SPECIAL CORE

Petroleum Association
ANALYSIS
Engineering

By: Eng. Abdurahman Grada

BSc, MSc of petroleum Engineering
Reservoir Engineer
20/Oct/2021
 Table of content
1 Introduction

2 Relative Permeability Analysis Wettability

Methods
Pc of Definitions
Overview measuring Rel-Perm

Why weCheck
Quality
Features need
of Pctocurves
understand Wettability
3 Capillary Pressure Analysis
forPc
measuring Wettability
General Characterization
Methods of measurement

4 Wettability Overview Wettabilitypressure

Refinement Calculations
techniques
Capillary averaging methods

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 Introduction

SCAL Applications

Capillary Relative Wettability

Pressure Permeability Assessment

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 Relative
Permeability

What is the concept of Rel-Perm analysis?

• Controlling the mobility of different fluids coexisting in

the porous media

• Effective permeability,

Ko, Kw, Kg

• Relative permeability

Kro = Ko
K
, Krw = Kw
K
, Krg = Kg
K

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 4

 Relative
Permeability
What are the methods of measuring Rel-Perm?

three methods exist to measure relative permeability:

• Steady-state • Unsteady displacement • Centrifuge

 Two fluids are injected simultaneously at a fixed ratio until the

production ratio is equal to injection ratio

 Core Saturation have to be measured at each equilibrium and new

fluid ration is applied.

 This is repeated until Relative permeabilities are determined

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 Relative
Permeability
What are the methods of measuring Rel-Perm?

three methods exist to measure relative permeability:

• Steady-state • Unsteady displacement • Centrifuge

 Since Steady-State is not reached, Darcy’s law is not applicable.

 The Buckley_Levertt equation for linear fluid displacement is the

basis for all calculations

 Inlet and Outlet boundary effect.

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 6

 Relative
Permeability
What are the methods of measuring Rel-Perm?

three methods exist to measure relative permeability:

• Steady-state • Unsteady displacement • Centrifuge

 Initiating forced drainage or imbibition process

 Model assumptions: capillary effects are negligible

 Fine migration

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 7

 Relative
Permeability
What are the methods of measuring Rel-Perm?

three methods exist to measure relative permeability:

• Steady-state • Unsteady displacement • Centrifuge

Which technique is the best?

Steady State Unsteady State Centrifuge

Full Curve Ranges Fast Gravity Drainage
Time consuming Curvature Fine migration
End Points

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 8

 Relative
Permeability
What are the General Characteristics of Rel-Perm curves?

Oil Relative Permeability Kro

Water Relative Permeability Krw

Sor

Krw @ Sor (end_point)

Swi

Kro and Krw Cross

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 Relative
Permeability
Water Oil Relative Permeability Consistency Check
Kro (Unsteady State) = Kro (Centrifuge)
Wettability No Nw Krw end_point
Sor Values from highest to lowest
Strong Water Wet 2 to 3 4 to 6 0.1 to 0.4
• Reservoir conditions waterflood, Mixed Wettability 3 to 5 2 to 4 0.5 to 0.9
• Centrifuge kro test,
• Centrifuge Pc test Relative Permeability Relative Permeability
1.000 1.000 1.000
0.800 0.800
Krw endpoint (Water flood) < Krw 0.100
0.600 0.600

Krw

Kro
Kr

0.400 0.400
0.010
endpoint (Centrifuge) 0.200 0.200
0.001 0.000 0.000
No and Nw consistence with wettability 0.000 0.200 0.400 0.600 0.800 1.000 0.000 0.200 0.400 0.600 0.800 1.000
Water Saturation Water Saturation

Kro Krw Kro Krw

End point Value >= 1
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 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Row Data
Water Water-Oil Fractional
Krw Kro
Saturation Relative Perm Flow of water

fraction Vp Ratio fraction fraction fw

0.036 - 0.000 1.000 0.000
0.316 0.016 0.003 0.184 0.050
0.369 0.034 0.004 0.114 0.100
0.391 0.077 0.007 0.092 0.200
0.434 0.206 0.014 0.066 0.400
0.470 0.463 0.021 0.045 0.600
0.557 2.78 0.044 0.016 0.900
0.781 - 0.242 0.000 1.000
Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 11
 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Step 1
curves are smooth and concave curves are smooth and
Plot kro and krw vs. downward , concave upward,
Sw on both a linear
and logarithmic scale

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 12

 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Step 2
Estimate "true" residual oil saturation using
the following equations:

True Sor = 0.168

Son = (1-Sw-Sor)/(1-Swi-Sor)

Swn = (Sw-Swi)/(1-Swi-Sor)

No' = log(Kro)/log(Son)

Nw' = [log(Krw') - log(Krw)]/[log(1.0) - log(Swn)]

Son

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 13

 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Step 3 0.65
Estimate krw end-point by extrapolating
the trend of log krw vs. log normalized
water saturation (Swn) to where Swn = 1.

Son = (1-Sw-Sor)/(1-Swi-Sor)

Swn = (Sw-Swi)/(1-Swi-Sor)

No' = log(Kro)/log(Son)

Nw' = [log(Krw') - log(Krw)]/[log(1.0) - log(Swn)]

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 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Step 4
Calculate values of Corey exponents (No'
and Nw ')

Son = (1-Sw-Sor)/(1-Swi-Sor)

Swn = (Sw-Swi)/(1-Swi-Sor)

No' = log(Kro)/log(Son)

Nw' = [log(Krw') - log(Krw)]/[log(1.0) - log(Swn)]

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 Relative
Permeability
Extraction of valid Water Oil Relative Permeability data
Step 5
Calculate values for Krw and Kro over full
saturation range

Kro = (Son)^No

Krw = Krw end point * (Swn)^Nw

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 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What is the concept of Capillary Pressure?

used to define the distribution of connate water

saturation above the free water level

Can be described as the difference in the pressure

of non-wetting phase and wetting phase

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 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What is the concept of Capillary Pressure?

used to define the distribution of connate water

saturation above the free water level

Can be described as the difference in the pressure

of non-wetting phase and wetting phase

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 18

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What is the concept of Capillary Pressure?
60

used to define the distribution of connate water 50

1B
saturation above the free water level
2B
40
154

PC Res psi
Can be described as the difference in the pressure 11B
of non-wetting phase and wetting phase 30
95
130
20
62
47
10
134

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
sw

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 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What are the factors affecting Capillary Pressure?

