Introduction to

Effective Permeability
and
Relative Permeability
 ROCK POROSITY
Definition : A measure of the pore space available for
the storage of fluids in rock

In general form:
ROCK POROSITY
2) Classification
A) Primary (original) Porosity (Developed at time of deposition)

B) Secondary Porosity (Developed as a result of geologic process occurring after

deposition)

C) Total Porosity

D) Effective Porosity

1) Clean sandstones:
2) Carbonate, cemented sandstones:
ROCK POROSITY
3) Range
A) Maximum porosity obtained from cubical packing of the
grains

B) Intermediate porosity value:

C) Minimum value: 0
ROCK POROSITY
4) Factors affecting porosity
A) Geological Factors:
1. Particle shape (Porosity increases as particle uniformity
decreases)
2. Particle arrangement (Porosity decreases as compaction
increases)
3. Particle size distribution
4. Cementation
5. Vugs and fractures
ROCK POROSITY
EFFECT OF NATURAL COMPACTION ON POROSITY
(FROM KRUMBEIN AND SLOSS.)
ROCK POROSITY
3) Particle size distribution:
Porosity decreases as the range of particle size increases
ROCK POROSITY

5) Cementing Material

1. Porosity decreases as the amount of cementing

material increases
2. Porosity decreases as the amount of cementing
material increases
3. Clean sand - little cementing material
Shaly sand - has more cementing material
ROCK POROSITY

6) Vugs, Fractures

1. Contribute substantially to the volume of pore spaces

2. Highly variable in size and distribution

3. There could be two or more systems of pore openings

- extremely complex
Review: Absolute Permeability
 Absolute permeability: is the permeability of a porous
medium saturated with a single fluid (e.g. Sw=1)

 Absolute permeability can be calculated from the steady-

state flow equation (1D, Linear Flow; Darcy Units):

k A p
q
L
Multiphase Flow in Reservoirs
Commonly, reservoirs contain 2 or 3 fluids:
Water-oil systems
Oil-gas systems
Water-gas systems
Three phase systems (water, oil, and gas)

To evaluate multiphase systems, must consider the

effective and relative permeability
 Effective Permeability
Effective permeability: is a measure of the conductance of a
porous medium for one fluid phase when the medium is
saturated with more than one fluid.
 The porous medium can have a distinct and measurable
conductance to each phase present in the medium
 Effective permeabilities: (ko, kg, kw)

Amyx, Bass, and Whiting, 1960; PETE 311 Notes

 Effective Permeability
Steady state, 1D, linear flow
ko A  o equation (Darcy units):
Oil
qo 
o L qn = volumetric flow rate for a
specific phase, n

Water k w A  w
qw  A = flow area
w L Fn = flow potential drop for phase,
n (including pressure, gravity and
capillary pressure terms)
Gas
k g A  g
qg  n = fluid viscosity for phase n

g L L = flow length

Modified from NExT, 1999; Amyx, Bass, and Whiting, 1960; PETE 311 NOTES
Relative permeability
ii. Relative permeability
Defined as the ratio of the effective permeability to a
fluid at a given saturation to the effective permeability
to that fluid at 100% saturated (absolute permeability)
 Relative Permeability
k o ( 0.5, 0.3)
Oil
k ro ( 0.5, 0.3) 
k So =0.5
Sw =0.3
Water k w ( 0 .5 , 0 .3 )
k rw( 0.5, 0.3) 
k
Gas
k g ( 0.5, 0.3)
k rg ( 0.5, 0.3) 
k
Modified from Amyx, Bass, and Whiting, 1960
 Relative Permeability
Base permeability is typically defined as:

absolute permeability, k

air permeability, kair

effective permeability to non-wetting phase at irreducible wetting

phase saturation [e.g. ko(Sw=Swi)]
because definition of base permeability varies, the definition used
must always be:
 confirmed before applying relative permeability data

noted along with tables and figures presenting relative

permeability data

Amyx, Bass, and Whiting, 1960

 Relative Permeability
Typical relative permeability curves
Use subscript wp to represent the "wetting phase“
Use subscript nwp to represent the "non-wetting
phase"
Relative Permeability
 Relative Permeability
Effect of saturation history
two types of relative permeability curves

a) drainage curve - wetting phase is displaced by non-wetting

phase, i.e., wetting phase saturation is decreasing

b ) imbibition curve - non-wetting phase is displaced by wetting

phase, i.e., wetting phase saturation is increasing
Relative Permeability
Relative Permeability
the procedure (drainage or imbibition) used to obtain kr data
in laboratory must correspond to the process in the reservoir:
a. initial distribution of fluids in reservoir was by drainage
b. at and behind a water front (flood or encroachment) the
process is imbibition

 wetting preference for reservoir rocks is usually water

first, then oil, finally gas
 Relative Permeability Functions
Imbibition Relative Permeability
(Water Wet Case)
1.00 kro @ Swi • Wettability and direction of
Relative Permeability (fraction)

saturation change must be

0.80 considered
• drainage

Residual Oil
Saturation
Two-Phase Flow • imbibition
0.60 Region
• Base used to normalize this
Irreducible

Saturation

Oil relative permeability curve is

Water

0.40 kro @ Swi

• As Sw increases, kro
0.20 decreases
krw @ Sor
and krw increases until
Water
reaching residual oil
0
0 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 saturation
Modified from NExT, 1999
Water Saturation (fraction)
Effect of Wettability for Increasing Sw

1.0 1.0
Relative Permeability, Fraction

Relative Permeability, Fraction

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6

Oil Oil Water

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2
Water
0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Water Saturation (% PV) Water Saturation (% PV)

Strongly Water-Wet Rock Strongly Oil-Wet Rock

Modified from NExT, 1999

• Water flows more freely
• Higher residual oil saturation
Factors Affecting Relative Permeabilities

Fluid saturations

Geometry of the pore spaces and pore size

distribution
Wettability

Fluid saturation history (i.e., imbibition or drainage)

After Standing, 1975

 Characteristics of Relative Permeability
Functions

Relative permeability is unique for different rocks and

fluids
Relative permeability affects the flow characteristics
of reservoir fluids.
Relative permeability affects the recovery efficiency
of oil and/or gas.

Modified from NExT, 1999

Relative Permeabilities
Example

The relative permeability apparatus was used in a

steady-state flow process to obtain the data given
below at a temperature of 70 degF.
Relative Permeability

Draw the relative permeability curve !!