Capillary Pressure

Capillary pressure It is expected that students will be able to:

The concept of force and capillarity
Measurement of reservoir rock
capillary pressure
Capillary pressure and saturation
distribution
derive capillary pressure equation
explain forces inside a capillary (gravity force,
interfacial force)
explain balance of forces in a capillary tube
define capillary pressure
describe experimental procedure to measure
capillary pressure (Mercury Injection,
Centrifuge, Porous Plate)
describe the relationship of capillary pressure
and fluids saturation distribution
calculate vertical saturation distribution in a
reservoir using capillary data
 The concept of force and capillarity

Dip a capillary glass tube in water

The water will rise in the capillary tube to a certain level.
The rise in height is due to the attractive forces (adhesion
tension) between the tube and the water and the small weight
represented by the column of water in the tube.
Upward force = downward force

Upward force = adhesion force

Adhesion force = AT * 2πr

Downward force = weight of the water column

Weight of water column = πr2hρg
 The concept of force and capillarity

adhesion force = weight of the water column

AT * 2πr = πr2hρg

h air

AT  adhesion tension, dynes/cm

r  radius of tube, cm
water
h  height of water column, cm
  density of water, gm/cc
g  gravity acceleration, cm/s 2
 The concept of force and capillarity

Pab
B’
B Pob
Pwb B B’
B
Pwb B
h air
h oil

Paa PoA
A A’ PwA A’
water water

The above capillary shows that pressure interface B is less than the pressure at
surface A.

Pressure at interface B   Pab  Pwb  Pab  atmospheric pressure at B

Pressure at surface A  Paa  Pab Pwb  pressure of water at B
Paa  atmospheric pressure at A
 The concept of force and capillarity

Pab
B’
Water pressure at B (Pwb) = water pressure at A minus the pressure due to B
water column h Pwb B

Pwb  Pwa   w gh h air

Pwa  Pwb   w gh Pwa Paa

A A’
Pwa  Paa  Pab water
 Pab  Pwb   w gh or

at interface B
Pa
B’ Capillary pressure is the  Pa  Pw   w gh or
B difference in pressure
Pw B
across the interface Define capillary pressure Pc at B, as
h uda ra between two immiscible
fluids Pc  Pa  Pw   w gh

P
 The concept of force and capillarity

From
AT * 2r  r 2 hg

2rAT 2 AT
h 
r g rg
2 Oil
wo
Knowing that Oil  Water Oil
so 
Pab
B’ AT   wa cos  sw
B Solid
Pwb B
AT   sw   so   ow cos 
h air

Paa 2 wa cos 
A A’ h
water r w g
 The concept of force and capillarity

From
Pc   w gh

Pc 2 wa cos  Pab
h and h B’
wg r w g B
Pwb B
2 wg cos Pc air
 h
r w g w g
Paa
A A’
water
2 wa cos 
 Pc 
r
 The concept of force and capillarity

For oil and water

Poa  Pwa (in a large container) Pob B’

B
Pob  Poa   o gh Pwb B

Pwb  Pwa   w gh h oil

Poa
Pc  Pob  Pwb   w gh   o gh PwA A’
water

Pc    w   o  gh
 The concept of force and capillarity

For oil and water

downward force  r 2 h w g  r 2 h o g
Pob B’
B
AT * 2r  r 2 h w g  r 2 h o g Pwb B

AT * 2r  r 2 hg   w   o 
h oil

Poa
2 AT Pwa
h A’
r  w  o  g water

and
2 AT Pc  Po  Pw
Pc    w   o  gh    w   o  g
r  w  o 

2 wo cos
 Pc 
r
and Pc    w   o  gh
 The concept of force and capillarity

Water and oil system

Oil
Capillary pressure   wo cos
wo
1 Oil  Water
 so 
Oil
r sw

Solid
At reservoir conditions:
Pc depends on

FREE WATER
- Pore sizes (r)
- Contact angle of water-oil-mineral
OIL
- Interfacial tension water-oil (composition of GRAIN
water and oil)

BOUND WATER
 Capillary Pressure Measurement

Capillary pressure measurement from reservoir rock core sample.

