Relative Permeability

Objectives:
 To measure the relative permeabilities of oil and water in an
unconsolidated porous medium.

Equipment Required:
Core of porous rock, supply of saturation fluid (distilled water and Soltrol 170
or similar), graduated cylinders (for fluid collection), PREL-300 Apparatus.

Equipment Required:
The PREL-300 operates at high pressures (between 2000 to 3000 psi), so it
must be handled with extreme care. Keep your lab coats and safety glasses
on during the experiment.

Theory:
The permeability, k, of a porous medium as determined in routine analyses is
properly termed “absolute” permeability. The absolute permeability of a rock
is a characteristic of the rock alone and is determined from flow
measurements made when the rock is completely saturated with a
homogeneous, single-phase, non-reactive fluid.

In petroleum reservoirs the rocks frequently contain two or more fluids. The
ability of a porous material to conduct a fluid when the saturation of that fluid
in the material is less than 100% of the pore space is known as the effective
permeability. The flow characteristics of a rock are altered by the presence of
more than one fluid. If two fluids are present in the rock, both being mobile,
the effective permeability of the rock to each fluid may be defined for
horizontal systems as:
−q o μo dL
oil: k o= (1)
A d po
−q w μw dL
water: k w = (2)
A d pw
For a vertical system, which is our case today:
Oil:
−k o A d ϕo k o A P1−P2 + ρo g ∆ s
q o= . = .
μo dz μo ∆s
−q o μo ∆s
k o= (3)
A ∆ P+ ρo g ∆ s
Water:
−k w A d ϕw k w A P1 −P 2+ ρw g ∆ s
q w= . = .
μw dz μw ∆s
−q w μw ∆s
k w= (4)
A ∆ P+ ρ w g ∆ s

where A is the cross-sectional area and ∆ s is the length of the test sample.
The effective permeability is written by using a subscript to designate the fluid
under consideration ( k o , k w , k g ), just like pressure ( po , pw , p g ), flow rate

( q o , qw , q g ), and viscosity ( μo , μw , μ g ) of each phase.

A third relationship exists between the pressures of the fluids, that is capillary
pressure ( pc )
pc = po − pw (3)
Various investigations have shown the effective permeability to be a function
of the fluid saturation of the rock. Therefore, the saturation conditions must be
specified to define an observation of effective permeability. Effective
permeability will, of course, vary from zero to the value of permeability at
100% saturation (absolute permeability).

Another useful permeability term is Relative permeability, k ro , k rw , k rg . This is

defined as the ratio of the effective permeability to a given fluid at a definite
saturation to the permeability at 100% saturation. Therefore:
ko k k
k ro= ; k rw= w ; k rg= g
k k k
Since k, the absolute permeability, is a constant value for a given porous
material, the relative permeability varies with the fluid saturation in the same
fashion as does the effective permeability. The relative permeability to a fluid
will vary from a value of zero at some low saturation of that fluid to a value of
1.0 at 100% saturation of that fluid (see figure 13).

Figure 13: A typical relative permeability saturation relationship. Reference:

Calhoun Jr, “Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering”, 1957; after Muskat et al.,
A.I.M.E. Transaction, Vol. 123

Several methods of measuring effective or relative permeabilities have been

devised. These methods may be classified as “steady state” or “unsteady
state” methods. The steady state methods include Hafford, Dispersed Feed,
Hassler, and Penn State techniques which may be used to determine relative
permeability relations to small core samples. A variety of “long core”
techniques are also included in the steady state methods. The steady state
techniques are all characterized by the following fluid flow balance:
( q o +q w + q g )¿ =( q o +q w + q g )out
and
( q o )¿ =( q o )out ; ( q w )¿ =( q w )out ; ( q g ) ¿=( q g )out
The unsteady state methods include the gas drive and displacement or Welge
techniques. In these procedures only one fluid enters the system. The fluid
balance is, for example in the gas drive method:
( q g ) ¿=( q g )out + ( q o )¿
However, in this experiment we are only going to determine the irreducible
water saturation, residual oil saturation, effective permeability to oil at
irreducible water saturation, and effective permeability to water at residual oil
saturation. Using some information obtained from the experiments and a
correlation, we can predict the complete relative permeability curves for the
oil/water system.

Unsteady-state determination of relative permeability

The method consists of flooding a water-saturated core sample with oil,
monitoring the flow rate of water and oil expelled and the pressure difference
across the sample. When no further water is expelled, flood with water,
similarly monitoring water and oil expelled and pressure difference. Drainage
relative permeabilities, determined with decreasing water saturations, are
calculated from the cumulative volumes of Soltrol and water produced and the
pressure drop during the injection of Soltrol. Water is then reinjected for the
determination of relative permeabilities under increasing water saturations, or
imbibition, from the cumulative fluid volumes and the pressure drop
recorded. The relative permeabilities to oil and water are calculated from the
data and the physical dimensions of the core sample. The saturations may be
calculated knowing the pore volume and the cumulative volume of the fluid
produced.

