant
kr k ro k r = is variable f(saturation)
k rw
0
0 S wc 1 − S or 1
Sw
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.4
Relative Permeability
Curves can be expressed relative
to two different bases:
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.5
Relative Permeability Curves Using Different
Absolute Permeabilities
absolute permeability
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.6
Wettability
Wettability is a measure of the capacity for a
fluid to coat a solid surface.
Wettability affects relative permeability
because it is a major factor in the control of
the location, flow, and spatial distribution of
fluids within a rock.
In general wetting fluids preferentially occupy
the small pore throats in a rock, while
nonwetting fluids occupy the large pore
throats
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.7
Wettability
σ ow
θ water
oil
σS o
grain surface σs w
σ s − σ s = σ ow cosθ
o w
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.8
Wettability From Contact Angle Tests
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.10
Amott Wettability Index
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.11
Wettability
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.12
Wettability
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.13
Effects of Wettability on Permeability Endpoints
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.14
Relative Permeability
Water Wet
The interstitial water saturation fills the small pores
and forms a thin film over the rock grains. Hence,
the water saturation is fairly high.
Oil Wet
The interstitial water saturation is found as discrete
droplets in the centers of the larger pores. Since the
water has no affinity to cover the grain surfaces, the
water saturation in usually much lower.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.16
Generalized Relative Permeability Curves for
Water Wet and Oil Wet Systems
1 1
kr kr
0 0
0 S wc 1 − S or 1 0 S wc 1 − S or 1
Sw Sw
Water wet Oil wet
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.17
Wettability
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.18
Effect of Saturation History on Relative
Permeability Curves
Drainage and
imbibition are
Wetting Phase
defined by the
change in the
wetting phase
saturation.
Nonwetting
Phase
Drainage is decreasing
Imbibition is increasing
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.19
A primary drainage – imbibition cycle in
water–wet rock
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.20
Invading oil displaces water, leaving
‘thick’ water films on pore walls
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.21
At end of primary drainage, smallest
pores are still water filled
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.22
Increased capillary pressure thins film,
but water remains connected
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.23
At start of imbibition (water influx), water
imbibes along connected films
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.24
As water saturation increases, water films at pore
throats become unstable, causing ‘snap off’
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.25
At end of imbibition, oil is trapped as isolated
blobs in larger pores.
Residual oil
saturation
(Sor)
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.26
Waterflooding in a Water Wet System
• Water moves through the porous medium in a fairly
uniform front
• The injected water will tend to imbibe into any small or
medium sized pores, moving oil into the larger pores
where it is easily displaced
• An oil bank is formed and moves ahead of the flood front
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.27
Waterflooding in an Oil Wet System
• The injected water will form continuous channels or fingers
through the centers of the larger pores pushing oil ahead of it
• Much oil is bypassed in the smaller pores and pore throats
(a)
Water Water Water Water
Oil
Oil Oil Oil
Rock Grain
(b)
Water Water Water
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.29
Determination of Relative Permeability
Unsteady State
In-situ core fluids are displaced with a single
phase driving fluid at a constant rate. The
effluent volumes are monitored continuously
from which a set of relative permeability curves
can be constructed.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.30
Determination of Relative Permeability
Steady State
Multiple fluids are injected simultaneously at
constant rates or pressures for extended duration
to reach equilibrium flow conditions. The
saturations, flow rates, and pressures are
measured and the relative permeability
calculated. The process is repeated over the
entire range of saturations.
(Time - Measurements at Each Saturation Level
May Take Days)
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.31
Unsteady State Method
Disadvantages
– Relative permeability data will not be over the
entire saturation range. Reliable data is often
restricted to end-point measurements.
– Discontinuities in capillary pressures at the
core inlet and outlet faces may distort the
measurements.
– Variation of measured data with core length
and flow rate may also occur; again due to
capillary influences.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.32
Steady State Method
Disadvantages
– There is some uncertainty as to whether the
fluid distributions are representative of the
displacement process.
– Experimental limitations imposed by the need
to measure saturations at each step after
equilibrium is achieved.
– Very time consuming. (Time can be shortened
via the use of reservoir simulation modeling in
conjunction with the experiments)
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.33
Effects of Core Cleaning/Handling
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.35
Wettability Effects
Effect of wettability
on relative
permeability with a
reservoir core in the
native, cleaned, and
restored states
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.36
Effects of Core Cleaning/Handling
The most accurate relative permeability
measurements are made on native state
core where reservoir wettability is preserved.
If native state core is unavailable:
• Clean core to remove all adsorbed
compounds,
• Re-saturate core with reservoir formation
fluids, and
• Age at reservoir temperature and
pressure.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.37
Relative Permeability Example
1
0.1
0.01
Kro, Krw (fraction)
0.00000001
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Water saturation (fraction)
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.38
Relative Permeability Curves From Correlations - Corey
no
k rw ′
= k rw S w( )
*
nw
k ro ′ ( )
= k ro S o *
* S w − S wc 1 − S w − S or
Sw = =
*
So
1 − S wc − S or 1 − S wc − S or
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.39
Example of Corey Relative Permeability Curves
1.2
1
RELATIVE PERMEABILITY
n=1
oil n=2
0.8
n=3
n=4
0.6
0.4
0.2
water
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
WATER SATURATION
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.40