Amongs the methods to measure capillary pressure on core samples are:

1. Desaturation or displacement process through a

porous diaphragm or membrane (restored state
method of Welge)
2. The centrifuge or centrifugal method
3. The dynamic capillary pressure method
4. The mercury-injection method
 Capillary Pressure Measurement

1. Desaturation or displacement process through a

porous diaphragm or membrane (restored state
method of Welge)

Glass membrane does not allow oil to pass through

1. The glass membrane saturated with brine.

2. A brine saturated core sample is placed on the membrane.
3. Fill sample chamber with crude oil.
4. Increase the oil pressure at small increment ( allow the
pressure to reach static equilibrium at each pressure
increment)
5. Determine the saturation in the core at each pressure
increment (capillary pressure).
 Capillary Pressure Measurement

2. The mercury-injection method

1. The core sample is inserted in the mercury chamber and

evacuated.
2. Mercury is forced into the core under pressure
3. The volume of mercury injected at each pressure
determines the nonwetting-phase saturation.
4. This procedure is continued until the core sample is filled
with mercury or the injection pressure reaches some
predetermined value

Advantages:
- The time for determination is reduced to a few minutes
- The range of pressure investigation is increased

Disadvantages:
- The difference in wetting properties (lab – reservoir)
- Permanent loss of core sample
 Capillary Pressure Measurement

3. The centrifuge or centrifugal method

1. Saturate core sample with wetting phase fluid.

2. Insert the core sample in the sample container
filled with nonwetting phase.
3. Rotate the sample container at specified rotation
speed (generate centrifugal force on the
nonwetting phase and convert the centrifugal force
to pressure)
4. Read the scale to determine the displaced volume
of the wetting phase. Calculate the saturation of
the wetting phase left in the core sample.
5. Increase the rpm and repeat until highest rpm or at
the specified maximum rpm.

Advantage:
- A complete Pc curve can be Difficulty:
established in few hours - To determine the time of
- Higher pressure range than equilibrium
using diaphragm
 Capillary Pressure Measurement

4. The dynamic capillary pressure method

1. Simultaneous steady state flow of two fluid is

established in the core.
2. The pressure of the two fluid in the core is
measured and the difference is the capillary
pressure.
3. The saturation is varied by regulating the quantity
of each fluid entering the core

Advantage:
- Use reservoir fluid
- At reservoir condition
Capillary Pressure Measurement
Example of Pc curve plot (Pc versus
wetting phase saturation).

The relationship between capillary pressure and

saturation is not unique, but depends on the
saturation history (drainage and imbibition).
Hysteresis

The capillary pressure-saturation relationship

is dependent upon:
1.The size and distribution of the pores
2.The fluids and the solids that are involved
3.The history of the saturation process

In order to use capillary-pressure data properly,

these factors must be taken into consideration
before the data are actually applied to the
reservoir calculations.
Hysteresis is the dependence of a system not only on its
current environment but also on its past environment.
 Converting Lab Data to Reservoir Data

It is common in the laboratory determination of capillary pressure to use air-mercury or air-brine

systems,rather than the actual water-oil system characteristics of the reservoir.
Since the laboratory fluid system does not have the same surface tension as the reservoir system, it becomes
necessary to convert laboratory capillary pressure to reservoir capillary pressure.

