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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. CHARACTERISTICS OF RESERVOIR ROCKS
2. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
RESERVOIR ROCKS
3. POROSITY
3.1 Range of Values
3.2 Factors Which Affect Porosity
3.2.1 Packing and Size of Grains
3.2.2 Particle Size Distribution
3.2.3 Particle Shape
3.2.4 Cement Material
3.3 Subsurface Measurement of Porosity
3.3.1 Density Log
3.3.2 Sonic Log
3.3.3 Neutron Log
3.4 Average Porosity
4. PERMEABILITY
4.1 Darcy's Law
4.2 Factors Affecting Permeability
4.3 Generalised Form of Darcy's Law
4.4 Dimensions of Permeability
4.5 Assumptions For Use of Darcy's Law
4.6 Applications of Darcy's Law
4.7 Field Units
4.8 Klinkenberg Effect
4.9 Reactive Fluids
4.10 Average Reservoir Permeability
5. STRESS EFFECTS ON CORE MEASUREMENTS
5.1 Stress Regimes
5.2 Compressibility of Poros Rock
5.3 Types of Compressiblilty
5.4 Measurements of Pore Volume Compressiblity
5.5 Effect of Stress on Permeability
6. POROSITY - PERMEABILITY RELATIONSHIPS
7. SURFACE KINETICS
7.1 Capillary Pressure Theory
7.2 Fluid Distribution in Reservoir Rocks
7.3 Impact of Layered Reservoirs
8. EFFECTIVE PERMEABILITY
8.1 Definition
8.2 Water Displacement of Oil
8.2.1 Water - Oil Relative Permeability
8.3 Gas Displacement of Oil and Gas - Oil Relative
Permeability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Having worked through this chapter the Student will be able to:
Define porosity and express it as an equation in terms of pore, bulk and grain
volume.
Explain the difference between total and effective porosity.
Define permeability and present an equation, Darcys Law, relating flow rate
to permeability in porous media.
List the assumptions for the applicability of Darcys Law.
Derive an equation based on Darcys Law relating flow of gas in a core plug and
the upstream and downstream pressures.
Derive an equation relating flow rate to permeability for a radial incompressible
system.
Comment on the difference between gas and liquid permeability (Klinkenberg
effect ).
Sketch a figure relating liquid permeability to gas permeabilities plotted as a
function of reciprocal mean pressure.
Briefly describe the impact of reservoir stresses on permeability and porosity
Draw a sketch demonstrating the result of interfacial tension between oil, water
and a solid, and locate the contact angle and define its values for wetting and
non-wetting phases.
Express the capillary pressure Pc as two equations, one in terms of interfacial
tension, contact angle and pore radius, and the other in terms of height and
density of fluids.
Define the free water level.
Draw the Pc or height vs. saturation capillary pressure curve and identify
significant features.
Sketch and explain the impact of saturation, history, density difference and
interfacial tension in capillary pressure curves.
|Sketch the impact of capillary pressure effects on the saturation distribution of
stratified formations
Define effective and relative permeability and plot typical shapes.
Define imbibition and drainage in the context of capillary pressure and relative
permeability curves.
Sketch the pore doublet model and use it to explain the retention of trapped oil
in large pores and briefly relate it to the principle behind some enhanced oil
recovery methods.
Define mobility ratio.
Sketch a shape for gas- oil relative permeability curves.
INTRODUCTION
The properties of reservoir rocks with respect to the fluids they contain and with
respect to the fluids which will be injected into them are important when characterising
a reservoir in terms of its reserves and the mobility of the fluids. This next section
gives a brief over view of these properties, and is followed by chapters on their
measurement and variation. In relation to the detailed description of rock characteristics
the reader is referred to the Geology module of this Petroleum Engineering course.
The reservoir engineer is concerned with the quantities of fluids contained within the
rocks, the transmissivity of fluids through the rock and other related properties.
The pore spaces (or interstices) in reservoir rock provide the container for the
accumulation of oil and gas and these give the rock its characteristic ability to absorb
and hold fluids. Most commercial reservoirs of oil and gas occur in sandstone,
limestone or dolomite rocks, however, some reservoirs occur in fractured shale and
even in basement rocks such as in Vietnam. Knowledge of the physical characteristics
of the pore space and of the rock itself (which controls the characteristics of the pore
space) is of vital importance in understanding the nature of a given reservoir.
For the reservoir engineer, porosity is one of the most important rock properties as a
measure of the space available for accumulation of hydrocarbon fluids.
3. POROSITY
The first step in forming a sandstone, for example, is to have a source of material which
is eroded and transported to low lying depressions and basins such as would be found
off the coasts of a landmass. The material would consist of a mixture of minerals, but
for a sandstone, the majority would be made of quartz in the form of grains. When these
were deposited, they would be surrounded by sea water or brine, and as the sediment
thickness increased, the weight or the pressure produced by the overlying sediments
would force the grains together. Where they contacted each other large stresses would
be produced and a phenomenon called pressure solution would occur which dissolved
the quartz at the points of contact between the grains until the stresses reduced to a level
which was sustainable by the grains. The dissolved material would be free to
precipitate in other regions of the sediment. In this way the initially loose material
would be solidified with discrete connections between the grains.
Initially, if subsea, the pore spaces would be filled with brine, and as the lithification
process occurred, some pore spaces would be isolated with the brine trapped inside.
If the vast majority were interconnected then the initial pore fluid would be free to be
swept through the rock by other fluids such as hydrocarbons. In this way the geometry
of the grains produces an assembly of solids with voids in between them. The grains
vary in diameter but may be from a few microns to several hundred microns. The
geometry of the pore spaces is such that they have narrow entrances (pore throats)
where the edges of the grains touch each other and larger internal dimensions (between
the grains). The complicated nature of these interconnected pores is illustrated in
figure 1 which is a metal cast of the pores in a sandstone rock.
