6th European Production and Development Conference & Exhibition 12th May 2009

A New Method for Rapid Acquisition of Core

Capillary Pressure Data for Improved Reservoir
Saturation Modelling A Proof of Concept
Craig Lindsay
Principal Core Specialist
clindsay@helixesg.com

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Overview

What is capillary pressure?

Why is capillary pressure important?
Conventional measurement methods from core
Direct saturation measurement
Study objectives, content & results
What difference does it make?
Conclusions

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Capillary pressure (in 1 slide & no equations)

Pc

Drainage Capillary Pressure (Pc) water saturation decreasing

Water

Water

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Oil

S O L U T I O N S

Capillary pressure pores & pore throats

Capillary pressure is controlled by pore throat size distribution

NOT pore size distribution!

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Capillary pressure and water saturation

Buoyancy = water drainage
Difference in density = Pc = Height
Pc = zero at Free Water Level (FWL)
Lab Pc to Reservoir Height
Saturation Height (SH) models:
Log calibration?
Core direct measurement
Initial saturation in reservoir model

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Water saturation a major uncertainty

Water
Saturation

Porosity

CPI

Core and log in combination =

significant reduction in uncertainty.
if core Pc well characterised
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Why is capillary pressure important?

Capillary Pressure controls the initial hydrocarbon (Sh = 1-Sw) distribution

in the reservoir as function of Height Above Free Water Level (HAFWL)

Hydrocarbon Initially In Place (HIIP) = net!ShGRVBh

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Accurately characterising the Pc curve

Poor rock quality = extended transition zones (TZ)

Low relief reservoirs = much HIIP in TZ

Well defined Pc curve is critical

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Conventional Pc measurement methods

Objective is to drain wetting phase over a series of increasing capillary
pressure stages the more steps the better defined the Pc curve
Three conventional (industry standard) methods:
5 cm.

Porous plate

3.8 cm.

Ultracentrifuge

High pressure mercury injection

H E L I X

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S O L U T I O N S

2.54
cm.

2.54
cm.

Conventional methods:
Porous Plate

Technology derived from soil moisture studies

Air (less commonly oil) drains brine

Ambient or overburden

Slow up to 9 months

Can be pessimistic

Pc curve has limited

700

200

600
160

Pc, psia

HAFWL, ft.

500
120

resolution and extent

400
300

80

200
40
100
0

0
0.0
0.5
1.0
Water Saturation, Fraction

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Conventional methods:
High Pressure Mercury Injection

Automated instrument widely employed in

Rapid (days)

Pc curve is highly resolved / large range

Sample size

No irreducible saturation

No strong wetting phase

900

90

800

80

700

70
Pc, psia

(equivalent Swi = 0)

100

60

Potential clay damage

500

50
40
30

600

400

HAFWL, ft.

many industries

Autopore IV
Mercury Porsimeter

300

20

200

10

100

0
0.0
0.5
1.0
Water Saturation, Fraction

H E L I X

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S O L U T I O N S

Sample In penetrometer

Conventional measurement methods:

Ultracentrifuge

Modification of medical technology

Brine drains by centrifugal force

Rapid (days / weeks)

Pc curve has limited resolution

Analytical model required to interpret

data = increased uncertainty

Yet we have a Pc curve if only we

could visualise it!

H E L I X

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CAMERA
STROBE
PRODUCTION
TUBE

CORE
HOLDER

Direct measurement What is this new

method and what are the benefits?

Core saturation by non-invasive In-Situ Saturation Monitoring (ISSM)

X-ray, gamma ray and (recently) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

detected signal proportional to saturation

Green Imaging Technology (GIT), Fredericton, Canada

Saturation profiles (gradients) directly visualised

Pc, psi

Corex UK X-Ray ISSM Rig

25
Water Saturation

0 RPM

20

2K RPM
3.5K RPM

15

5K RPM

10

NMR Core Scanner

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S O L U T I O N S

5
0O
-1

3
Length, cm.

The study objectives and content

GIT-CAPTM - centrifuge Pc with ISSM by NMR (SCA 2007 & 2008)

Helix RDS propose an independent validation (2007)

Forties sandstone (turbidite) core plugs from Central North Sea

Drainage Pc available (centrifuge, porous plate and mercury injection)

Procedure replicated at Corex UK using X-ray ISSM (August 2008)

NMR / centrifuge at GIT (January 2009)

Mercury Injection SKM Services, Aberdeen

All data independently gathered, evaluated and validated by Helix RDS

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Forties Sandstone Core Plugs

1000

Dewatering
pipes within
a fine
grained
sandstone

Air Permeability, mD

100

10

CHLORITE

1
15

PYRITE

QUARTZ
20 micron
Sample 2 SEM

(DECC website)

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30

Gas
Permeability
(mD)

Sample
Number

Pore
Volume
(cc)

Porosity
(%)

Grain
Density
(g/cc)

13.9

23.9

2.66

29

14.4

25.5

2.66

158

11.9

20.3

2.65

9.2

10.4

17.4

2.66

1.4

12.7

21.6

2.66

13.9

Generic Setting of
Forties Sandstone

20
25
Helium Porosity, frac.