2 cos
Pc 
r
Laboratory syatem (air-brine) Reservoir system (oil-water)

2 wg  cos   wg 2 wo  cos  wo
PcL  PcR 
r r
 wg  interfacial tension brine - air at lab. condition
 wo  interfacial tension water - oil at reservoir condition
PcL  capillary pressure at lab condition
PcR  capillary pressure at reservoir condition
 Converting Lab Data to Reservoir Data

PcR 2 wo  cos   wo 2 wg  cos   wg 2 R  cos   R 2 L  cos   L

 
PcL r r r r

 wo  cos   wo   cos   R
 PcR  * PcL  R * PcL
 wg  cos   wg  L  cos   L

 wg  interfacial tension brine - air at lab. condition

 wo  interfacial tension water - oil at reservoir condition
PcL  capillary pressure at lab condition
PcR  capillary pressure at reservoir condition
 Converting Lab Data to Reservoir Data

Condition System Contact Cosine ϴ Surface σ cosine ϴ

angle ϴ tension σ
Lab Air – Water 0 1.0 72 72
Oil – water 30 0.866 48 42
Air – Hg 140 0.765 480 367
Air - Oil 0 1.0 24 24
Reservoir Water – Oil 30 0.866 30 26
Water – Gas 0 1.0 50* 50
* Depends on the pressure and temperature; the value will change until 5000 ft
Converting Lab Data to Reservoir Data
Capillary Pressure & Fluid Saturation Distribution
 Capillary Pressure & Fluid Saturation Distribution

WATER-WET OIL-WET
Air
OIL Oil OIL



 WATER  WATER
 < 90
WATER WATER  > 90
SOLID (ROCK) SOLID (ROCK)
FREE WATER

OIL
GRAIN GRAIN

OIL
RIM
BOUND WATER FREE WATER
Ayers, 2001
Capillary Pressure & Fluid Saturation Distribution
Capillary Pressure & Fluid Saturation Distribution
 Application of Capillary Pressure Data

Initial saturation in a reservoir

 Application of Capillary Pressure Data

Initial saturation in a reservoir

 Application of Capillary Pressure Data

Initial saturation in a reservoir

Transition zone is defined as the vertical

thickness over which the water saturation
ranges from 100% to irreducible water
saturation Swc.
FWL = Free water level is defined by
zero capillary pressure.

OWC = oil-water contact is defined as

the “uppermost depth in the reservoir
where a 100% water saturation exist”

GOC = Gas-oil contact is defined as

“the minimum depth at which a 100%
liquid, i.e. oil + water exists in the
reservoir.
 Application of Capillary Pressure Data

Initial saturation in a reservoir

• Application of capillary pressure data
Initial saturation in a reservoir
• Application of capillary pressure data
Initial saturation in a reservoir
• Application of capillary pressure data
Initial saturation in a reservoir
 Averaging Pc using Leverett J-Function

• The Leverett J-function was originally an attempt to

convert all capillary pressure data to a universal curve
• A universal capillary pressure curve does not exist
because the rock properties affecting capillary pressures
in reservoir have extreme variation with lithology (rock
type)
• BUT, Leverett’s J-function has proven valuable for
correlating capillary pressure data within a lithology.
 Averaging Pc using Leverett J-Function
10.00

9.00
Jc
Jmatch
8.00 Jn1
Jn2
7.00 Jn3

6.00
J-function

5.00

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
Water saturation, fraction
 Averaging Pc using Leverett J-Function

C Pc k
J S w  
 cos  
• J-Function is DIMENSIONLESS, for a particular rock type:
•Same value of J at same wetting phase saturation for any unit system,
any two fluids, any exact value of k,
•(k/)1/2 is proportional to size of typical pore throat radius.
•C is unit conversion factor (to make J(Sw) dimensionless)
 Averaging Pc using Leverett J-Function

 C Pc k  C Pc k
J(Sw )     
 σ cosθ   Lab  σ cosθ   Reservoir
 Averaging Pc using Leverett J-Function

• J-function is useful for averaging capillary pressure data

from a given rock type from a given reservoir
• J-function can sometimes be extended to different
reservoirs having same lithologies
• J-function usually not accurate correlation for different
lithologies
• If J-functions are not successful in reducing the scatter in
a given set of data, then this suggests that we are dealing
variation in rock type
Application of Capillary Pressure Data
 100 md

190 md