Figure 1
Metallic Cast of Pore
Spaces in a Consolidated
Sand
4
One method of classifying reservoir rocks, therefore, is based on whether pore spaces
( in which the oil and gas is found) originated when the formation was laid down or
whether they were formed through subsequent earth stresses or ground water action.
The first type of porosity is termed original porosity and the latter, secondary or
induced porosity. This is illustrated in figure 2.
Cementing material
Sand grain
Effective porosity 25%
Isolated porosity 5%
Figure 2
Effective, isolated and total
porosity
Dead End
Pore
Figure 3
Total, effective, isolated
permeable and dead end
pore space
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University
Porosity is defined as the ratio of the void space or pore space (Vp) in a rock to the bulk
volume (Vb) of that rock and it is normally expressed as a percentage of total rock
volume. The porosity is usually given the symbol . The matrix volume is the volume
of the solid grains, Vm.
Porosity =
Porosity =
Void volume
x 100
Bulk volume
Porosity =
Bulk Volume
Representation
pore volume
100
void volume + grain volume
Grain Volume
Representation
Pore Volume
Representation
Total Porosity =
Effective Porosity =
Figure 4
Representation of bulk,
grain and pore volumes
Figure 5
Cube defined by the centres
of each adjacent sphere
The length of each side would be 2x radius, giving the bulk volume as:
Vb = (2r)3 = 8r3
The grain volume would be the equivalent of the volume of one sphere
Vm =
4 r 3
3
Vb Vm
=
Vb
4 r 3
3 = 1 - = 0.476
3
8r
6
8r 3
If the spheres fit in the cusps generated by the lower layer then a porosity of 26%
occurs. For a size distribution of spheres the ultimate minimum porosity would be
zero which would be the case if sufficient grains were available to completely fill the
pore spaces as shown in figure 6 for part filling of the void.
Figure 6
Minimum porosity when all
pore spaces are filled
Several factors may combine to affect the porosity of a rock, but the main distinction
to be made is as follows based on the amount of connected pore volume, and whether
the pore space has been altered by dissolution or by fracturing after deposition and
lithification.
Pore Space
Figure 7
Reduction in porosity due to
a range of particle sizes
in that it permits many limestone rocks of otherwise low porosity to become excellent
reservoirs.
Porosity may range from 50% to 1.5% and actual average values are listed below:
Recent sands (loosely packed)
Sandstones (more consolidated)
Tight/well cemented sandstones
Limestones (e.g. Middle East)
Dolomites (e.g. Middle East)
Chalk (e.g. North Sea)
35 - 45%
20 - 35%
15 - 20%
5 - 20%
10 - 30%
5 - 40%
A point that needs to be emphasised is that the concept of porosity is complex and
therefore difficult to define and determine. It may refer to spaces between sand grains
or it may refer to limestone caves: it may even exclude a fraction of the free water
(water not bound chemically) present in the rock. Sometimes good estimates, (i.e.
relevant to reservoir development problems) may be obtained from laboratory studies,
or core samples, and sometimes such measurements are irrelevant.
In summary, the amount of porosity is principally determined by shape and arrangement of sand grains and the amount of cementing material present, whereas permeability depends largely on the size of the pore openings and the degree and type of
cementation between the sand grains. Although many formations show a correlation
between porosity and permeability, the factors influencing these characteristics may
differ widely in effect, producing rock having no correlation between porosity and
permeability.
atoms of the fluid will also react to the bombardment and affect the energy detected.
With reference to calibration samples of different rock types, the effect of both
mineralogy and pore fluid content can be accounted for. Empirical relationships have
been developed to relate the porosity to the values of density which have been logged.
In the following relationship, the logged density, L, matrix density, m , and the fluid
density, f , are related to the porosity,
L = m (1- ) + f
=
L m
f m
The contribution of the matrix and the pore fluid are in relation to the relative amounts
of each, and these are related to the porosity. Typically, matrix densities and fresh
water density are as follows
Quartz
Limestone
Water
= 2.65 gcm-3
= 2.71 gcm-3
= 1.00 gcm-3
TL = Tm (1- ) + Tf
=
TL Tm
Tf Tm
The contribution of the matrix and the pore fluid are in relation to the relative amounts
of each, and these are related to the porosity. Typically, matrix travel times and fresh
water travel time are as follows
TQuartz
TLimestone
TWater
=
=
=
55s ft-1
47s ft-1
190s ft-1
hydrogen atoms in the formation and can give an indication of the porosity. Neutrons
of a specific energy are fired into the formation and they disrupt the steady state
activity of hydrogen atoms. They then radiate energy which is detected by the tool: the
energy returned is related to the number of hydrogen atoms which is related to the
hydrocarbon and water in the pore spaces. By calibration, the porosity can be
determined.
a =
(1)
i =1
where a is the mean porosity, i is the porosity of the ith core measurement and n is
the number of measurements.
4 PERMEABILITY
4.1 Darcy's Law
The permeability of a rock is the description of the ease with which fluid can pass
through the pore structure.
At one extreme, the permeability of many rocks is so low as to be considered zero even
though they may be porous. Such rocks may constitute the cap rock above a porous
and permeable reservoir and they include in their members clays, shales, chalk,
anhydrite and some highly cemented sandstones.
The permeability is a term used to link the flowrate through and pressure difference
across a section of porous rock. The problem is complicated in that the number of pore
spaces, their size and the interconnections is not standard. Thus the application of the
general energy equation, for example as in the case of flow through pipes, becomes
very difficult for flow through porous media.
In petroleum engineering the unit of permeability is the Darcy, derived from the
empirical equation known as Darcys Law named after a French scientist who
investigated the flow of water through filter beds in 1856. His work provided the basis
of the study of fluid flow through porous rock.
