.

,
3037

Factors Affecting Liquid-Liquid Relative Permeabilities

of a Consolidated Porous Medium

E. J. LEFEBVRE duPREY

I /MST/TUT FRANCAIS
RUE/L-MALMAISON,
CIU PETROLE
FRANCE

ABSTRACT composition makes it possible to perform nettability

measurements outside the porous medium; (4) they
Many laboratory displacement tests have been
are consolidated like most of reservoir rocks; (5)
perjormed to study /actors a/’/’ecting reiative
they have good mechanical properties and so can be
permeability curves, residual saturations, and shape
washed successively without being altered; and
of recovery curves. Three sintered artificial porous
(k)
.-/ the
---- three
------ rn~& US~~ CO~ESpOnC! co ch~rx possible
materials and pure fluid mixtures have been used
cases of nettability, i.e., Teflon is strongly oil-wet,
/01 this systematic study.
alumina is strongly water wet, and stainless steel
The factors were interracial tension, the viscosity
may have intermediate nettability depending on the
and the velocity of the fluids (in the dimensionless
fluids considered.
group cr/pv), the nettability, and the viscosity
Some of our results reported here (concerning
ratio. Tbe results can be used as guidelines for
experiments with Teflon at a viscosity ratio of one)
research on recovery processes.
were presented earlier. 1

INTRODUCTION
THEORY
Waterflooding is by far the most common secondary
The elementary laws governing the distribution
recovery technique. Several processes (polymer
and flow of two phases in a porous material are
injection, surfactant injection, hot water injection, -.. :&- -.-11 1------- /l\ ..:.--- .,-. fla-, ]a%.~ ~r, ~~~~
qulLc Well KUUWLL. {.) vAa Luu*–akuw
etc.) attempt to improve sweep efficiency by affecting
phase (Navier and continuity equations), (2) solid-
some of the factors involved in the displacement
liquid boundary condition (zero velocity), (3)
process. For orienting research on these processes,
dynamic equilibrium laws of liquid-liquid interfaces
a good knowledge of how these parameters affect (c. nillarv law ~~~ ~QQ~~~U~!y Qf V~!QCiti~S ~tlr!
,- .-=...--,
local displacement efficiency and over-all sweep
viscosity stresses), and (4) solid-liquid-liquid
efficiency in the reservoir is required.
contact line equilibrium laws with hysteresis and
We present here an attempt to understand the
velocity dependency.
effects of such parameters: (1) at the microscopic
Neverthelesss the complexity of porous media,
level, on the shape of relative permeability curves
coupled with the difficulty of introducing the
and the values of final saturations obtained by
nettability law in a mathematical form, makes it
flooding, and (2) at the macroscopic level, on the
impossible to go from flow properties oft a
behavior of one-dimensional displacement.
microscopic pore scale to flow laws formulated on
Effects of the morphology of the porous medium
a macroscopic scale, i.e., relative permeability
were not included in this study. We mainly examined
curves and capillary pressure curves. Use of
the effects of fluid properties on fluid displacement
dimensional analysis and reasoning with simple
in only three specific porous media. These three pore schemes are two ways of approaching this
artificial sintered media were made of Teflon, problem.
stainless steel and alumina. For the following
The parameters involved in the phenomenon under
reasons they were very well suited to the
study are the following: (1) fluid viscosities pl and
systematic investigation undertaken: (1) they are
p2, (2) specific gravities PI and p2, (3) interracial
homogeneous and so the results ate not subject to
tension o, (4) pore dimension f and morphology M,
macroscopic heterogeneity effects; (2) they are f< \ *L- . ..a.. ”k.l:..7 G1 (L) er,c.,am a.,nl,,r; n” “
(J ) L,,= w=..au~~~.y % \V) ‘Y ‘QS1ll = “U* ULJU1l ~~:cr ‘o
identical in the same series, thus permitting the
the moment of study K, and (7) external conditions,
results to be compared from one experiment to
i.e., a mean velocity v or a pressure gradient in
another; (3) their constant and well-clef ined chemical
the zone investigated. Three of these parameters,
namely, M, o and K, have complex meanings and
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers
office Sept. 9, 1970. Revised manuscript of SPE 3039 received cannot be specified by a single number. These
Aug. 31, 1972. @) Copyright 1973 American Institute of Mining, letters must be understood as symbols used to
Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engine ers, Inc.
lRefe~*ces given at end of paper. represent complicated and not very well known