• Pore Size and Distribution

• Interfacial Tension
• Fluid Density
• Wettability

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 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What are methods of measuring Capillary Pressure?

There are three main capillary test methods currently used in

the industry:

1. Mercury-Air (Mercury Injection) Method

2. Centrifuge Method

3. Semi-Permeable Membrane (Porous Plate) Method

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 21

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What are methods of measuring Capillary Pressure?

There are three main capillary test methods currently used in

the industry:

1. Mercury-Air (Mercury Injection) Method

2. Centrifuge Method

3. Semi-Permeable Membrane (Porous Plate) Method

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 23

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What are methods of measuring Capillary Pressure?

There are three main capillary test methods currently used in

the industry:

1. Mercury-Air (Mercury Injection) Method

2. Centrifuge Method

3. Semi-Permeable Membrane (Porous Plate) Method

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 24

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
What are methods of measuring Capillary Pressure?

There are three main capillary test methods currently used in

the industry:

1. Mercury-Air (Mercury Injection) Method

2. Centrifuge Method

3. Semi-Permeable Membrane (Porous Plate) Method

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 25

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
Case study

Step 1

Conduct a visual inspection of the

plotted results
Well A03 (NC-186) Well A03 (NC-186)
Linear Scale
Sample 146A @ 4646.20' Logarithmic
Sample 146A @ 4646.20'
Scale
200 1000
180
160
140
100
120
Pc, psi

Pc, psi
100
80
60 10
40
20
0 1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Sw, fraction Sw, fraction

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 27

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
Case study

Step 2
Well A03 (NC-186)
Estimate Swirr by normalizing the saturation Sample 146A @ 4646.20'
1000

Swirr = 0.02
100 Pe = 0.1 psi
Lambda = 2.0
Swn = (1-Sw)/(1-Swirr)

Pc, psi
10
Swirr = 0.04

Swirr = 0.01
1 Swirr = 0.02

Pc vs. Swn

0.1
0.01 0.1 1
Swn, fraction

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 28

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
Case study

Step 3
Well A03 (NC-186)
Estimate Swirr by normalizing the saturation Sample 146A @ 4646.20'
1000

Swirr = 0.02
100 Pe = 0.1 psi
Lambda = 2.0
Pc = Pe*Swn^-

Pc, psi
10
Swirr = 0.04

Swirr = 0.01
1
Swn = (1-Sw)/(1-Swirr) Swirr = 0.02

Pc vs. Swn

0.1
0.01 0.1 1
Swn, fraction

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 29

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
Case study
Well A03 (NC-186)
Step 4 Sample 146A @ 4646.20'
200

Air-Brine Capillary Pressure,

180 Lab Results
Porosity = 0.206
Calculating the PC curve using the following 160 Kair = 929 md Pc(calc)
equation: 140 Sqrt (k/phi) = 67.2
120 Intercept = 97 md

psi
100
Pc = Pe*Swn^-
80
60 Swirr = 0.02
Pe = 0.1 psi
40
Swn = (1-Sw)/(1-Swirr) Lambda = 2.0
20
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Sw, fraction

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 30

 Capillary Pressure
Analysis
Case study
Well A03 (NC-186)
Primary Drainage by Porous Plate
Step 5 180
60
160 No. 146A (929 md)

Pc Data Normalization 140 50 1B md)

No. 152A (241

Air-Brine Pc, psi

120 2B
No. 195A (417 md)
40
100 154

PC Res psi
The Leverett J Function No. 111B (20 md)
11B
80 30
60 No. 272B (6095md)
20 130
40 No. 283B (2.7 md)
62
20
10 47
0
134
0 0.1 0.2 0 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
0 0.2 Sw, 0.4
fraction 0.6 0.8 1
sw

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 31

 Wettability
Assessment

What is the concept of Wettability Assessment?

Wettability describes the relationship

between the contact of two fluids and a solid

• Water Wet system

• Oil Wet system

• Intermediate wettability

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 32

 Wettability
Assessment

What is the concept of Wettability Assessment?

Wettability describes the relationship

between the contact of two fluids and a solid

• Water Wet system

• Oil Wet system

• Intermediate wettability

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 33

 Wettability
Assessment

What is the effect of Wettability on Waterflooding?

Imbibition forces determine how easily water

can be injected and how it moves through a
water-wet formation

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 34

 Wettability
Assessment

What makes the wettability changes?

• Oil composition

• Injected Fluid

• Temperature

• Pressure History

Abduerhman.Khaled@yahoo.com Special Core Analysis 35

 Wettability
Assessment

What methods to measure wettability?

The Amott method uses four basic measurements:

• Amott-Harvey
• Amount of oil spontaneously imbibed
• US Bureau of Mines (USBM) test• Amount of oil forcibly imbibed
• Amount of brine spontaneously imbibed
• Amount of brine forcibly imbibed.

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 Wettability
Assessment

What methods to measure wettability?

0

• Amott-Harvey
Neutral

• US Bureau of Mines (USBM) test

Wettability Wettability
Index Index
to Water to Oil

Intermedi

Strongly Strongly
1 -1

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 Thank You

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