Q=
kP.A
L
(2)
where:
Q =
A =
P=
11
=
L =
k =
viscosity in centipoise
length of sample in cm
permeability in Darcy
Darcys law of fluid flow states that rate of flow through a given rock varies directly
with the pressure applied, the area open to flow and varies inversely with the viscosity
of the fluid flowing and the length of the porous rock. In terms of equating the
parameters, the constant of proportionality in the equation is termed the permeability.
The unit of permeability is the Darcy which is defined as the permeability which will
permit a fluid of one centipoise viscosity (= viscosity of water at 68F) to flow at a
linear velocity of one centimetre per second under a pressure gradient of one
atmosphere per centimetre. Permeability has the units Darcys. Figure 8 illustrates the
concept and the units of permeability
p = 1 atmos
Q = 1 cm 3
sec 1cm 2
= 1 cp
Figure 8
Concept of permeable rocks
L = 1 cm
k = 1 darcy
Length, L
Sand
Flowrate, Q
h1
h2
Flowrate, Q
Area of the end of the sandpack
His results showed that the flowrate was directly proportional to the area open to flow,
the difference in pressure and inversely proportionate to the length of the sandpack,
i.e.
Q A, h,
12
1
L
Figure 9
Schematic of Darcys
experiment
or
Q=k
A ( h1 h 2 )
L
where Q is the flow rate, A is the area of the end of the core, h1 and h2 are the static
heads of water at the inlet and outlet of the core (the equivalent of the static pressure),
L is the length of the core. K is the constant of proportionality. It is constant for a
particular sand pack. When other workers replicated the experiment, the results were
different to those of Darcy. This was accounted for by inclusion of the viscosity of the
flowing fluid and the equation becomes:
Q=
kA( h1 h 2 )
L
where the original terms have the same meaning and is the viscosity of the fluid in
centipoise.
On a more theoretical basis, Poiseuille formulated the relationship between flow rate
and pressure drop for fluid flowing in a pipe. The form of the relationship is
r 4 P
Q=
8L
(3)
where Q is the flowrate, r is the radius of the tube, is the viscosity of the fluid and
L is the length of the tube. In this case the dependence of the flowrate / pressure drop
relationship can be seen to be dependent on the radius of the tube. In a similar manner,
the radius of the pores in a rock dictate the nature of the relationship, specifically, the
radius of the pore throats is of most significance, since these are the smallest radii and
therefore affect the flowrate/ pressure drop relationship most.
The practical unit is the millidarcy (mD) which is 10-3 Darcy. Formation
permeabilities vary from a fraction to more than 10000 milli-Darcies. At the low end
of the range, clays and shales have permeabilities of 10-2 to 10-6 mD. These very low
permeabilities make them act as seals between more permeable layers.
13
Porosity 16%
Porosity 32%
Figure 10
Directional Permeability
The shape and size of sand grains are important features that determine the size of the
openings between the sand grains. If the grains are elongated, large and uniformly
arranged with the longest dimension horizontal, permeability to fluid flow through the
pore channels will be quite large horizontally and medium-to-large vertically. If the
grains are more uniformly rounded, permeability will be quite large in both directions
and more nearly the same. Permeability is found generally to be lower with smaller
grain size if other factors (such as surface tension effects) are not influential. This
occurs because the pore channels become smaller as the size of the grains is reduced,
and it is more difficult for fluid to flow through the smaller channels.
This directional perspective to any property is termed anisotropy. As shown above
permeability is a directional property and gives rise to different permeabilities
depending on the shape and depositional characteristics. Very dramatic anisotropy is
generated if a rock is fractured. These anisotropic perspectives are illustrated in figure 11.
Porosity is a non directional property and therefore is isoptropic.
Sandstone
Fractured Core
14
Figure 11
Directional permeability.
-Z
Vs
+x
0
Figure 12
Co-ordinate system for
rock permeability
+y
+Z
The x and y co-ordinates increase from zero to the left and out from the page; the z coordinate increases downwards. The flow velocity in a particular direction can be
defined as the flowrate in that direction divided by the area open to flow. In any
direction, s, the flow velocity is termed Vs and is equated to the static pressure gradient
in that direction (i.e. the change in pressure, dP, over a small element of length, ds in
that particular direction) minus a contribution from the difference in head (because
of the difference in elevation) of the fluid across the section ds. Therefore,
Vs = -
dz
k dp
g
(
)
6
ds 1.0133x10 ds
(4)
and the change in elevation head is equal to the sine of the angle to the horizontal
= sine , where is in degrees.
The Darcy units are:
Vs
k
=
=
=
=
=
p
=
ds
)
From Darcys equation, Vs = - (
6
ds 1.0133x10 ds
the dimensions of
Vs =
P =
L
T
M
LT
M
L3
M
L dP
M
g = 2
= 2 2
2
LT
T ds
LT
15
L
kLT M
ML
=
( 2 2 3 2)
T
M LT
LT
L
K
=
T
LT
K = L2
(5)
It can be seen that the dimensions reflect the nature of the constant of proportionality
and it should not be confused with, for example, the area open to flow, A, of the end
of a core or a sand pack. In terms of metric units, since 1 atm = 14.73 psi = 1.013 bar
and 1 cp = 10-3 Pas it follows that
1D
1mD
Other units of inches2 or cm2 could be used but they are all too large for porous media
and they would also require conversion to relate to permeabilities quoted in other
units. Darcys and milliDarcys are most commonly used.
1. Steady state flow, i.e. no transient flow regimes. This becomes unrealistic in terms
of flow in a reservoir where the nature of the fluids and the dimensions of the reservoir
may produce transient flow conditions for months or even years. For laboratory based
tests, the cores are small enough that transient conditions usually last only a few
minutes.