FEBRUARY, 1973 ~ \.- 39

physical properties. M refers to the shape of the a (Cos e~-cos 02)
pores of the medium, independent of their size that 9 in which 01 and 02 are the
Uv
r
is already taken into account by L @ refers not only advancing and receding angles. Therefore, we
to the angle of wetting, 6, but also t~ all the preferred to separate the examination of o and 6
physical properties governing nettability hysteresis
as well as variations in the angle of wetting with influences by correlating the results with the ~
pv
the velocity of the interface. K refers to the ratio and with 6.
microscopic distribution of the two fluids inside the Other authors like Rapoport21 have used other
pores, resulting from the previous history of scaling groups . to represent this ratio, such as
saturation states in the medium. ~,_u— COS t9~k
with L being the length of the
A detailed dimensional analysis of the problem UVL’
leads to the following conclusions. The phenomenon test co~e, and k the permeability. These scaling
urol] n.<
~---r- CQp.~Q~pA~Rg ~Ah~ ....--.wg>”
m a r-me r-np~ c iq$~ ~ ~.~
studied here (Flow seen iocaiiy on a microscopic
scale where it is assumed that the concepts of appropriate when the phenomenon studied is the
saturation, pressure and flow rate may be defined over-all behavior of the test core, and particularly
with end effects affecting the saturation profile
and are linked by relative-permeability and capillary-
. . . . . .. ..- -...”\ A----A- -.. .La L1 l-...: -... ----------- along the core. But when studying the macroscopic
~L=**LILG iaw >) UC~C11U2 UA1 L1lC LULAU W!ll~ yaLcll,,GLcL >.
laws governing two-phase flow, namely, residual
fLI/p2, M, @, K and rr = A. Ratio rr represents the saturations and relative permeability laws, this
relative influence of capillary and viscous forces. group must not appear among the controlling
parameters because these macroscopic laws are
In this analysis of the phenomenon on a pore scale,
gravity and inertia forces are negligible with regard independent of L. However, the scaling group m‘
may act upon disturbing effects in our experiments,
to viscous and capillary forces.
for instance end effects, ~ha~ ~~er both ~he
Studying simpie modeis representing the pore
measured values of residual saturation and the
space is not a very good way of advancing knowledge
calculated relative permeabilities. We checked the
of our problem. However, either by extremely
magnitude of these effects and found that they may
simplistic reasoning or by observations with a
be neglected (see the Experimental Procedure).
microscope, 4*S phase distributions during their
simultaneous flow through the pore space may be
explained. The wetting phase tends to flow through LITERATURE REVIEW
the finest pores and to occupy dead angles and The fact that relative permeabilities depend on
pore-wall anfractuosities. This difference in phase fluid properties and on flow rate has been known
distribution within the pore space provides an ever since this concept was first used. In 1938,
explanation for the dissymmetry of the relative Leverett8 studied the relative permeabilities of
-- —_- L; l:... -------- t-- .L _ —.-..:—- –L --- -–3 c.–
pcmIctiuIIILy curves 101 me wecmng pnasc ana ror several iiquici pairs by means of simuitarteous flows
the nonwetting phase. through sand cores. He correlated his results with
An examination of models also gives a better the dimensionless ratio, representing the comparative
understanding of wetting and nonwetting phases in influence of capillary and viscous forces at the pore
the residual state. 2$3 The nonwetting residual phase level, which he expressed in an over-all manner by
is in discontinuous droplets approximately the size o Cos e
a number equivalent to revealed by theoret-
of the pores. These droplets are trapped because Uu
they camot cross through threshoicis. l%s expiains icai investigation. Res~its obtained show the
WhV, the S WeCDr ~ate j Q~ rn.OEC ~~cc~ S~ly ~h~ ~~~~~ qualitative influence of this number Qn reiari~~
between driving viscous forces and resistant permeabilities and extreme satiations. Many
capillary forces, does not have much influence on searchers have worked on this problem, and the
residual saturation. following results can be drawn from their
When the residual phase is wetting, it has a quite investigations.
different position in the pore space. It is in the form Most of the authors agree to attribute the
of a continuous phase oc cupying iarge areas compared dissymmetry of reiative permeability curves to the
with the pore size. So this wetting phase, held back difference in nettability for the two fluids. 1~g- 12
mainly by wetting hysteresis or by pore dissymmetry, Residual wetting-fluid saturation is always greater
may be moved by a slight increase in viscosity than residual nonwetting fluid saturation. For
forces breaking the equilibrium. This explains why symmetrical saturations in the interval swept by
the residual saturation of a nonwetting phase may displacement, the relative permeability of the
be affected by the flow rate of the displacing phase. wetting fluid is less than that of the nonwetting fluid.
Some authorss, 6 use the dimensionless number We think these results are generally valid for flood
o Cos 9 in porous media having well defined wettabilit y
to compare capillary forces with viscous (either strongly water-wet or strongly oil-wet).
Uv
for’ces. However, this number is valid only if trapping However, experiments made by other investigatorsss
is due to pore dissymmetry. But residual-phase do not agree with these general features. We think
trapping is also due to the nettability hysteresis 7 that this disagreement is due to the use of cores
and in such a case the appropriate number would be having intermediate, ill-defined nettability. For
instance, the saturation profiles presented in Ref.

SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

22 for low flood rates distinctly show the two this ratio is not favorable and the displacing fluid
following characteristics: (1) at the beginning of is nonwetting, the influence is great on front shape
the flood, water saturation at the inlet end of the and on breakthrough recovery, and smal 1 on final
core increases slowly (this is a feature of an oil-wet recovery.
system), and (2) at the breakthrough, the saturation
profile near the outlet end of the core is altered by LABORATORY SIIJDY
an end effect (this is a feature of a water-wet
CORE AND FLUID PROPERTIES
system).
-, . ~~,e aa,,’~.ca
-“--1,s. ...6A ,.. - .-1.
u=.=u CIA= -.. c--- -L. -.. -- .:-..
I nls dissymmetry of reiative permeability curves LdACIL lLU1ll LIUCC >CLIC> d

accounts for the differences observed in the sintered artificial media made of Teflon> stainless
behavior of floods with the opposite wettabil- steel, and alumina. In each series the media have
-----
itYO1,1 Z, 1~ When the displacing fluid is nonwetting, quite simiiar properties. Teflon sampies have a
breakthrough occurs very early; when the fluid is constant porosity of 35 percent and a permeability
wetting, the displacement is almost piston-like. ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 darcies. These properties
Some authors have not distinguished the influence are, respectively, 40.5 percent and 2 to 6 darcies
of parameters o, p and v. Some,9 for instance, have for stainless steel samples, and 44.1 percent and
not found any influence of viscosity for fluids having 0.06 to O. 1 darcy for alumina samples.
the same nettability characteristics. And still The different pairs of fluids used were chosen in
others 10 make the same comment by c1aiming that, order to have a wide range of a and p parameters.
if the history of the sample prior to measurement They are two phases of pure fluid mixtures in
and its nettability are preserved, fluid properties equilibrium. Their properties are wel 1 defined and
do not change relative permeability curves. constant with time. Composition and properties of
These results disagree with what most of the the fluids are given in Table 1. Interracial tension
authors say,s) G,s! 14-16 They recognize that extreme varies from 0.25 to 35o dyne/cm and viscosity from
saturations depend to a great extent on fluid 0.9 to 60 cp, with flow rate ranging from 0.1 to 10
properties through rr for both types of nettability. cu cm/min. The ratio n was ranged between 2 x 102
Disagreement on this topic revealed by the literature and 107 for Teflon experiments. Viscosity was
is most probably due to the fact that many authors measured with a capillary viscosimeter and
studied only one of the parameters within too small interracial tension with the Wilhelmy ’s technique.
a variation range to detect any influence. In any It is difficult to characterize with a single angle
case, no author has made a systematic study of this value the nettability of a sample with respect to a
number by varying the values of u, p and v at the pair of fluids. Static and dynamic measurements
same time. were made by the methods described in Refs. 18 and
Influence of the viscosity ratio has been 19. An example of these measurements is given in
invewigared f~~ h~tb. ~a~e~ of m,c.rrah;
., -....”... l;rw
. ,.11 when Fig. 1. The complexity of such results foI aii ~he

