Chapter 3 Permeability

3.2 Darcys Law

In 1856, Darcy investigated the flow of water through sand filters for water
purification.

His experimental apparatus is shown in Figure 3.11.

By empirical

observation

Figure 3.11 Schematic of Darcys experiment on flow of water through sand.

Darcy noticed that fluid flow was directly proportional to the hydraulic gradient, resulting in
the following equation,

h h
q KA 2 1
l

(3.3)

where q represents the volumetric flow rate of water downward through the cylindrical sand
pack of cross-sectional area A and height l, h1 and h2 are the hydraulic head above the
standard datum of the water in the manometer located at the input and output ports
respectively, and K is a constant of proportionality found to be characteristic of the rock
media. It was observed that for any angle of the sandpack, a given constant flow rate would
result in the same h; i.e., Eq. (3.3) is independent of the direction of flow.
Fluid movement is due to the difference in potential energy. The two components of
the potential energy are fluid pressure and elevation or gravity. By defining a relationship

3.12

Chapter 3 Permeability
between hydraulic head and pressure, it is possible to determine pressure at any point in the
flow path. The total potential function per unit mass can be written as,

gz gh

(3.4)

where g is the acceleration of gravity, p is pressure and is the density of the fluid and z is
the elevation of a given point in the system. Substituting Eq. (3.4) into Eq. (3.3) and writing
in differential form, we obtain,

K d p
A gz
g dl

(3.5)

The parameter, K is known as the hydraulic conductivity. A sequence of experiments

maintained at constant fluid potential gradient investigated the effect of different properties
on the flow rate. The resulting expression for the hydraulic conductivity is,

2
cd g

(3.6)

where d is grain diameter, is the fluid viscosity, and c is a constant of proportionality.

Substituting into Eq. (3.5) we get,
q

kA dp
dz
g

dl
dl

(3.7)

where k is the permeability of the porous media. Equation (3.7) is known as Darcys Law. It
is applicable for steady state, laminar flow of an incompressible fluid, for a homogeneous
and isotropic porous media.
The negative sign in the previous equation is a result of the pressure and distance both
measured positive in the same direction (see Fig. 3.12). Therefore, the gradient within the
bracket must be negative to move the flow in the same direction as the direction from high to
lower potential. For example, take the simplified case of horizontal flow (z = 0), then
since p1 > p2 the gradient must be

p p1
dp
.
2

dL
L

3.13

Chapter 3 Permeability

P1

P2

q
0

Figure 3.12 Schematic of sign convention for potential gradient in horizontal flow

For flow at any angle, , we can substitute sin for the elevation gradient; i.e., sin

dz
.
dL

The sign convention is referenced such that positive is upward flow as shown in Figure 3.13.
Flow upward
(+) sin 90 = 1

dL

dz

Flow downward
sin -90 = -1
Figure 3.13 Schematic of sign convention for any flow angle

Darcys Law (Eq. 3.7), written for any angle of flow becomes,

kA dp

g sin

dl

(3.8)

The dimensions of permeability can be determined by substituting for the appropriate

cgs units found in table 3.1.

2
2
cc k (cm ) dyne / cm

sec
poise
cm

3
2
2
L
k ( L ) m

k L
T
(m / LT ) 2 2

L T

3.14

Chapter 3 Permeability
Units

cgs

Darcy

Field

q flow rate

cc/s

cc/s

Bpd

A cross-sectional area

cm2

cm2

ft2

L length

cm

cm

Ft

fluid viscosity

poise

centipoise

Cp

P pressure

dyne/cm2

atm

Psia

density

gm/cc

gm/cc

lbm/ft3

g gravity

cm/s2

cm/s2

ft/s2

k - permeability

cm2

Darcy

Md

Table 3.1Various units used in petroleum engineering

The unit for permeability in the cgs system is 0.987 x 10-8 cm2. From a practical standpoint
this measure is too small; therefore we define 1 darcy = 0.987 x 10-12 m2 (m)2. That is, a
permeability of 1.0 Darcy is defined such that a single-phase fluid of 1.0 cp flows at a rate of
1.0 cc/sec/cm2 under a pressure of 1 atm/cm. In Darcy units, Eq. (3.7) becomes,

kA dp
g sin
q

6
dl
1.013x10

(3.9)

Example 3.2
Consider fresh water with a viscosity of 1.0 cp and density of 1.0 gm/cc, injected at a rate of
10 cc/sec through a sandpack with dimensions illustrated below.

After steady state is

achieved the pressure readings are recorded. Determine the permeability for this sandpack?
Note: Barometric pressure = 14.7 psi.

Pin=10psig

d = 2 cm

Pout=0psig

L = 5 cm
Solution
Since the core is horizontal the elevation term is zero; therefore Eq. (3.8) is reduced to,

3.15

Chapter 3 Permeability

kA dP
dL
2 0 14.7 10 14.7
k (1)

14.7
14.7

10
(1)(5)
k 10.8 darcies
q

Conversion to field units results in the following expression for Darcys Law,

q 1.127 x10

3 kA dp

0.4335 sin

dl

where is the specific gravity of the fluid.

3.16

(3.10)