2. Laminar flow, i.e. no turbulent flow. For most reservoir applications this is valid
however near to the well bore when velocities are high for example in gas production
turbulent flow occurs. Sometimes it is termed non- darcy flow. Figure 13
16
Laminar Flow
Turbulent Flow
Q
A
Q k . P
=
L
A
K =
Figure 13
Effect of Turbulent Flow
on Measured Permeability
Q . L .
A P
P
L
3. Rock 100% saturated with one fluid, i.e. only one fluid flowing.
In the laboratory this can be achieved by cleaning cores, however, there will be a
certain connate water saturation in the reservoir, and there may be gas, oil and mobile
water flowing through the same pore space. The concept of relative permeability can
be used to describe this more complex reservoir flow regime. Relative permeability
is discussed later.
4. Fluid does not react with the rock, i.e. it is inert and there is no change to the pore
structure through time.
There are cases when this may not happen, for example when a well is stimulated
during an hydraulic fracturing workover. The fluids used may react with the minerals
of the rock and reduce the permeability. In such cases, tests on the rock to determine
the compatibility of the treating fluids must be conducted before the workover.
5. Rock is homogeneous and isotropic, i.e. the pore structure and the material
properties should be the same in all directions and not vary. In reality, the layered
nature and large areal extent of a reservoir rock will produce variations in the vertical
and horizontal permeability.
17
A
Q
L
P2
Figure 14
Linear flow regime
P1
Vs = -
K dP
dz
g
(
),
6
ds 1.0113x10 ds
dz
g
= zero
6
1.0113x10 ds
The flow rate and area open to flow is substituted for the flow velocity. The variables
are separated and integrated over the length (for the flow rate) and the pressures P1 to
P2 for the change in pressure. The pressure drop P2 minus P1 is negative and is corrected
by the negative sign on the left hand side of the equation.
Q
A
kA dP
Q = dx
Vs = Vx =
kA 2
Q dx = dP
P1
0
Q(L - 0) = Q =
kA
( P2 P1 )
kA( P1 P2 )
L
(6)
The final form is as formulated by Darcy and the permeability will have the units of
Darcys if the other units are:
flow rate, Q - cm3s-1
area open to flow, A - cm2
viscosity, - centipoise
pressure, P - atm
length, L - cm
The flow regime is the same as for the linear liquid system and from the basic Darcy
equation:
Vs = Vx = - k (
g
g
dP
dz
dz
),
= zero
6
6
ds 1.0113x10 ds 1.0113x10 ds
Q
A
kA dP
Q = dx
Vs =
In this case, the laboratory measurement of the gas flow would usually be conducted
downstream from the core at almost atmospheric conditions (i.e. there would not be
a large pressure drop across the flow meter). It is assumed that the gas used is ideal,
however, there needs to be a correction to the volumetric flow rate measured to
account for the higher pressure in the core. Figure 15.
P1
P2
Pb
P
L
A
Figure 15
Configuration for gas
permeability measurements.
Core
Valve
Qb
Flow
measurement
QP = Q b Pb
Q =
Q b Pb
P
and substituting into the equation, separating the variables and integrating produces
Q b Pb
kA dP
=P
dx
L
kA 2
Q b Pb dx = PdP
P1
0
Q b Pb (L - 0 = -
kA ( P22 P12 )
(7)
19
k=
2QbL
A( P12 P2 2 )
(8)
Comparing the two expressions equations 6 and 7, it is seen that the gas flow rate is
proportional to the difference in the pressure squared, whereas the liquid flowrate is
proportional to the difference in the pressure. In well testing, the flow rates are
measured at the surface and for gas wells one of the diagnostic plots is the flowrate
versus difference in pressure squared plot. Neglecting the fact that the gas is real, it
gives an indication of the ability of the reservoir to produce gas.
Gas Q b =
kA( P1 P2 )
L
P=
P1 + P2
2
and
Q = Volume flow rate at P
P Q = PbQb
substituting this into the above gas equation 7.
1
1 kA
(P1 P2 )(P1 + P2 )
(P1 + P2 )Q =
2
2 L
Q=
kA( P1 P2 )
L
(9)
The ideal gas permeability can be calculated from the liquid equation using mean
flowrate, Q measured at mean pressure.
20
Radial flow
re
Pe
rw
re
Pw
rw
Figure 16
Radial geometry with radial
flow from the outer
boundary to the wellbore
Well
Plan
re
rw
Pe
Pw
Elevation
Vs = -
k dP
dz
dz
g
g
(
),
= zero
6
6
ds 1.0113x10 ds 1.0113x10 ds
Q
A
In this case the direction of flow is in the opposite sense to the co-ordinate system,
therefore
ds = -dr
For radial geometry, the area, A, is now radius dependent therefore
A = 2rh
Substitution into the basic expression gives
Q
k dP
= 2rh
dr
(10)
Q e dr k e
=
dP
2 h rw r Pw
Q
k
(ln re ln rw ) = ( Pe Pw )
2 h
21
2kh( Pe Pw )
r
ln e
rw
Q =
(11)
Vs = -
k dP
g
dz
g
dz
(
),
= zero
6
6
ds 1.0113x10 ds 1.0113x10 ds
Q
k dP
= 2 rh
dr
If the assumption is made that the temperature is constant, then
QP = Q b Pb
Q =
Q b Pb
P
Q b Pb
k dP
= 2 rh
P
dr
separating the variables
re
dr 2 kh e
Q b Pb
=
PdP
r
Pw
rw
and integrating produces
r 2 kh Pe 2 Pw 2
Q bPb ln e =
rw
Qb =
22
kh
Pe 2 Pw 2 )
(
r
Pb ln e
rw
(10)
hr
bbl 5.615ft 3 1728in 3 16.39cm 3 day
)(
)(
)(
)(
)
(
3
3
bbl
ft
in
24 hr 3600s
day
929cm 2
atm
(K )( Aft )(
)( Ppsia )(
)
2
ft
14.696 psia
=
30.48cm
( )( Lft )(
)
ft
2
and these produce the following version of Darcys equation in field units:
bbl
KA( P1 P2 )
= 1.1271
day
L
(11)
23
Since the mean free path is a function of the size of the molecule, the permeability is
a function of the type of gas used in the permeability measurement. This gas
permeability is corrected for the Klinkenberg effect by plotting the gas permeability
at each reciprocal mean pressure. This is illustrated for hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon
dioxide in figure 17:
100
80
60
40
Hydrogen
Liquid permeability
Nitrogen
20
Carbon Dioxide
Figure 17
Variation in gas
permeability with reciprocal
mean pressure
0
0
Pm is the mean pressure of the gas (the mean of the upstream and downstream pressures
either end of the core orp in figure 15). In effect, if the gas pressure is raised infinitely
high, the gas will perform as an incompressible liquid would, therefore if several
measurements of permeability are made at different mean pressures, the relationship
between mean pressure and permeability can be extrapolated to the equivalent
pressure conditions of a liquid. In reality, extrapolation to infinity is impossible, so the
reciprocal mean pressure is used and the results are extrapolated to zero reciprocal
mean pressure (i.e. 1/infinitely high mean pressure). This point corresponds to the
liquid permeability. The different gasses have different slopes, but they all extrapolate
to the same equivalent liquid permeability.
