Comparison of Three Methods of Relative Permeability Measurement
Comparison of Three Methods of Relative Permeability Measurement
Comparison of Three Methods of Relative Permeability Measurement
COMPARISON OF THREE METHODS OF RELATIVE PERMEABILITY MEASUREMENT by Jeffrey T. Hawkins Production Research and Development, Conoco Inc. Ponca City, Oklahoma ABSTRACT Relative permeability curve shapes of granular carbonate cores from a Middle Eastern reservoir were comparable regardless of the conditions and methods of measurement. However, variations among the tests in flow rate, viscosity ratio and pore volumes of water injected did affect residual oil saturation. Thus, this research confirms the importance of reservoir condition relative permeability measurement because of the significant impact of test conditions on residual oil saturation. The three types of measurements were: ambient condition unsteady-state, ambient condition steady-state, and reservoir condition unsteady-state. This study provided a unique opportunity to compare relative permeabilities from these different methods on the same core. All data were from first cycle waterfloods on restored-state core. The rock/fluid interaction was oil-wetting in character. Although the residual oil saturation varied, the shape of the relative permeability curves from the three methods were similar. In addition, a new equation was developed for normalizing relative permeability curves, which accounts for the different residual oil saturations of the various samples. INTRODUCTION To assist in simulation studies, i.e. history matching and performance forecasting, relative permeabilities were measured on core from this Middle Eastern reservoir. No freshly cut core was available for this study. Thus, it was necessary to restore older, unpreserved core to its original "nativewettability" (Wendel, et al., 1985; Gant and Anderson, 1986; Cuiec, 1975; Cuiec, 1977). This was accomplished by cleaning the core to a water-wet state, saturating the sample with a synthetic formation brine, flushing the sample with dead reservoir crude, and aging the sample at reservoir temperature for 1000 hours. In many cases, restored-state analysis is the only way to get representative data. There are three major reasons why it is often necessary to measure relative permeabilities on "restored-state" rather than "native-state" core. 1. 2. 3. The only available core was not properly preserved. The core's wettability was altered due fluids. to interaction with drilling
The core is on the wrong flood cycle (due to waterflooding or flushing during coring) and the results are affected by hysteresis.
Old, Unpreserved Core Often times the only core that is available for analysis is old core that was not properly preserved. Because of the expense or time involved, it may not
1988 SCA Conference Paper Number 8804 process, on the other hand, simulates the initial oil migration into the reservoir, and subsequent relative permeabilities are measured on a first cycle waterflood. Cycle dependent relative permeabilities are why we recommend "restored-state" analysis, even for fresh core, in most instances. We recommend using a bland mud for coring, because the absence of wettability altering compounds will leave the core easier to clean. We also carefully preserve the core, again, because the core will be easier to clean if it is not exposed to oxygen or allowed to dry out. Much work has been published in the literature concerning the effect of temperature on relative permeability (Honarpour, et al, 1986). However, the published data are contradictory. For example, some studies indicate a strong temperature effect (Edmonson, 1965), while other studies indicate no temperature effect (Miller and Ramey, 1985). Likewise, there have been some studies published comparing the steady-state and unsteady-state methods of relative permeability measurement. Again, these data are contradictory, with some studies showing significant differences (Amaefule and Handy, 1982) between the two methods while other studies show agreement (Johnson, et al., 1959) between the two methods. In light of the historical controversy concerning measurement methods, for this study relative permeabilities were measured three different ways on restored-state core. The three different methods were: 1) unsteady-state at ambient conditions, 2) steady-state at ambient conditions, and 3) unsteadystate at reservoir conditions. Since each test was run on a separate sample, we have a comparison of the methods on geologically similar plugs, rather than identical plugs. ROCK AND FLUID PROPERTIES The relative permeability measurements were made on core plugs from a granular limestone from an oil field in the Middle East. Table 1 summarizes the pertinent rock and fluid properties. Table 1. Rock and Fluid Properties
Porosity Permeability Irreducible Water Saturation Rock Type Fluid Gravity Reservoir Temperature Reservoir Pressure Gas Oil Ratio
20 - 26% 9 - 26 md 5 - 10% Granular Limestone 32 API 230 F 3000 psia 400 scf/stb
A porosity-permeability crossplot for the core plugs is shown in Figure 1. In general the core plugs possessed similar properties. Procedures for restoration to native wettability and for the three different measurement methods are described in the following sections.
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PROCEDURES Restoration of Native Wettability To restore native wettability, the plugs were first cleaned by cycles of carbon dioxide saturated methanol, followed by carbon dioxide saturated toluene. Subsequent USBM wettability tests (Donaldson, 1981) confirmed that the core was clean and water-wet. After the plugs were cleaned, they were placed in a Hassler-type core holder, confined at approximate reservoir overburden pressure, evacuated, then saturated with a synthetic, filtered formation brine. The cores were then flushed with filtered (0.22 micron) and degassed crude oil from the reservoir. Note: Care was taken in obtaining the crude oil sample to insure that nothing was added to the crude (demulsifiers, etc.), and that the crude oil's exposure to air was minimized.
Approximately ten pore volumes of crude oil were flushed through the sample, driving the core plug to S .. The plugs were then submerged in crude oil in a pressure vessel with a 100 psig cap of methane. The vessel was then placed in an oven at the reservoir temperature of 230F and allowed to age in the crude oil for 1000 hours. While some researchers have shown that wettability equilibrium can sometimes be established in a shorter period of time (Cuiec, et al. , 1979), based on other research (Hjelmeland and Larrondo, 1986) we have determined 1000 hours of restoration to be sufficient. After restoration, relative permeabilities were measured by three different methods.
