PERMEABILITY

Some slides in this section are from NExT PERF Short Course Notes, 1999.
Some slides appear to have been obtained from unknown primary
sources that were not cited by NExT. Note that some slides have a notes section.

Permeability
Definition (ABW, Ref: API 27)
permeability is a property of the porous medium and
is a measure of the capacity of the medium to transmit
fluids
a measure of the fluid conductivity of the particular
material

Permeability is an INTENSIVE property of a

porous medium (e.g. reservoir rock)

Sources for Permeability Determination

Core analysis
Well test analysis (flow testing)
RFT (repeat formation tester) provides small well tests

Production data
production logging measures fluid flow into well

Log data
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) logs calibrated via
core analysis

Examples, Typical PermeabilityPorosity Relationship

From Tiab and Donaldson, 1996

WATER

Darcys
Apparatus for
Determining
Permeability

h1-h2

A
h1

(Sand Pack Length) L

Flow is Steady State

q = KA (h1-h2)/L
K is a constant of
proportionality
h1>h2 for downward flow

q
WATER

h2

PERMEABILITY (k)
Darcys K has a unit of m/s and is called
hydraulic conductivity
Permeability can be easily obtained from K:

K
k
g
or hydraulic conductivity can be easily obtained
from k
k g

Review - Derived Units

Consider Newtons 2nd Law for constant
mass, F=ma
SI Units are Absolute and Coherent
Absolute: Force is a derived unit, 1 N = 1 (kg*m/s2)
Coherent (consistent): No conversion constants
needed

So:

F[N] = m[kg]*a[m/s2]

Review - Derived Units

What if we want F to be in [lbf ]?
Then, F[lbf]*4.448[ N/lbf] =
m[kg]*a[m/s2]
Adding the conversion factor restores the
original formula (a true statement in SI units)

Review - Derived Units

For: F in [lbf ], m in [lbm ], a in [ft/s2]
Then, F[lbf ]*4.448222[N / lbf] =
m[lbm ]*0.4535924[kg/lbm] *
a[ft/s2]*0.3048[m/ft]
Or, F[lbf ] = m[lbm ] * a[ft/s2] /
32.17405[(lbmft)/(lbf s2)]
Remember: 1[N] / 1[kg*m/s2] = 1; dimensionless

Permeability
Dimensions & Units
Permeability is a derived dimension
From Darcys equation, the dimension of permeability is
length squared
3

q L L P T L 1 1
k=
;
2 = L2
A p T 1 1 L P

[ ]

This is not the same as area, even though for example, it is m2 in SI

units

In Darcy and SI Units, this equation is coherent

Oilfield units are non-coherent, a unit conversion constant is
required

Darcy Units (Obsolete)

Peremebility in d
viscosity in cp
length in cm
volume in cm3
pressure in atm
time in s

k p
vs =
x

SI Units
Permeability has a derived dimension L2 based on Darcys
Equation:

k p
vs =
x

m
s

m2
Pa

m
Pa s

The SI unit of permeability is 1 m2

The oilfield unit is millidarcy
1 md = 9.8710-16 m2
If you have 1 m long core with 9.8710-16 m2 permeability and
you apply 105 Pa pressure difference to the two ends, the Darcy
velocity of water (=0.001 Pas) will be vs = 9.8710-8 m/s
If the core has a cross sectional area 0.1 m2, the flow rate will be
q = A vs = 9.8710-9 m3/s

English Units
p
v s = 7.324 10
x
-7

ft / s

md / cp

psi / ft

If you have 3 ft long core with 1 md

permeability and you apply 14.7 psi pressure
difference to the two ends, the Darcy velocity
of water ( = 1 cP) will be vs = 3.5910-7 ft/s
If the core has a cross sectional area 1 ft2, the
flow rate will be 3.5910-7 ft3/s

Field Units

k p
q = 1.127 10 A
x
3

bbl / day

ft2

md /cP

psi / ft

If you have 3 ft long core with 1 md

permeability and you apply 14.7 psi
pressure difference to the two ends, and
the flowing fluid is water ( = 1 cP) and
the core has a cross sectional area 1 ft2,
the flow rate will be 0.00552 bbl/day

Differential Form - Darcys Law

Darcys Equation rearranged as Darcy velocity (volumetric
flux)
vs = q/A = (k/) (p/L)
This equation applies for any L, as L0
vs = q/A = -(k/) (dp/ds)
where,
vs Darcy velocity, (volumetric flux)
s distance along flow path (0s L), in the direction of
decreasing pressure (note negative sign)
The differential form is Darcys Law

Flow Potential
s

The generalized form of Darcys Law includes pressure

and gravity terms to account for horizontal or nonhorizontal flow
q
k dp
dz

vs =

ds
ds

The gravity term has dimension of pressure / length

Flow potential includes both pressure and gravity terms,

simplifying Darcys Law

q
k d
vs =
=
A
ds

= p - gZ/c ; Z+; Z is elevation measured from a datum

has dimension of pressure

Permeability Dimensions & Units

Permeability is a measure of the fluid conductivity of a rock.
From Darcys Equation, the dimension of permeability is

qL
k=
=
Ap

L3 P T L 1 1
2 = L2

T
1
1 L P

[ ]

The permeability unit is defined in an older system now called Darcy Units. Other
unit systems are shown in braces and brackets: {SI Units} and [Oilfield Units]
qs
A

k dp g dZ

ds c ds

k d
g
; where = p
Z; Z+

ds
c

k = permeability, d {m2} [md]

qs = volumetric flow rate along flow path, cm3/s {m3/s} [barrel/d]
(42 US gallons/barrel) (5.6145833 ft3/barrel)
A = cross-sectional area of flow path, cm2 {m2} [ft2]
= fluid viscosity, cp {Pas} [cp]
p = pressure, atm {Pa} [psi]
s = distance along flow path, cm {m} [ft]
= density, g/cm3 {kg/m3} [lbm/ft3]
g = acceleration due to gravity, 981 cm/s2 {9.81 m/s2} [32.17 ft/s2]
c = gravity term conversion constant, 1.01325 x 106 dyne/cm2atm
{1 Pa/(N/(m2)} [(32.174 lbmft/ lbf s2)(144 in2/ft2)]
Z = vertical elevation measured from datum, cm {m} [ft]
Note: Darcys Equation in oilfield units is non-coherent, and requires an
additional unit conversion factor (not shown)