Introduction to

Effective Permeability
and
Relative Permeability
Definition of Permeability:

Permeability means conductivity i.e. movement of the fluid through the porous
medium. The flow of the fluid through the reservoir rock matrix is controlled by
several parameters:
-Types of the rock
-Rock’s Grain size and shape distribution through the reservoir rock matrix
-Saturation distribution in porous medium
-Wettability aspects of the reservoir
-IFT between the two and more than two fluids
-Pressure pulse distribution in the reservoir
-Also depending on the storage capacity of reservoir pores.

The unit of permeability is darcy’s which can be explained as when 1 ml of fluid

having a viscosity of 1 cp passes through the 1 cm 2 area will experience a pressure
difference of 1 atms is known as one darcy’s. This unit is in CGS.

Another definition of permeability in SI unit states that when 1 m3 volume of fluid

having viscosity of 1 Pascal-sec passing through 1 m 2 area will experience a pressure
difference of 1 kg/cm2 is known as 1 Dary’s.

1 Darcy’s = 0.987x10-12 m2
 Principles of Darcy’s Law:
q K ∆p
As per the Darcy’s law states that v= ----- = - ---------
A µ ∆L
There are four conditions that are required for this equation:
1.Linear flow
2.No accumulation of fluid
3.Single fluid flow
4.Non- reactive nature of formation with the fluid flowing through the porous media

q/A
Slope= K/µ = Fluid mobility

∆P/∆L
 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
This can be written as:

q - K ∆p
V = --- = ------ -------
A µ L

Whereas V= velocity of the fluid, q= bbls/day and q/A is known as apparent velocity

and q/ A ϕ is known as absolute velocity.

 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
Ke = Ka x Kr where Ka= Abs. permeability w.r.t. single fluid
Ke= Effective permeability w.r.t. two or more than two fluid
Kr= Relative permeability w.r.t. relative to other fluid
 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)

 Effective Permeability
Steady state, 1D, linear flow

• Oil
ko A  o equation (Darcy units):
qo 
o L qn = volumetric flow rate for a
specific phase, n
k w A  w
• Water qw  A = flow area
w L n = flow potential drop for
phase, n (including pressure,
gravity and capillary pressure
k g A  g terms)
• Gas qg 
g L n = fluid viscosity for phase n

L = flow length
These equations are used for linear flow of the fluid through he reservoir
Factors Affecting Relative Permeability
•Fluid saturations
•Geometry of the pore spaces and pore size distribution
•Wettability
•Fluid saturation history (i.e., imbibition or drainage)
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.
Applications of Relative Permeability Functions
•Reservoir simulation
•Flow calculations that involve multi-phase flow in reservoirs
•Estimation of residual oil (and/or gas) saturation

Modified from NExT, 1999

Cont--

Relative Permeability is the ratio of the effective

permeability of a fluid at a given saturation to some
base permeability
• Base permeability is typically defined as:
– Absolute permeability, ka for the single fluid

– Air permeability, kair Kw Ko

– Effective permeability to non-wetting phase at irreducible wetting

phase saturation [e.g. ko(Sw=Swi)]
 Relative Permeability
ko ( 0.5, 0.3)
• Oil k ro ( 0.5, 0.3) 
k So =0.5
Sw =0.3
k w( 0.5, 0.3) Sg = 0.2
• Water k rw( 0.5, 0.3) 
k

k g ( 0.5, 0.3)
• Gas k rg ( 0.5, 0.3) 
k
Modified from Amyx, Bass, and Whiting, 1960
 Relative Permeability Functions:

Imbibition Relative Permeability

(Water Wet Case)
1.00 kro @ Swi • Wettability and direction of saturation
Relative Permeability (fraction)

change considered
•Drainage
•Imbibition
0.80

Residual Oil
• The normalize relative permeability curve

Saturation
Two-Phase Flow achieved at kro @ Swi

0.60 Region
• As Sw increases, kro decreases
and krw increases until
Irreducible

Saturation

reaching residual oil

Oil
Water

saturation
0.40

0.20
krw @ Sor
Water
0
0 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
Water Saturation (fraction)
. Capillary pressure hysteresis.

Wetting fluid Saturation

 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

• Water flows more freely
• Higher residual oil saturation
 -- cont--

1. Incompressible fluid Steady state Linear Flow:

P1 P2

So if compressible fluid is flowing then the value

of Q is changed with the pressure and therefore
L the value of pressure would be given by:
P1 + P2
Pm = --------------
2
 Role of permeability in compressible fluid Steady State Radial
Flow Darcy’s Equation:

- 2 π Kh ( Pe - Pw)
Re, Pe
Qm= --------------------------
µ ln ( re/rw)
converting in the field unit

r, P

Pw
,
- 0.1127 x 2 x 3.142Kh (Pe - Pw)

Rw
Qm= -------------------------------------------------
µ ln ( re/rw)

- 0.00708 Kh (Pe - Pw)

Qm= ---------------------------------- …………1
µ ln ( re/rw)

From this equation no-1 the value of

permeability can be calculated
 2. compressible fluid Steady state Linear Flow:

The permeability of compressible fluid under steady state conditions can also be derived. As
we know that gas is highly compressible fluid and obey the klinkenberge effect during the
flow of the fluid through the reservoir.

Which state that Kair = Kl ( 1 + b/pm ) where b= is constant depending on the reservoir types,
grain size and shape distribution also depends on the type of gas and the its properties.

Kg A ( P12- P2 2 )

Qgs = --------------------------------
Slope= b
Kair

2 µg L P b

Where Pb= Mean reservoir pressure

Kl

1/ Pm

 Gas is having higher compressibility as compare to the oil and water

 It is non- reactive on the rock surface
 Higher mean velocity through the reservoir rock matric
 Obey the Klinkerberge effect
 It behaves as an inert gas
 3. Determination of permeability for Steady state radial flow
incompressible fluid :

Qs =

4. Determination of Average permeability for Steady state radial

flow incompressible
5. Determination of Average Permeability Steady state Linear flow
incompressible fluid :
p1 p2 p3 p4
Q P1 – p4 = (p1- p2)+ (p2- p3) + (p3 - p4)----------------1
k1 k2 k3 k4
L1 L2 L3 L4

- 1.127 Kavg A ( P1 – P4)

As we know that qavg = ----------------------------
µ dl

∑ Li
So the avg permeability (Kavg) = ---------------
∑Li / Ki
6. Determination of Average permeability for Steady state Linear flow
incompressible fluid : Parallel reservoir

Qavg = Q1 + Q2 + Q3-----------Qn

Kavg Aavg (P1 – P2)

QAvg = - ----------------------------- where Aavg = havgw
µ L

∑ Ki hi
So the avg permeability (Kavg) = ---------------
∑ hi
Thanks