TABLE 1 — COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF TWO-PHASE MIXTURES

n **
Viscosity
(Cp) Contact Angles in the “ – ~ C’
Interracial
Water Oil Phase Water
Oil Tension Oil
Compounds (percent volume) No. Phase* Phase (dyne/cm) Teflon Steel Alumina Phase Phase
— —— — —
Water (39.5), isobutyl alcohol (39.5), —
glycerol (21) F1 4.21 4.27 1.7 28° 168° 164° 1.7 x 104

Water (50), cyclohexone (50) F2 0.93 0.92 44.5 10” 120° 150° 2.0 x 106
Water (36.6), kerosene (56. 1),
glycerol (7.3) F3 1.85 1.90 25 15” 160° 155° 5.3 x @
F 3 + surface active agent F4 1.85 1.90 3 15° 6,5 X 11)4
Water (21), oleic acid (21), glycerol (58) F 5 29.4 31.8 9.6 0° 1.4 x 104
Water (50), ethanol ( 15.3), butanol (27),
glycerol (38.7) F 6 3.0 3.48 0.4 300 5.1 x 103
Water (1 1.3), cyclohexanol (50),
glycerol (38.7) F7 60 60 0.6 26° 41 x 102
~oo x T04
Glycol (47), kerosene (3), paraffin oil (50) F 8 20 20 19 290 165” 155”
Water (50), decane (50) F 9 0.9 0.9 30 14° 70° 150° 1.4 x KP
Mercury (50), paraffin oil (29), octane (21) F1O 1.55 1.45 350 10° 1.0 x 107
w“+-. 19A c) “1”--.-1 [92 G\
..”, =. \-”. -J, Y. J--,”, ,--. -/,
kerosene (25), paraffin oil (25) Fll 6 6 35 9“ 20° 157” 2.4 x @
F 11 + surface active agent F12 6 6 14.8 from 1.8 x 103
from 0.25 to 1.0 x 105
Water (50), cyclohexanol (50) F13 1.1 21.5 to 14.8 1.6 X @ 8.0 X 103
Water (34.3), glycerol (15.7),
cyclohexane (50) F14 30 1 0.75 9.5 X 102 2.8X
104
Glycol (50), octane (50) F15 20,5 0.56 15 10° 3.1 x 104 1.2X
105
Glycol (50), cyclohexane (50) F16 20 1 14 13° 3.0 X 11)4 6,0 X 105
Water (50), paraffin oil (50) F17 0.9 23.8 38 18° 1.6x 106 4.2x 104
●ln this table, the phase essentially containing water, glycol or mercury is inaccurately called “water phase”.
u
●*Here, ~= — is calculated for a rate of 1 cu cm/min in the case of Teflon cores.
p.