1988 SCA Conference Paper Number 8804 was then measured. During the test, water production, gas production, oil production, and pressure drop were monitored and unsteady-state relative permeabilities were calculated using the technique of Johnson, Bossier and Naumann (1959). RESULTS Table 2 summarizes the relative permeability results from the three methods. Table 2. Summary of Waterflood Relative Permeabilities Oil Displaced Z OOIP
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Reservoir Condition Unsteady-State (RC USS) 6 7 8 9 Averages 10.0 9.0 10.0 8.0 9.3 8.3 8.5 9.6 4.8 7.8 24.9 21.0 24.2 29.2 24.8 0.37 0.48 0.53 0.52 0.48 72.3 76.9 73.1 68.3 72.7
Relative Permeabilities at Low Water Saturations In unsteady-state relative permeability measurements no data are available between S . and the breakthrough saturation. Likewise, in steady-state relative permeability measurements no data are available between S . and the average saturation established for the first injection ratio of water and oil. Table 3 contains the average saturation at the first measurement point available for each of the three methods. Table 3Average Water Saturations for First Data Point Method Ambient Condition Unsteady-State Ambient Condition Steady-State Reservoir Condition Unsteady-State Average Water Saturation For First Data Point 57% 29% 40%
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Figure 4. Reservoir condition unsteady-state relative permeabilities. COMPARISON OF ALL THREE METHODS The wettability of the rock/fluid pairs, as estimated from the relative permeability curves, is the same for all three methods. This indicates that the mineral oils used in the ambient condition tests (Blandol and Isopar) did not alter the wettability of the restored-state core. Results from all three methods will now be compared. Since there are so many curves, the oil and water curves will be compared separately. Oil Relative Permeability Curves Figure 5 shows all of the oil relative permeability curves for all three methods. While there is some spread among the curves, they generally have the same shape, with different values of S At this point, remember that these are not repeat tests on the same exact? piece of rock, but rather, rocks from the same formation that are mineralogically similar. Therefore, the major differences among the curves can probably be attributed to differences in rock characteristics. Also, the differences in S^ correlate well with differences in test conditions, as will be explained later.
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Generally the curve shapes are similar for the three methods of measurement with the main differences being in S , and K @ S Differences in experimental conditions, as discussed below, have lSd toEhe different S values. or FACTORS AFFECTING RESIDUAL OIL SATURATION The factors affecting S have been investigated and reported in the literature (Abrams, 1975). These factors include fluid viscosities, flow rate and interfacial tension (IFT). The effect these factors have are: 1) The higher the flow rate the lower the S . 2) The larger the viscosity ratio (uw/yo) the lower the S . 3) The higher the water viscosity, the lower the S . 4) The lower the IFT, the lower the S . Table A summarizes the differences in experimental conditions for the three methods. Table 4. Differences In Experimental Conditions Test
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These numbers correlate with the general trend in the S values from the three methods. The ambient condition unsteady-state tests have the largest Abrams' number, and the lowest average S . Correspondingly the reservoir condition unsteady-state tests have the smallest Abrams' number, and the highest average S Based on Abrams' work we would expect only a 5-10 saturation % difference in S for this range of Abrams' number. In addition to differences in Abrams' number, different volumes of throughput probably help explain the rather large differences in S . Particularly for an oil-wet rock like this, the final oil saturation achieved during a flood is largely dependent on how much water has flowed through the core. Table 6 shows the approximate pore volumes of water injected during each of the three different tests. Table 6. Approximate Pore Volumes Injected Average Sor, ZPV 6.9 18.4 24.8
Method Ambient Condition Unsteady-State Ambient Condition Steady-State Reservoir Condition Unsteady-State
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3. A new method of normalizing relative permeability curves has been introduced that takes into account the different S values that are obtained under varying test conditions. 4. The mineral oils used in the experiments did not alter the wettability of the restored-state core.
This study was not a detailed parametric study conducted on many combinations of rock and fluid, thus, the conclusions of this study are not universally applicable. However, the conclusions are probably applicable for reservoirs with similar properties. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to Ken Weissenburger, Jeff Meyers, and Andre Bouchard for their review of the manuscript. I also thank the management of Conoco Inc., for permission to publish the paper. SELECTED REFERENCES Abrams, A., 1975, The Influence of Fluid Viscosity, Interfacial Tension, and Flow Velocity on Residual Oil Saturation Left by Waterflood: Soc. Pet. Eng. J., October. Amaefule, J. 0., and L. L. Handy, 1982, The Effect of Interfacial Tensions on Relative Oil/Water Permeabilities of Consolidated Porous Media: Soc. Pet. Eng. J., 22(3), p. 371-381, June. Craig, F. F., 1971, The Reservoir Engineering Aspects of Waterflooding: Society of Petroleum Engineers Monograph Series, No. 3, Dallas, Texas. Cuiec, L. E., 1975, Restoration of the Natural State of Core Samples: SPE 5634, presented at the 50th Annual Fall Meeting of the SPE, Dallas, Texas, September 28-0ctober 1. Cuiec, L. E., 1977, Study of Problems related to the Restoration of the Natural State of Core Samples: J. Cdn. Pet. Tech., 16(4), p. 68-80, OctoberDecember. Cuiec, L. E., Longeron, D. and Pacsirzky, J., 1979, On the Necessity of Respecting Reservoir Conditions in Laboratory Displacement Studies: SPE 7785 presented at the SPE Middle East Oil Technical Conference, Bahrain, March 25-29.