Rock properties

 Knowledge of the physical properties of the rock and the

existing interaction between the hydrocarbon system and the
formation is essential in understanding and evaluating the
performance of a given reservoir.
 Rock properties are determined by performing laboratory
analyses on cores from the reservoir to be evaluated. The cores
are removed from the reservoir environment, with subsequent
changes in the core bulk volume, pore volume, reservoir fluid
saturations, and, sometimes, formation wettability.

Saturation
Saturation is the proportion of interconnected pore space occupied
by a given phase. For
a gas-oil- water
system.

Another saturation of interest and is

defined as the fraction of pore
volume occupied by movable oil

where Swc - connate water saturation, Soc - critical oil saturation

Wettability
 When two immiscible fluids are in contact with a solid surface,
one will tend to spread over or adhere to the solid more than
 the other. This is the result of a balance of intermolecular forces
and surface energies between fluids and the solid. 

 (a) Water-oil-solid interfacial interactions. (b) Contact angles.

Where θ< 900 , the system
is known as “water wet”
and water will tend

to spread on the solid surface; and where θ> 900, the system is

known as “oil wet” and oil will spread on the solid surface.

Vector forces are balanced at the oil-water-solid contact point, giving

the relationship

Wettability will control the distribution of oil and water in the

pore space. In water wet systems oil will
tend to be found in the centers of pores,
while in oil wet systems oil will be retained around the solid grains

Capillary pressure
Capillary pressure is the average pressure difference existing
across the interfaces between two immiscible fluids, so for an oil-
water system

It will depend on the average water/oil/rock contact angle (θ) and

the average pore space radius (r). Therefore capillary pressure is a
function of both average wettability and average pore size.
Types of capillary pressure
 Water-oil capillary pressure (denoted as Pcwo)
  Gas-oil capillary pressure (denoted as Pcgo)
  Gas-water capillary pressure (denoted as Pcgw)