FEBRUARY, 1973 41
solid-liquids systems studied makes possible only nonwetting displacing fluid are made at a constant
qualitative assessment of nettability. Table 1 shows rate; and others were made at a variable flow rate.
the static contact angle obtained by the sessile-drop That permitted us to show that, except for the first
merAod (nonwetting fluid displacing wetting fluid). displacement, there was no appreciable e influence
However, Teflon and alumina may be &nsidered, of initial saturation on the displacements by the
re~pec&cjy> as srrQ@y Qi]-wet &fld ScrQp.g!y nonwetting fluid and permitted us to determine the
water-wet for all the fluids used, and this property influence of flow rate on the displacements by the
is constant with time; stainless steel exhibits an wetting fluid. In the second series, the roles of the
intermediate nettability for some pairs of fluids, two fluids, wetting and nonwetting, are inverted.
sometimes with a tendency to become oil-wet with Experimental results for each displacement, i.e.,
time. Steel and alumina samples were sometimes recovery and pressure curves, were interpreted by
.L. ”r –,...,
treated with .Rhodorsli (commercial name for a me welge-J onnson-Bossier and Nauman23 method in
partially hydrolyzed chlorosilane) that made them order to obtain relative permeability curves. Rela~ive
strongly oil-wet. permeability measurements during simultaneous
flows were made for the purpose of checking whether
APPARATUS the method was applicable within the fluid and rate
ranges used. 19
Samples are 50 mm in diameter and 100 mm long.
For Teflon and stainless steel samples, lateral RESULTS
tightness is insured by a heat-shrinkable Terthene
The results, with a viscosity ratio of one, are
sheet (polythene on an organic support) when fluid
summarized in Figs. 3 through 7. Fig. 3 gives three
pressure is less than 2 kg/sq cm. For alumina
relative permeability curves with Teflon, correspond-
samples, the lateral surface is glazed. Samples are
ing to three values of n. Figs. 4 and 5 for Teflon
squeezed between two Plexiglas end plates as shown
and alumina media, respectively, give the extreme
in Fig. 2. Displacements are made at a constant
saturations obtained after each displacement in both
rate impcsed by a Zenith pump. Liquid injected and
directions, vs the number n. For stainless-steel
oil permitted into the pump are separated by mercury
media, a different plotting of results is adopted to
in two containers. Total pressure drop in the sample
depict better the role of nettability (Fig. 6).
is measured by a Dynisco pressure gauge. The
Residual saturation in the displaced fluid is given
effluents are separated and measured in a graduated
vs n. Fig. 7 is a detail taken from Fig. 6 and gathers
test tube.
all the water-decane displacements for three cases
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE of nettability. Fig. 8 gives the comparative influence
of viscosity ratio and nettability on relative
For each pair of fluids, displacements were permeabilities, extreme saturations and recovery
performed successively in the two directions, the curves for the Teflon case.
initial state of one displacement being the final
state of the previous one. The sample was first
saturated with wetting fluid, and each displacement
———. —

“-””= x.~=’-p”m
was arbitrarily stopped after four pore volume
flooding. 1-
,—
A–1-- .—.. r- ..-
wuy rwo ractors piay a roie in such a series of
l--i-‘“
T
displacements: flow rate and initial displacing fluid

II
urn
saturation.
To separate the influence of these two parameters,
two series of displacements were performed. In the
first, the displacements corresponding to a
““U’ I
smamlor‘ II I
8,=90”
9R=S3” 8,=97* L
m

& ,
IzIl

8R ,22*
CuUE 8A. A@mncing
angle
6R = R.c@ssing0.910
Ed
&::vnd-p’0
83= 20- ~~ ~ es. Static anglo

( tantoctangleis measur~d
eA=ll* ~ in waterphase)

FIG. 1 — CONTACT ANGLES FOR THE PAIR OF m IE!F+-“’19’”8

“’”8
LIQUIDS F 3 (WATER — KEROSENE — GLYCEROL)
STAINLESS STEEL.
ON
I Tarttwn. shoot

CASE I — SOLID SURFACE IS INITIALLY

CONTACT WITH WATER-PHASE.
IN
kzz—+—— ‘“”’ ‘O’” ‘+”0
CASE II — SOLID SURFACE IS INITIALLY IN FIG. 2 — SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF APPARATUS FOR
CONTACT WITH OIL-PHASE. DISPLACEMENT TESTS.

42 sOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

 Relative permeabilities STRONG NETTABILITY CASE

t Figs. 4 and 5 clearly show that, for a given

100 - viscosity ratio, parameters a, p and v influence the
Porous medium. Teflon
extreme saturations throughn = ~ the number .
Viscosity ratio: 4 pv
!
60 ‘ For example, with Teflon, the three cbpiacements
/ T.5. I 103 have quite different properties.
/ F 5 fluids, u = 9.6 dyne/cm, p = 30 cp,
8 Q = 0.3 cu cm/min
60 t
F 3 fluids, o = 25 dyne/cm, p = 1.9 cp,
\
Q = 12 cu cm/min
,’ .4.0 104
40 \ F 1 fluids, o = 1.7 dyne/cm, p = 4.2 cp,
Q = 0.28 cu cm/min
These displacements have corresponding rr number
20 of about 4.5 x 104 and produce final water saturations
\
of 62.7, 59.7 and 61.5 percent, respectively.
d Otherwise, for the same value of n, the residual
01 z-x-’- - saturation in the wetting fluid is always much higher
b -

0 20 40 60 80 100 than the residual saturation in the nonwetting fluid.