The form of the equation developed by Klinkenberg is of the form
kL =
24
kG
b
l+
Pm
(12)
where
kL = equivalent liquid permeability
kG = permeability to gas
Pm = mean flowing pressure
b = Klinkenberg constant for a particular gas and rock (slope of the gas permeability,
inverse mean pressure relationship).
The Klinkenberg effect is greatest for low permeability rocks and low mean pressures.
25
Core plug
for horizontal
k measurement
Core plug
for vertical
k measurement
Whole core
4 Inch
Figure 18
Trends in Reservoir Rock
Characterisation
Formation
Within a reservoir the stresses in the formation can be expressed in three directions,
the major and two minor principal stresses. Figure 19a. The major principal stress
acting mainly in the vertical direction. Clearly the depositional environment and
formation structure will result in slight changes to these orientations.
(a)
Equal Stresses
Kh
(b)
(c)
Equal Stresses
Figure 19
Stress States in Reservoirs
and Cores
26
In core analysis, service companies have been asked to measure porosity and
permeability under reservoir stress conditions. They have done this by applying
different stresses for the axial and radial stresses. As can be seen in Figure 19b for a
conventional plug the radial stress would be a combination of the major and a minor
principal stress. To enable the true stress field to be represented, a varying radial stress
distribution would be required. If a vertical plug was used, Figure 19c, then a constant
radial stress could be an acceptable value for the average minor stresses. In this case,
however, the permeability value would be Kv, the vertical permeability.
The effect of the overburden and the pore pressure on the matrix is to produce a net
force between the grains of the matrix (which, when the area over which the force acts
is accounted for produces a net stress). If the matrix is considered to be elastic, that
is, there is a unique relationship between the stress and the strain within the matrix,
then the matrix will strain as the stress is altered. If the stress increases, the strain
reduces the radius of the pore throats and reduces the volume of the pore space. This
effect may be different for different rock types and even within the same rock type if
the amount of cementing material is altered. The significant aspects of this phenomenon are when cores are removed from subsurface to the laboratory (since the
overburden and pore pressure will change) and when the pore pressure in the reservoir
changes due to local pressure conditions around the wells (drawdown) and within the
reservoir as a whole as it is depressurised, for example. The impact of the net
overburden stress which increases as the reservoir pressure ( pore pressure ) decreases
is illustrated in figure 20.
1.0
Well Cemented
.8
.6
Friable
Unconsolidated
.4
.2
Figure 20
Permeability Reduction
with Net Overburden
Pressure
0
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
In general, the stress regime subsurface is considered to be hydrostatic (as in the case
of the pore fluid) and that the stresses can be resolved into one vertical stress, and two
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University
27
horizontal stresses. For hydrostatic conditions, all of these are the same. In core
analysis, therefore, the porosity at equivalent subsurface conditions may be determined by applying an external pressure to the core. This is usually done by inserting
the core into a cell rated for pressures up to 10000 psi (68.9MPa) and applying a stress
to the ends of the core and to the sides. The nature of these tests are such that usually
the stress applied to the sides of the core represents the horizontal stress and the stress
applied to the ends represents the vertical stress. Once trapped inside the cell, the pore
pressure may be increased to a representative level and measurements of pore volume
and permeability made under these stress conditions.
More recently, the effect of non-hydrostatic stress conditions has been shown to be
important in certain reservoir conditions, such as in tectonically active areas (Columbia,
South America where the formation of the Andes mountains is associated with large
horizontal stresses) or in areas associated with faults or very compressible reservoir
rocks such as some chalks. In this case the conventional test cells are not appropriate
and special true triaxial cells are required. In these cells the ends of the core are
subjected to the vertical stress as per the conventional cells, but the sides of the core
are wrapped in a cage of individual tubes which can be pressurised in banks around
the core to represent the different horizontal stresses.
