Kirkuk University

College of Engineering
Petroleum Department
"Reservoir Lab."
Exp. Name: Contact Angle Measurement using
Imaging Method

Exp. No.: 8th Experiment

Group. B
 Student Names:
1. Yousuf Ali Obaid
2. Abd-Ajaleel Firas Yehya
3. Fatima Amjad Hasan
4. Haneen Ayoob Fattah
5. Salah Matar Abbas
6. Ahmed Sadr-Aldeen
7.Mahdy Muhsin A.
8.Abullah Mohammed
Date of Experiment: 11/ 3 / 2019
Date of Delivery Report: 18/ 3/ 2019
Supervisor: Eng. Ali Yehya J.
Eng. Shahad Omar
Prepared by: St. Yousuf Ali O.
Contact Angle Measurement using Imaging Method
No Exp.: 8

Introduction:
contact angle measurement is a classical method widely used in
chemical engineering to derive the wettability in three- phase system
(gas/liquid/solid, or liquid/liquid/solid). The method was introduced
into petroleum engineering more than 50 Years ago. This method is
used to determine reservoir formation wettability. The imaging method
is easily carried out in the laboratory and gives you a clear
understanding of wetting mechanism in oil water-rock system.
Generally, sandstone formation and carbonate formation are
represented by small polished quartz and carbonate blocks,
respectively. A small drop (2-3 mm3 ) of water is laid on the smooth
surface of rock which has previously been submerged in an oil-filled
transparent cell. Then, the enlarged image of the water drop is obtained
by photographing. The dimensions of the drop image are used to
calculate the contact angle in the system.
Definition:
Fig.1 shows two liquids, oil and water, in contact with a solid. In
petroleum engineering the contact angle, Ө, is measured through the
denser liquid phase (water), and ranges from O to 180.

Fig.1: Interfacial tensions for water oil solid system at equilibrium.

In a three phase system, where the three interfacial forces are in

thermodynamic equilibrium:
Өso - (Өsw + Өwo cos Өwo ) =0 ……………………………………. Eq.1
and then,
Өso−Өsw
Ө = cos -1 ( )…………………………….Eq.2
Ө𝑤𝑜
because the measurements of Solid/liquid interfacial tensions (Өso,
Өsw) are impractical m the core laboratory, Eq. (2) is useless to
calculate contact angle Ө. Generally, the image method is used to
obtain the picture of the contact angle or pendant drop. Fig. 2 is the
set-up of an Image system applied in our laboratory

Fig.2: The Image System set-up

Procedure:
1- Fill the cell with oil phase and then put a polished quartz or
carbonate cube into the cell.
2- Carefully inject several water drops onto the cube surface with a
medical syringe
3- Adjust the imaging system until a drop is in focus (a clear outline
of the image appears on the screen).
4- Take image picture and measure the dimension at the drop image
Calculations and report:

system H(mm) D(mm) Contact angle System

degree Wettability
1 1 0.8 136.4 Water- wet
2 2 1 151.92 Water- wet
3 5 0.4 175.42 Water- wet
4 2 2.34 119.34 Intermediate
- wet
5 3 0.81 164.62 Water- wet
6 4 1.4 160.14 Water- wet
7 1.5 0.2 172.37 Water- wet
8 2.699 0.81 162.93 Water- wet