In relative permeability tests, the saturation history on the core must be

known. Relative permeabilities, under similar water saturations will not agree
due to the difference in pressure between the non-wetting phase and the
wetting phase. As defined in equation (3), this pressure difference is called
capillary pressure. Figure 14 illustrates the relationship between capillary
pressure and water saturation under imbibition and drainage. The difference
observed between the drainage and imbibition paths is called hysteresis.
Pc
0 Swirr
pressure functions
and imbibition capillary
Figure 14: w

imbibitio

drainage
Drainage
S
n
1-Sor1
The capillary characteristics of a rock cause the wetting phase (normally
water) to “pile up” at the outflow end of the sample. This piling up is termed
“end effect”. If flow rates are maintained sufficiently high, the saturation
distribution in the system may be considered uniform as the “piling up” is
across a relatively small volume of the sample. Therefore, from equation (3),
if the saturation is uniform, pc is constant and d p c =0. Thus, in equations (1)
and (2)

dL dL dL L
= = =
d p o d pw dp Δp
And equations (1) and (2) become
−q o μo L
oil: k o= μo =2.363 cp (soltrol)
A Δ po
−q w μw L
water: k w= μw =1.000 cp (distilled water)
A Δ pw
where the units correspond to
units
Flow rate, q c m3
s
Pressure, p atm
Viscosity, μ N ⋅s
cp=1 ⋅10−3
m2
Distance, L cm
Area, A c m2
Pressure, p atm
Permeability, k darcy

The water saturation for each fraction collected during drainage (oil injection)
is equal to the pore volume minus the cumulative amount of water produced,
divided by the pore volume. That is,
( pore volume )− ( cumulative water produced )i
Siw (drainage)=
pore volume
Where i=1,2 , ..., n fractions collected

During imbibition (water injection), the water saturation for each fraction
collected is equal to the initial pore volume minus the final cumulative amount
of water produced during drainage plus the cumulative amount of oil
produced, divided by the initial pore volume. That is,

residual water from drainage

Siw (imbibition)=
⏞
( pore volume )−( total water out ) + ( cumulative oil produced ) i

pore volume
Where i=1,2 , ..., n fractions collected

Procedure:
1) Turn on the power to the PREL-300 system and the Eldex pump
(switch on the back of the pump.)

2) Begin injecting water. Turn the Eldex pump flow on and off using the
‘Run/Stop’ button. Use the initial flow rate given to you by the TA.
Adjust the flow rate (when necessary) by using the up/down buttons on
the pump. Wait until the system reaches steady state (the pressure will
stabilize). Record the pressure and flow rate. Repeat using two other
flow rates and measure the corresponding pressure drops. Calculate
the Kabs at 100% water saturation.

3) Switch to Soltrol injection by first opening valve 2 and then closing

valve 3. Do this as quickly as possible. Another person in the group
can change the collection vessel as soon as the valves have been set.
Begin measuring the volume of water collected.

4) As soon as the volume of water collected stops increasing, allow the

system to reach a steady state (pressure), and record the pressure
drop and volume of water.

5) Switch back to water injection by opening valve 3 and closing valve 2.

As soon as the valves are set, switch to an empty collection vessel to
measure the volume of Soltrol collected.
 6) As in step 4, watch until the volume of Soltrol collected stops
increasing. Allow the system to reach steady state and record the
pressure and volume of Soltrol collected.

7) At the conclusion of the experiment, pour the water/Soltrol collected

into the appropriate waste container. Wipe the counter clean with
paper towels if necessary.

Analysis:
1) Calculate the irreducible water saturation and residual oil saturation.

2) Determine relative permeability to oil at irreducible water saturation and

relative permeability to water at residual oil saturation.

3) Using the data obtained from the lab session, construct a relative
permeability curve as a function of saturation using the two correlations
given in the appendix section. Select at least 10 saturation steps
between Swirr and Sor to obtain a complete curve.

4) For oil, plot ln(Son) vs. ln(kro). What is the value of the slope of the
straight line trendline fit? What is the significance of this slope? Repeat
the same steps for ln(Swn) vs. ln(krw).

5) What percent oil recovery should we expect from this core sample?

6) From a typical pair of relative permeability versus saturation curves,

how can we prove that water is the wetting phase?
 Relative Permeability Data Sheet

Core diameter: 2.9 (cm)

Core cross-sectional area: 49.5 (cm2)

Core length: 4.0 (cm)

Viscosity of oil: 2.4 (cp)

Viscosity of water: 1.0 (cp)

Porosity: 15 (%)

Water Volume @ Sw 100% 34 (cm3)

Δp q k|¿|¿
( psi ) ( ml / min ) ( D)

7.42 0.5 0.3

14.13 1.0 0.38

22.71 1.5 0.51

Cum.
Water Δp qo Swirr k o ,eff k ro@ Swirr
Produced ( psi ) ( ml / min ) (% ) ( D)
Oil ( c m3 )
Flood

2.85 17.6 0.5 0.8 31.6

0.45

Cum. Δp qw S¿ k w ,eff k rw@ Sor

Water Oil ( psi ) ( ml / min ) (% ) ( D)
Flood Produced
( c m3 )

2.18 26.5 0.5 0.2 5.59 0.08

Appendix

Normalized Saturations:

1−S w −S¿
Son=
1−S wirr −S¿

Sw −S wirr
Swn =
1−Swi −S¿

Corey Exponents:

N o =1.75
N w =4.61

Saturation Curves:
No
k ro=k ro@ S wirr
[ S on ]
Nw
k rw=k rw@ S [ Swn ]
¿