PERMEABILITY

Chart: PERM-1 (Irreducible Water Saturation)

Applications: Determination of points at irreducible water saturation

Nomenclature:
φ ......... formation porosity
Sw . . . . . . . . formation water saturation
c
Swirr . . . . . . . . irreducible formation water saturation (equal to , where constant c is a characteristic
φ
of a given rock type and grain size)
BVW. . . . . . . bulk volume water fraction (equal to φ • Sw)

Given: Sw and φ at several points in a zone that are in or above the transition zone (The respective BVW
(i.e., φ • Sw ) values are calculated and displayed for later reference.)

Point Sw φ BVW
(%) (%) (decimal)
1 27 11.0 0.0297
2 23 13.0 0.0299
3 24 12.5 0.0300
4 20 15.0 0.0300
5 19 16.0 0.0304
6 22 14.0 0.0308
7 27 12.0 0.0324
8 19 17.5 0.0333
9 26 14.0 0.0364
10 22 17.0 0.0374
11 25 15.0 0.0375
12 26 15.0 0.0390

Find: Those points which are at irreducible water saturation

Procedure: Plot the points according to their coordinates, (Sw, φ). Number each of the points for future reference.
Points at irreducible water saturation will be the most southwesterly points on the plot and will be
located along a line running northwest to southeast. From the graph, you see that points 1 through 6
meet these criteria. Thus, they are assumed to be at irreducible water saturation.

Answer: Points 1 through 6 are at irreducible water saturation.

Notes: This procedure assumes that, in a given formation, the product φ • Sw is constant for points at irreducible
water saturation. In this example, φ • Sw ≈ 0.030, that is, the points lie along the line BVW = 0.030.

Reference: Morris, R.L. and Biggs. W.P.: “Using Log-Derived Values 0f Water Saturation and Porosity,” SPWLA.
Paper X, 1967.
φ
Chart: PERM-2 (Estimated Permeability for Clastics)

Applications: Determination of formation permeability to oil and gas

Nomenclature: φ . . . . . . . . . formation porosity

Swirr . . . . . . . irreducible formation water saturation
k .. . . . . . . . formation permeability (fluid must be specified)
ko . . . . . . . . . formation permeability to oil
kg . . . . . . . . . formation permeability to gas
ρg . . . . . . . . formation gas density

Given: Lithology is sandstone.

φ = 23%
Swirr = 43%
ρg = 0.1 g/cc

Find: ko and kg

Procedure: From φ = 23% on the Porosity axis project vertically into the chart. From Swirr = 43% on the Irreducible
Water Saturation axis project horizontally into the chart. The intersection of the two projections is located
on the k = 50 md curve. This indicates that ko = 50 md.

You can estimate kg by multiplying ko by the numerical value of ρg.

Thus, for ρg = 0.1 g/cc, kg ≈ (50 md) (0.1) = 5 md

Answer: ko = 50 md and kg ≈ 5 md

Notes: Using the fractional values of φ and Swirr, you can calculate ko from

 250 φ 3 2
ko =  
 Swirr 
You can then estimate kg from
kg ≈ ko • ρg
where kg and ko are in millidarcies and ρg is in g/cc.

Reference: Morris, R.L. and Biggs. W.P.: “Using Log-Derived Values of Water Saturation and Porosity,” SPWLA
Paper X, 1967.
φ
Chart: PERM-3 (Drawdown Permeability from Formation Tester)

Applications: Determination of formation permeability from formation tester drawdown measurements

Nomenclature: Q . . . . . . . . . fluid flow rate into formation tester

µ .. . . . . . . . fluid viscosity
P .. . . . . . . . reservoir pressure
Pmin . . . . . . . minimum pressure recorded during drawdown test
∆P . . . . . . . . drawdown pressure
rp . . . . . . . . . formation tester probe radius
k .. . . . . . . . formation permeability

Given: Q = 1 cc/s (calculated from formation tester sample chamber volume and from time required during
testing to fill the chamber)
µ = 0.5 cp (a typical value for a water-based mud filtrate)
P = 3,000 psi
Pmin = 2,800 psi
rp = 0.25 in

Find: k

Procedure: For later use in the nomograph, calculate ∆P from

∆P = P - Pmin
Thus, ∆P = (3,000 psi) – (2,800 psi) = 200 psi.

From Q = 1 cc/s on the Flow Rate leg, project through µ = 0.5 cp on the Viscosity leg until reaching the
left-hand pivot line. From there, project through ∆P = 200 psi on the Drawdown Pressure leg until
reaching the right-hand pivot line. From there, project through rp = 0.25-in on the Probe Radius leg until
intersecting the Drawdown Permeability leg. There estimate k to be 6 md.

Answer: k = 6 md

Notes: You can calculate permeability directly from

600 Q symbol µ
k=
rp symbol ∆P
where Q is expressed in cc/s, µ in cp, rp in inches, ∆P in psi, and k in md.
µ