In summary, when the properties of the cores are measured in the laboratory, they can
be subjected to
Zero stresses
Hydrostatic stresses
Triaxial stresses
stress increases and the pore volume declines. This assumes that the overburden
remains constant which is logical over the time period of a producing reservoir. The
balance can be represented by figure 21:
Surface
Po
Cap Rock
Depth
Pf and Pc
Reservoir
Pc
Pc
Pc
Pf
Pc
Pc
Figure 21
The balance between
overburden & rock stress
and fluid pressure
Grains
Pc
Pore space filled with fluid
Po = Pf + Pc
Po = overburden pressure
Pf = fluid pressure
Pc = compacting stress
The effect of the change in the balance between the overburden stress and the pore
pressure is to change the compacting stress. If there is an increase in pore pressure,
then the pore volume will increase, however, this is rare and in the main, pore pressure
declines during production and the pore spaces compact under the increasing compact
stress. Two issues are significant: the initial porosity in the reservoir (i.e. to correctly
define the volume of oil in place) and the reduction in that porosity (or pore volume)
as the pressure declines (for material balance and simulation studies).Figure 22 shows
the relationship between porosity and depth (or stress). As the depth (and stress)
increases, the porosity declines. Care needs to be taken when assessing porosity
values: were they measured under overburden or at ambient conditions? The shale
sample shows a large change in porosity as the plate-like clay minerals are compacted
and fit together in a more congruent manner.
29
50
Porosity,
40
Sandstone
30
20
10
0
Shale
0
Figure 22
Alteration in porosity with
depth of burial (or stress)
3000
6000
Depth of burial (ft) or stress (psi)
The rate of change of pore volume with pressure change can be represented by an
isothermal compressibility (assuming temperature is constant):
Cf = -
1 dv
v dP
(15)
is very small and the subsidence is negligible, but the pore compressibility is an
important feature of the drive mechanism.
Figure 23
Measurement of the
reduction inpore volume as
the external stress (or
compacting pressure) is
increased
Pump
Pressure vessel
The results show the change in pore volume relative to the original pore volume, for
a given change in the compacting pressure (this assumes that changes in the
compacting pressure have the same effects as changes in the pore pressure) which can
be substituted in to the isothermal compressibility as
Cp = -
1 dv p
v p dPc
where:
Cp
vp
dvp
dPc
Typical values of pore compressibility are in the range 3 x10-6 psi-1 to 10 x10-6 psi-1,
however, soft sediments can have compressibilities in the range 10 x10-6 psi-1 to 20x10-6
psi-1 or 30 *10-6psi-1. Figure 24 illustrates the values determined for some limestones
and sandstones.
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University
31
10
9
Sandstone
Limestone
8
7
6
5
4
3
0
10
Porosity %
Figure 24
Compressibility of
Sandstones and Limestones
20
Permeability (mD)
100
10
1
0
20
40
60
Hydrostatic stress (MPa)
80
Unconsolidated material has larger absolute changes in permeability as the total strain
is greater.
32
Figure 25
The reduction in
permeability for a range of
sandstone samples (the
porosity is in the range 15%
to 22%)
In true triaxial stress regimes, the stresses are not identical and the strain (and therefore
pore throat radii) may cause the sample to dilate in one direction and increase the pore
throat radii therefore enhancing the permeability. This can be illustrated better by
considering a fractured core (figure 26).
v
Fracture
Permeability
h maximum
Fracture closing under stress
Core
h minimum
h maximum
v
Fracture
Permeability
Core
Figure 26
Triaxial stresses applied to
a fractured core
h minimum
h maximum
Fracture opening under stress
h maximum
If the largest horizontal stress acts across the fracture (i.e. perpendicular to the faces
of the fracture) then it will be clamped shut; if the largest horizontal stress acts parallel
to the fracture, then it may split open. In this way the anisotropy (or difference in the
properties) may lead to different permeabilities and porosities from the same sample
if the stresses are applied in different ways around the core.
6. POROSITY-PERMEABILITY RELATIONSHIPS
Whereas for porosity there are a number of downhole indirect measurement methods,
the same is not the case for permeability. The downhole determination of permeability
is more illusive. Down hole permeability is mainly obtained by flow and pressure
determination and requires other characteristics for example the flowing interval.
There has been a continued interest in porosity-permeability correlations, on the basis
if one has a good correlation of laboratory measured porosity and permeability then
down hole measurements of porosity could unlock permeability values for those
formations where recovered core has not been practical. Although porosity is an
absolute property and dimensionless, permeability is not and is an expression of flow
which is influenced by a range of properties of the porous media, including the shape
and dimensions of the grains and the porosity. Since porosity is an important
parameter in permeability it is not surprising for those rocks which have similar
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University
33
1000
Oolitic Limestone
Sucrosic Dolomite
Reef Limestone
Well Cemented
Hard Sand
Permeability: Millidarcies
100
Chalky
Limestone
10
Intercrystalline
Limestone and
Dolomite
Fine Grained
Friable Sand
1.0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
Porosity: Percent
7 SURFACE KINETICS
If core for a particular section cannot be recovered, or for example is formed as a pile
of sand on the rig floor, then correlations like these in figure 27 are used. Porosity
measurements obtained indirectly from wireline methods can be used to obtain the
laboratory porosity vs down hole porosity cross plot. Using this laboration porosity
value the associated permeability value can be determined from an appropriate
correlation as in figure 27.
The simultaneous existence of two or more phases in a porous medium needs terms
such as the capillary pressure, relative permeability and wettability to be defined. With
one fluid only one set of forces needs to be considered: the attraction between the fluid
and the rock. When more than one fluid is present there are three sets of active forces
affecting capillary pressure and wettability.
Surface free energy exists on all surfaces between states of matter and between
immiscible liquids. This energy is the result of electrical forces. These forces cause
molecular attraction between molecules of the same substance (cohesion) and
between molecules of unlike substances (adhesion).
34
Figure 27
Permeability and Porosity
Trends for Various Rock
Types
(Core Laboratories Inc)
Surface tension (or interfacial tension) results from molecular forces that cause the
surface of a liquid to assume the smallest possible size and to act like a membrane
under tension.
W
W
O
Figure 28
Representation of an oil
water boundary
Different mass.
Different space
between molecules.
