Darcys Law & Applications

Permeability
Permeability is a property of the porous medium that measures the capacity
and ability of the formation to transmit fluids. The rock permeability, k, is a very
important rock property because it controls the directional movement and the
flow rate of the reservoir fluids in the formation. This rock characterization was
first defined mathematically by Henry Darcy in 1856. In fact, the equation that
defines permeability in terms of measurable quantities is called Darcys Law.

Darcy developed a fluid flow equation that has since become one of

the standard mathematical tools of the petroleum engineer. If a horizontal

linear flow of an incompressible fluid is established through a core sample of
length L and a cross-section of area A, then the governing fluid-flow equation
is defined as
Darcys Law

where v = apparent fluid flowing velocity, cm/sec

k = proportionality constant, or permeability, Darcy
= viscosity of the flowing fluid, cp
dp/dL = pressure drop per unit length, atm/cm

The apparent velocity is determined by dividing the flow rate by the

cross-sectional area across which fluid is flowing. Substituting the
relationship, q/A, in place of v in above equation and solving for q
results in

where q = flow rate through the porous medium, cm3/sec

A = cross-sectional area across which flow occurs, cm2
Permeability - Units
One Darcy is a relatively high permeability as the permeabilities of

most reservoir rocks are less than one Darcy. In order to avoid the use
of fractions in describing permeabilities, the term millidarcy is used. As
the term indicates, one millidarcy, i.e., 1 md, is equal to thousandth of
one Darcy or,

1 Darcy = 1000 md

The negative sign in Equation is necessary as the pressure increases in

one direction while the length increases in the opposite direction.
Significance of Darcys Law
This law introduces flow rates into reservoir engineering and since the

total surface oil production rate from a reservoir is:

Qres = dNp/dt

This implicitly introduces a time scale in oil recovery calculations

Darcys Law Fluid Potential
In 1856 Henry Darcy published a detailed account of his work in
improving the waterworks in Dijon (France) and, in particular, on the
design of a filter large enough to process the town's daily water
requirements.

Although fluid dynamics was a fairly advanced subject in those days,

there were no published accounts of the phenomenon of fluid flow
through a porous medium and so, being a practical man, Darcy
designed a filter, shown schematically figure on next slide, in an
attempt to investigate the matter.
Darcys Law Fluid Potential
Darcys Law Fluid Potential
The equipment consisted of an iron cylinder containing an
unconsolidated sand pack, about one meter in length, which was held
between two permeable gauze screens.

Manometers were connected into the cylinder immediately above and

below the sand pack. By flowing water through the pack Darcy
established that, for any flow rate, the velocity of flow was directly
proportional to the difference in manometric heights, the relationship
being:

u = flow velocity in cm/sec

dh = difference in manometric level, cm
K = constant
l = total length of sand pack
Darcys Equation - Linear Flow Model

where L = length of core, cm

A = cross-sectional area, cm2

The following conditions must exist during the measurement of permeability:

Laminar (viscous) flow

No reaction between fluid and rock

Only single phase present at 100% pore space saturation

This measured permeability at 100% saturation of a single phase is called the

absolute permeability of the rock.
Darcys Equation - Radial Flow Model
For a radial flow, Darcys equation in a differential form can be written
as:

Integrating Darcys equation gives:

The term dL has been replaced by dr as the length term has now
become a radius term.