For Teflon (Fig. 4) the correlation has been
Nonwetting fluid soturotion
determined for a very wide range of rr. If the
FIG. 3 — EFFECT OF rr = (a/pv) ON RELATIVE displacing fluid is nonwetting, the effect of n is
PERMEABILITIES.
very marked and residual saturation ranges from 30
to 65 percent. The effect is much less significant
COMPARATIVE INFLUENCE OF when the displacing fluid is wetting, rising from 5
~, p, v AND NETTABILITY to 20 percent.
To have a clearer understanding of how parameters For alumina samples (Fig. 5) residual saturations
u, p and v and the nettability work, let us first are higher. Dissymmetry between wetting and
consider the results obtained with Teflon and nonwetting fluids is quite large for a value of rr
alumina samples that correspond to cases of strong while changes in rr have little effect on recovery,
wettabilit y in both types of displacement. within the variation range studied. This difference
in behavior can probably be explained by a difference

Ionwetting fluid saturation (%1? V.)

I00

‘—--rT—
80
Wetting fluid
residual saturation
H s
❑
F8
F5
X
v
F?
F40
x A F3
. F4.f
x ~~ ■■ + F9 F42
.8 ‘
‘m
60 v . I
m ●
a
v

+
,0
Saturation swept A. +- ,
40 by displacement A

+ A+
2C ❑ ●
=5 ●
Xmmo
x Nonwe.tting fluid
x residual saturation
o I 1
2
103 10’ I 106 10’ 7T=L
Uv
FIG. 4 — EFFECT OF rr ON RESIDUAL SATURATIONS. VISCOSITY RATIO EQuALS ONE; POROUS MEDIUM IS
TEFLON.

FEBRUARY, 1973 49
 Nonwetting fluid saturation (O/. PV. )

Ioc
Liquids Iisted on table 4

. F9 A F9 (T)
❑ F4 o F4 (T)
8C
A F2

(T) Oil-wet treated cores

60 I
I

4C

20

0 —

-pv
FIG. 5 — EFFECT OF rr ON RESIDUAL SATURATIONS. VISCOSITY RATIO EQUALS ONE; POROUS MEDIUM IS
ALUMINA.

Discdaced fluid residual saturation (“/o PV.)

10(

I Fn - Fluids listed an table 4 I I ~

81 ---i I I
I (T) - Oil-wet treated cares I I 1

4(

\
2’

\ Cyclohexanol
Water

(
I —
102 103 104 105 106 10’ ‘r. L
pv
FIG. 6—EFFECTS OF v ON REHDuAL SATURATIONS. VISCOSITY RATIO EQUALS ONE.

44 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

 11:. _,---4 ‘,. .:4 .--: >..., in ...– -r-.-.-o.
mor~hologv between Teflon and alumina.

‘“”~
The effect of rr on relative permeabilities is quite
appreciable. Fig. 3 clearly shows that relative
permeabilities decrease when rr increases. Also
l%rous medium = Sto[nless S?WI
because the nettability is not neutral, there are not
90 Initiolly eatured by woter only quite different residual saturations, but also a
a-
dissymmetry in relative permeability curves. This
a“ Initiolly eotured by decone
80 dissymmetry causes marked differences in the types
0’ Oil - wet treoted core of displacement in each direction (Fig. 8b2). When
displacing fluid is nonwetting, breakthrough occurs
70 10
I ● early and oil production is large after breakthrough.
When the displacing fluid is wetting, displacement
60 - is piston-like.