W: water molecule
O: oil molecule
distance between molecules
wo
Oil
Water
sw
Contact angle,
so
Solid
Figure 29
Interfacial tension between
oil, water and a solid
so
35
The contact angle describes the nature of the interaction of the fluids on the surface:
for the oil-water system shown above: an angle less than 90 indicates that the surface
is water wet. If the angle were greater than 90 then the surface would be oil wet.
The composition of the surface also affects the interfacial tension. Figure 30 shows the
effect of octane and napthenic acid on a water droplet on silica and calcite surfaces.
The water is not affected by the change in surface in the water/octane system, however,
the napthenic acid causes the water to wet the silica surface, but to be non-wetting on
the calcite surface.
Octane
Napthenic acid
35
30
Silica
Octane
Napthenic acid
Figure 30
The effect of a change in
the surface on wetting
properties
106
30
Calcite
The Adhesion tension, At is defined as the difference between the solid water and solid
oil interfacial tension. This is equal to the interfacial tension between the water and oil
multiplied by the cosine of the contact angle,
At = sw - so = wo Cos wo
If a container of oil and water is considered as in figure 31, the denser water lies below
the oil.
cos
OIL
h
radius, r
.c
Water
If a glass capillary tube of radius, r is inserted such that it pierces the interface between
the oil and water, the geometry of the tube and the imbalance in forces produced
between the glass, oil and water cause the interface to be pulled upwards into the tube.
If non wetting fluids were used, the interface in the tube may be pushed downwards.
36
Figure 31
Capillary rise in an oil/
water system
Under equilibrium conditions, i.e. after the tube has pierced the original interface, the
adhesion tension around the periphery (2r) of the tube can be summed to give the total
force upwards. Since the interface is static, this force must be balanced by the forces
in the column of water drawn up the tube and the equivalent column of oil outside the
tube, i.e. at point C, the force (or pressure) must be the same in the tube as outside,
therefore the excess force produced by the column of water is balanced by the
adhesion tension.
net force upwards = 2r woCos
net force downwards = (wgh - ogh)r2 = gh(w - o)r2
(16)
(17)
(18)
gh( w o )r 2 2r wo Cos
=
= Pc
r 2
r 2
2 wo Cos
gh( w o ) =
r
It can be seen from the equations, capillary pressure can be defined both in terms of
curvature and in terms of interfacial tension, as expressed by the hydrostatic head.
Pc =
where
Pc
rc
h
w
o
2Cos
= gh( w o )
rc
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
(19)
capillary pressure
surface tension
contact angle
radius of the tube
height of interface
the density of water
the density of oil.
For a distribution of capillaries, therefore, the capillary pressure will give rise to a
distribution of ingress of wetting fluid into the capillaries. The relative position of the
capillary rise is given with respect to the free water level, FWL, i.e. the point of zero
capillary pressure. Figure 32 illustrates the effect of three different capillary radii on
the rise of water. Figure 33 shows the behaviour for a full assembly of capillaries and
alongside the associated capillary pressure curve. In this figure it is important to note
five aspects.
37
oil
oil
oil
oil
Figure 32
Capillary Rise in
Distribution of Capillaries
FREE WATER
LEVEL
WATER
WATER
Transition Zone
Irreducible Water
Pc
Oil
Water
OWC
0
FWL
Water
0%
100%
38
Sw
So
100%
0%
Figure 33
Capillary Pressure Curve
Wettability
Rock / Fluid Property
2Cos
Sw _
~ Pc =
re
Rock Property
(Permeability and Porosity)
Water wet, coarse grained sand and oolitic and vuggy carbonates with large pores have
low capillary pressure and low interstitial water contents. Silty, fine grained sands
have high capillary pressures and high water contents.
Reservoir saturation reduces with increased height above the hydrocarbon-water
contact. At the base of the reservoir there will usually be a zone of 100% water
saturated rock. The upper limit of this is referred to as the water table or water oil
contact (WOC). However, there is a non identifiable level, the free water level
representing the position of zero capillary pressure.
Figure 34 shows the capillary pressure curve for a reservoir where the water saturation
reduces above the aquifer. The 100% water saturation continues some distance above
the free water level corresponding to the largest pores of the rock, hD. Above this level
both the oil and water are present and the reservoir water saturation decreases with
increased height above the hydrocarbon water contact, since the larger pores can no
longer support the water by capillary action and the water saturation falls. Between
the 100% WOC and the irreducible saturation level is termed the transition zone.
39
Oil
Sand
Grain
Pc
h
Transition Zone
WOC
hp
FWL
0%
Water Saturation
100%
Water
Figure 34
Capillary Pressure Curve
for Porous media
Pc = (Pw - Po) gh
Consider the capillary pressure curves for the two rocks in figure 35. The first sample
(case 1) has a small range of connecting pore sizes. The second sample (case 2) has
a much larger range of connecting pore sizes, although the largest pores are of similar
size in both cases. Also, in the first case, the irreducible water saturation is reached at
low capillary pressure, but with the graded system, a much larger capillary pressure
is needed.
Case 1
Case 2
hI
X
hD
Irreducible
water saturation
Water saturation
100%
In addition to water transition zones, there can also be an oil/gas transition zone, but
this is usually less well defined.
Rock wettability influences the capillary pressure and hence the retentive properties
of the formation. Oil wet rocks have a reduced or negligible transition zone, and may
contain lower irreducible saturations. Low fluid interfacial tension reduces the
transition zone, while high interfacial tension extends it. Figure 36 illustrates this
effect.