Sample 1 Saturation Scans & Pc Curves

Pc, psi

1001

Water Saturation (%)

0 SCAN

80

100% brine saturated scan

90o SCAN

Average

5.5K RPM
60

3K RPM
2K RPM

40
20

Combine data derive Pc curve

00
2

Centrifuge 3000 RPM scan

Centrifuge 5500 RPM scan

X-RAY ISSM
0

Centrifuge 2000 RPM scan

Length (cm)

350

Pc, psi
1

NMR ISSM

Water Saturation

25

300

0 RPM
2K RPM

20

3.5K RPM

15

5K RPM

10

Air/Brine Pc, psi

30

250
200
150

50

O
0

H E L I X

3
Length, cm.

E N E R G Y

S O L U T I O N S

NMR ISSM

100

5
-1

2 K RPM
3 K RPM
5.5 K RPM
Quick-CAP Fit

20

40

60

Water Saturation, %

80

100

Sample 1 Pc Curves
X-ray ISSM Corex

ALL

X-ray ISSM Corex

200

200

200

Porous Plate
Sample 1

Mercury Injection

5500 RPM

100

50

-0.0655

A/B Pc = 977.68e
R2 = 0.996

Sw

100

50

0
20
40
60
80
Water Saturation, %

100

NMR T2

150

X-Ray ISSM

100

50

0
0

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

3000 RPM

NMR ISSM

Curve Fit

150

2000 RPM

150

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

Best Fit Data

20

40
60
80
Water Saturation, %

100

50
Water Saturation, %

100

Pc curve constructed from 3 segments (speeds) in theory 1, ideal speed would be sufficient
Note: * Pc curve derived from a conventional NMR T2 interpretation shown for comparison
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Further Pc curves: Samples 2 - 4

200

200

200

Sample 2

Sample 3

Porous Plate

Centrifuge

NMR ISSM
X-RAY ISSM

100

150

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

NMR T2

Air/Brine Capillary Pressure, psi

Mercury Injection

150

100

50

50

0
0

20

40
60
80
Water Saturation, %

100

150
Sample 4

100

50

0
20

40
60
80
Water Saturation, %

100

20

40
60
80
Water Saturation, %

Rock Quality
Good ----------------------------------------------- Poor
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100

Whats the bottom line??

Hydrocarbon Pore Volume , m3

Oil Reservoir assume uniform properties

(1 km x 1 km x 500 ft HAFWL)
HCPV for 1Km Square Box

500

500

400

400
Thickness (ft)

HAFWL, ft.

Average Sw

300
200

Water-oil density
difference = 0.1 psi/ft.

100

300

X-Ray ISSM
Original Centrifuge

20%
!"
==20%

200
100

0.0

0.2

0.4
0.6
Sw, frac.

0.8

0.E+00

1.0

5.E+07

1.E+08

2.E+08

2.E+08

HCPV (m3)

MMBL

Value (MM$)

Original Centrifuge Pc
curve

30.4

911.0

X-Ray ISSM Pc curve

28.2

847.3

Difference

2.1

63.7

Assumes US $50/bbl
Recovery OIIP = 60%

= 7.5% change

Based upon Sample 3 ISSM Pc in this case the more accurately defined Pc curve is more pessimistic

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3.E+08

Conclusions

Water (hydrocarbon) saturation is a critical reservoir property!

Combining log and core saturation models significantly

reduces uncertainty with regard to saturation

Combining ISSM with centrifuge delivers an improved and accurately

characterised (measured) Pc curve in a shorter time

Conventional technologies also have great value e.g. air-mercury

characterises Pore Throat Size Distribution

Combining conventional and new techniques = enhanced

understanding of the reservoir

Adoption of robust and independently verified new technologies is

key to modern, dynamic and integrated formation evaluation
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to:
Clive Cornwall & Iain McDonald Corex UK Ltd.
Derrick Green Green Imaging Technologies
Scott McFarlane SKM Services Ltd
All above performed core measurements free of charge
Talisman Energy UK Ltd - test samples
Helix RDS for peer assist and support
Full paper to be presented at SCA2009, 28th 30th September 2009, Noordvijk ann Zee, The Netherlands

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Questions

Thank you for your attention

Graphic: Mike Roberts

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