CASE OF INTERMEDIATE NETTABILITY

50 -
Fig. 7 gives the results about water-decane
displacement experiments. Three series of
40 -
experiments were performed with different nettability
conditions. In Case 1, the sample was initially water
30 - saturated. In Case 2, the sample was initially decane
saturated. In Case 3, the sample was Rhodorsil,
20 - treated to make it decane-wet.
In Case 1, residual water saturation is slightly
7* high er than residual decane saturation, and the
10 -
medium behaves as though it were relatively
water-wet. In Case 3, residual decane saturation is
01 , * much greater than residual water saturation, and
105 106 10’
the medium is strongly decane-wet. Whereas the
~=$%
results are stable from one experiment to another in
FIG. 7 — WATER-DECANE DISPLACEMENTS FOR both of these cases, Case 2 shows an evolution of
THREE TYPES OF NETTABILITY; POROUS MEDIUM the residual saturation that must be attributed to a
IS STAINLESS STEEL.

K
4K --- t ,-*I
100’ I vu
Fluid: ,F 8
WV
Flt#dspF;7
~IU!~:~J5 lKnwl
K=l/ Oo. a “ ,,=, .. =----
80 80 80
Kw

60 60 60
Knw
40 40 ~ 40

20 Kw 20 20
K nw
o M 0m 0 B
0 20 40 60 80 100 Snw 0 20 40 60 80 100 Snw 0 20 40 60 80 100 Snw

.804 - -8 b4- -8c4-

Averoge nonwetting Averoge nonwetting Averoge nonwetting

4 satumtion ~ satumtion + sotumtion

1 I I 1
———
—..——— —
—
(/ ~-

oo~
3
- 0 I 2 3
-
0 I 2
Injected volume (1?V.) Injected volume ( F’.V.) Injected volume (F?V.)

_8a2- -8 b2- -8c2-

FIG. 8 — COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF VISCOSITY RATIO R = /q,//.Lnw
AND NETTABILITY ON RELATIVE PERME-
ABILITIES, EXTREME SATURATIONS AND RECOVERY PERFORMANCES; POROUS MEDIUM IS TEFLON.

FEBRUARY. 1973 45
ornat,
~......z41 &flge Qf ~~~ Wetcabi!ity, we ~av~ ~,mm~f-lve
r u---
c t-er,-tireI-t,
.+-v.-.~,
hr,r
“-.
we are !~p,~~e~ by SCQ~6.rn~ c

investigated the influence of nettability on considerations (injection power, number of wells,