40
Figure 35
Capillary Pressure Curves
for Different Rocks
Figure 36
Interfacial Tension Effect
A
Low Interfacial Tension
0
100
Water Saturation: Percent Pore Space
Saturation history influences the capillary pressure water saturation relationship and
therefore the size of the transition zone. Drainage saturation results from the drainage
of the wetting phase (water) from the rock as the hydrocarbons accumulate. It
represents the saturation distribution which exists before fluid production. The level
of saturation is dictated by the capillary pressure associated with the narrow pore and
is able to maintain water saturation in the large pore below. Imbibition saturation
results from the increase in the wetting phase (water) and the expulsion of the
hydrocarbons. In this case the saturation is determined by the large pore reducing the
capillary pressure effect and preventing water entering the larger pore. This is the
situation which occurs both when natural water drive imbibes into the formation
raising the water table level and in water injection processes. Clearly the two
saturation histories generate differnet saturation height profiles. Figure 37 shows the
drainage and imbibition effects on capillary rise.
Figure 37
Saturation History Effect
Drainage
Drainage
Imbibition
0
100
Water Saturation: Percent Pore Space
Imbibition
Figure 38
Fluid Density Effect
0
100
Water Saturation: Percent Pore Space
41
SHALE
Water saturation
profile
Well B only
Transition
zone
15
0=
25
0=
0=
0=
FWL
0
30
100%
SHALE
FWL
0%
1
2
3
4
42
10
d
40 m
K=
d
m
0
19
K=
d
5m
K=
md
200
K=
Water saturation
profile well C only
S.
E RE
TON
S
D
SAN
Height
Sw
100%
Figure 39
Capillary Effects in
Stratified Formations
8 EFFECTIVE PERMEABILITY
8.1Definition
The idea of relative permeability provides an extension to Darcys Law to the presence
and flow of more than a single fluid within the pore space. When two or more
immiscible fluids are present in the pore space their flows interfere. Specific or
absolute permeability refers to permeability when one fluid is present at 100%
saturation. Effective permeability reflects the ability of a porous medium to permit the
passage of a fluid under a potential gradient when two or three fluids are present in the
pore space. The effective permeability for each fluid is less than the absolute
permeability. For a given rock the effective permeability is the conductivity of each
phase at a specific saturation. As well as the individual effective permeabilities being
less than the specific permeability, their sum is also lower.
If measurements are made on two cores having different absolute permeabilities k1
and k2, there is no direct way of comparing the effective permeability kw and ko curves
since for the two cores they start at different points k1 and k2. This difficulty is resolved
by plotting the relative permeability krw and kro where
Relative Permeability =
kr =
ke
k
43
1.0
0.9
Relative Permeability
0.8
0.7
k ro
0.6
k rw
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
k rg
k ro
0
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
44
Figure 40
Relative permeability
curves for water-oil sysrem
Figure 41
Relative permeability
curves for gas-oil sysrem
The shapes of the relative permeability curves are also characteristic of the wetting
qualities of the two fluids (figure 42). When a water and oil are considered together,
water is almost always the wetting phase. This means that the water, or wetting phase,
would occupy the smallest pores while the non-wetting phase, or oil phase, would
occupy the largest pores. This causes the shape of the relative permeability curves for
the wetting and non-wetting phase to be different.
100
90
Water-Wet Drainage
80
Water-Wet Imbibition
70
Oil-Wet Drainage
Relative Permeability, %
(Decreasing S w )
Figure 42
Oil and Water Relative
Permeability Curves for
Water-Wet and Oil-Wet
Systems
(Core Laboratories Inc)
(Increasing S w )
(Increasing S w )
K ro
60
50
40
Krw
30
20
10
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 100
Water Saturation, S W
This is illustrated by looking at the relative permeability to one phase at the irreducible
saturation of the other phase. The relative permeability to water at an irreducible oil
saturation of 10% (90% water) is about 0.6, figure 40, whereas the relative permeability to the non-wetting phase, oil, at the irreducible water saturation of 0.3 approaches
1.0. In this case it is 0.95. One practical effect of this observation is that it is normally
assumed that the effective permeability of the non-wetting phase in the presence of an
irreducible saturation of the wetting phase is equal to the absolute permeability.
Consequently, oil flowing in the presence of connate water or an irreducible water
saturation is assumed to have a permeability equal to the absolute permeability.
Similarly, gas flowing in a reservoir in the presence of irreducible water saturation
is assumed to have a permeability equal to the absolute permeability.
Relative permeability characteristics are important in the displacement of hydrocarbons by water, and in the displacement of oil and water by gas. Such displacements
occur during primary and secondary recovery operations, as well as during coring and
core recovery.
Relative permeability data when presented in graphical form are often referred to as
drainage or imbibition curves. (figure 42)
45
46
Water In
Oil
Advancing water
Water In
Water penetrating
smaller pores due to
capillary forces
Oil
Trapped oil
Water
Water In
Figure 43
Pore Doublet Model
M = mobility ratio =
where
krw
kro
krw ' / w
kro ' / o
(20)
47
20
40
60
80
100
Gas
250 md.
183 md.
0.0md.
183/250 = 0.73
0.0/250 = 0.0
Krg
Kro
20
40
60
80
Water
20
40
Krg
60
80
100
250 md.
52 md.
10md.
52/250 = 0.21
10/250 = 0.04
Kro
20
40
60
80
100
48
20
40
60
Krg
80
100
250 md.
6.2 md.
70md.
6.2/250 = 0.025
70/250 = 0.28
Kro
20
40
60
80
100
Relative Permeability: Percent
100
Oil
Gas saturation less than the critical value is not mobile but it impedes the flow of oil
and reduces oil relative permeability. Successively smaller pore channels are invaded
by gas and joined to form other continuous channels. The preference of gas for larger
pores causes a more rapid decrease of oil relative permeability than when water
displaces oil from a water wet system. Figure 44 shows the alteration of relative
permeability as gas comes out of solution and flows at increasing saturation through
the oil reservoir. These gas/oil relative permeability curves are very significant in
relation to the drive mechanism of solution gas drive, which we will discuss in a
subsequent chapter.
Figure 44
Gas Oil Relative
Permeabilities ( Core Lab)