saturation in the whole range from strongly oil-wet etc. ) We can also decrease u by adding surfactant to
to strongly water-wet. the injection water, but the economy of the method
Fig. 6 contains all the results for experiments is not proved. The viscosity ratio in this case will
with stainless steel. For a couple of fluids, two have a great influence on improving the front shape,
curves are plotted, corresponding to the residuai final local recovery and aiso sweep efficiency.
e-r.,. ar;
--.,- nrlc
-. ,”,.- nh,o;
““--------ner4 fe~ &~ run-!
.-v rwn.=
.,y. ”. of A“..n*h.a
‘,.’” .,,GL . ~“c.m.”.u
~fice;hl.a ec.1,,.:~m
-Lu.1”.l -,-,,1,4
““s. = h,=
“e .-
l.” L.:--
“..ll~ AL-,,+
-“”LA.
displacements. This figure reveals a neutral a change in the nettability of the rock at the front
wettabi lit y curve — for a given system the residual or behind the front. In this way, it is possible to
saturation for the nonwetting fluid is located make a big improvement in recovery without changing
underneath this curve. The stronger nettability the characteristics of fluids. With no change in
becomes, the farther away the representative installed surface power, for instance, residual
displacement point moves from this line. saturation drops from 60 to 20 percent in the case
_t T-tI-- -.L-- –. In?
UL A C1lU1l Wllcll 77 = i“- .
COMPARATIVE INFLUENCE OF At the same time it should be emphasized that
VISCOSITY RATIO AND NETTABILITY these results were obtained using systems having
Results described in the above section concerned ideal properties. In order to obtain significant
displacements at a viscosity ratio of one. Fig. 8 results, this type of investigation has to be made
shows the influence of the viscosity ratio in the two where parameters can be isolated. The medium used
opposite cases of nettability. Figs. 8bl and 8b2, in is microscopically extremely homogeneous, whereas
which the viscosity ratio is one, act as a reference. rocks in the field are rarely homogeneous, either
In Figs. 8al and 8a2 the viscosity ratio is favorable having local heterogeneities or being fissured or
when the non wetting fluid displaces the wetting stratified. Surface properties are never so well
fluid, and it is unfavorable for a displacement in the defined, stable and measurable as in the experiments.
other direction. In Figs: 8C 1 and 8c2, on the contrary, Our fluids have extremely constant properties, and
the viscosity ratio is favorable when the wetting there is no chromatographic transport. Likewi se, we
fluid displaces the nonwetting fluid. considered only the local aspect of the problem and
The viscosity ratio has considerable influence on the consequence on one-dimensional sweeps. The
3: --..—–- –..-. w~ die ~~l~tiV~ --_
cussymme~ry
—-— L: l:.-.
permeaDlllry
-------
curves.
- -l-ti
Lne
- two-dim. ensiona! ~w~ep efficiency ~~pe~~ w~~ p.~~
higher the viscosity of one of the liquids is, the examined. Despite this, the results obtained remain
lower is the relative permeability of the other liquid. significant for the case of a natural medium.
This influence prevai Is with regard to the influence
of nettability. When the displacing fluid is CONCLUSIONS
non wetting, a more favor able viscosity ratio improves This experimental study enabled the following
recovery and shapes a one-dimensional displacement. conclusions to be made.
There is little influence in the case of opposite 1. For a given consolidated porous medium,
wettabi!ity, f~!a~~v~ y- ~r=rm.=. nh;. .l;ri
. ...- -- .-c
. ...-” ~fi~ ,,ac; a,, al
-------- car,, rnt; n”c-
“-. -’...”..
depend on the properties of the two liquids.
RESERVOIR STUDY APPLICABILITY 2. Interracial tension, viscosity and velocity are
The results can be used as guidelines for research involved through the dimensionless group n = u/p v.
to improve displacement and sweep efficiency in By varying each of the parameters, this number
recovery processes. The value of the number n- is ranged from 2 x 102 to 107.
approximately 107 in the case of a field swept by 3. Relative permeabilities are all the lower as n
water at a mean velocity of 30 cm/day, with is large.
.;“r.-.
. . . . .rfae;
. . . ..-=1 renc;
.S.. -. fin
v.’ Le;mg
“-.’. 20
,“ @fie,l C,Ta ~q~ f!u~~ 4. v affects residual saturations in both cases of
viscosity about 1 cp. Therefore, this value nettability, especially when the displaced fluid is
corresponds to a very poor condition for recovery, wetting.
especially if the rock is oil-wet. 5. For a value of r and a viscosity ratio of one,
behaviors of wetting and nonwetting fluids are quite
If the reservoir is strongly water-wet, displacement
occurs under fairly good conditions. It is hardly different. Residual saturations are very different.
possible to improve recovery by acting on n in this Relative permeability curves are di symmetric,
case; naturally we do not speak about very low causing a great difference in the two types of sweeps
interracial tension displacements in which miscible- with either wetting or nonwetting di spl acing fluid.
Iike particular mechanisms appear (i. e., Maraflood 6. Influence of nettability on residual saturations
process). However, the viscosity of the water can was revealed, going gradually from high water-
be increased so as to make the viscosity ratio wettability to high oil-nettability.
favorable and create a piston-like displacement. 7. The viscosity ratio has an influence on relative
permeability curves and displacement, especially
This also improves sweep efficiency, but has no
when a nonwetting fluid is displacing a wetting fluid.
effect on local recovery.
If the reservoir is strongly oil-wet, breakthrough 8. These findings show that relative permeability
is very early and recovery is poor. A decrease in n measurements must be made under conditions similar

SOCIETY OF PET ROLELIM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

 .

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20-24.
13. Leach, R. O. and Wagner, O. R: “A Laboratory and
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FEBRUARY, 1973 47