Rock Properties

Relative Permeability
 Relative Permeability

A direct measure of the ability of a

porous system to conduct one fluid
when one or more fluids are present.

Dependent Upon:
– Rock Structure (Pore Geometry)
– Fluid Properties
– Wettability
– Saturation History

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.2
 Relative Permeability
k = absolute permeability, where only one fluid
is present
If 2 or more fluids are present, neither fluid will
flow as efficiently. Thus, relative permeability is
the ratio between the ability to flow a particular
fluid at a specific saturation percentage divided
by the absolute permeability.
k ro = relative permeability to oil for 0 ≤ kro ≤1.0

effective permeability = k • kro = ko for 0 ≤ ko ≤ k

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.3
Absolute, Relative and Effective Permeability

keff = k × k r
keff = effective permeability of the system to fluid “x”
k = absolute permeability of the rock
k r = relative permeability of the system to fluid “x”
1
Mobile
Saturation
Range
k abs = is constant
kr k ro k r = is variable f(saturation)
k rw

0
0 S wc 1 − S or 1
Sw
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.4
 Relative Permeability
Curves can be expressed relative
to two different bases:

ƒ The absolute permeability of the core

saturated with a single phase, or
ƒ The effective permeability of the core
at a specified initial saturation - usually
this is the hydrocarbon permeability at
the irreducible water saturation.

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.5
 Relative Permeability Curves Using Different
Absolute Permeabilities

absolute permeability

Normalized to the absolute Normalized to the effective

core permeability hydrocarbon permeability at
irreducible water saturation

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.6
 Wettability
ƒ Wettability is a measure of the capacity for a
fluid to coat a solid surface.
ƒ Wettability affects relative permeability
because it is a major factor in the control of
the location, flow, and spatial distribution of
fluids within a rock.
ƒ In general wetting fluids preferentially occupy
the small pore throats in a rock, while
nonwetting fluids occupy the large pore
throats

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.7
 Wettability

σ ow
θ water
oil
σS o

grain surface σs w

σ s − σ s = σ ow cosθ
o w

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.8
Wettability From Contact Angle Tests

< 75 degrees – water wet

> 105 degrees – oil wet
> 75 and <105 - intermediate

Contact angles measured through the Aqueous Phase

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.9
 Amott Wettability Index

Start → Core Contains Water and Residual Oil

Step 1. Place core in oil; measure water displaced
by oil imbibition (‘A’)
Step 2. Flush core with oil and measure displaced
water (‘B’)
Step 3. Place core in water, measure oil displaced
by water imbibition (‘C’)
Step 4. Flush core with water and measure
displaced oil (‘D’)

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.10
 Amott Wettability Index

Based upon the premise that a strongly

wetting fluid will spontaneously imbibe
until the residual saturation of the non-
wetting fluid is reached.
OIL WET INDEX = A / (A + B)
WATER WET INDEX = C / (C + D)
Index = 1 Strongly Wetting Fluid
Index = 0 Strongly Non-wetting Fluid

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.11
 Wettability

In general, at a given fluid saturation, the

relative permeability of a fluid is higher
when it is the non-wetting fluid.
This is because the wetting fluid will
travel through the smaller, less
permeable pores. The non-wetting fluid
will travel more easily through the larger
pores.

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.12
 Wettability

At a low non-wetting phase saturation, the

non-wetting phase will become trapped as
discontinuous globules in the larger pores.
These globules block pore throats, lowering
the wetting phase relative permeability.
On the other hand, at low wetting phase
saturation, the non-wetting phase relative
permeability remains high because it flows
through the center of the large pores.

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.13
Effects of Wettability on Permeability Endpoints

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.14
 Relative Permeability

Important considerations regarding the

base permeability used:
ƒ The absolute core permeability is not affected
by wettability; however, the effective
hydrocarbon permeability is. This value will
decrease as the core becomes more oil wet.
ƒ Commercial reservoir simulators do not all use
the same basis for the relative permeabilities.
Be sure input data are consistent with the
model you are using!!!
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.15
Wettability - Impact on Initial Water Saturation

Water Wet
The interstitial water saturation fills the small pores
and forms a thin film over the rock grains. Hence,
the water saturation is fairly high.

Oil Wet
The interstitial water saturation is found as discrete
droplets in the centers of the larger pores. Since the
water has no affinity to cover the grain surfaces, the
water saturation in usually much lower.

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.16
Generalized Relative Permeability Curves for
Water Wet and Oil Wet Systems

1 1

kr kr

0 0
0 S wc 1 − S or 1 0 S wc 1 − S or 1
Sw Sw
Water wet Oil wet

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.17
 Wettability

Water Wet Oil Wet

Interstitial water saturation Usually > 20-25% Generally < 15% PV
PV Frequently < 10%
Saturation at which oil and Greater than 50% Less than 50%
water relative permeabilities water saturation water saturation
are equal

Relative permeability to water Generally < 30% Greater than 50%

saturation (ie, floodout): and approaching
based on the effective oil 100%
permeability at reservoir
interstitial water saturation
Craig’s rules of thumb for determining wettability

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.18
Effect of Saturation History on Relative
Permeability Curves

Drainage and
imbibition are
Wetting Phase
defined by the
change in the
wetting phase
saturation.
Nonwetting
Phase
Drainage is decreasing
Imbibition is increasing

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.19
A primary drainage – imbibition cycle in
water–wet rock

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.20
Invading oil displaces water, leaving
‘thick’ water films on pore walls

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.21
At end of primary drainage, smallest
pores are still water filled

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.22
Increased capillary pressure thins film,
but water remains connected

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.23
At start of imbibition (water influx), water
imbibes along connected films

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.24
As water saturation increases, water films at pore
throats become unstable, causing ‘snap off’

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.25
At end of imbibition, oil is trapped as isolated
blobs in larger pores.

Residual oil
saturation
(Sor)

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.26
 Waterflooding in a Water Wet System
• Water moves through the porous medium in a fairly
uniform front
• The injected water will tend to imbibe into any small or
medium sized pores, moving oil into the larger pores
where it is easily displaced
• An oil bank is formed and moves ahead of the flood front

• After the flood front passes, almost all of the remaining

oil is immobile
• Most of the oil recovery occurs prior to breakthrough of
the water front

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.27
 Waterflooding in an Oil Wet System
• The injected water will form continuous channels or fingers
through the centers of the larger pores pushing oil ahead of it
• Much oil is bypassed in the smaller pores and pore throats

• As water injection continues, the water will gradually invade

the smaller pores, displacing additional oil, but also forming
additional continuous channels of water which increases the
WOR
• When sufficient water-filled flow channels form to permit
nearly unrestricted water flow, the flow of oil essentially
ceases
• This process is much less efficient (than in a water wet
system) with significant oil recovery coming at high WOR’s
after breakthrough
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.28
 Water-Wet vs. Oil-Wet
Oil Oil Oil

(a)
Water Water Water Water

Oil
Oil Oil Oil
Rock Grain
(b)
Water Water Water

Water displacing oil from a pore during a waterflood:

a) strongly water-wet rock, b) strongly oil-wet rock

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.29
Determination of Relative Permeability

Unsteady State
In-situ core fluids are displaced with a single
phase driving fluid at a constant rate. The
effluent volumes are monitored continuously
from which a set of relative permeability curves
can be constructed.

(Time - few hours)

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.30
Determination of Relative Permeability
Steady State
Multiple fluids are injected simultaneously at
constant rates or pressures for extended duration
to reach equilibrium flow conditions. The
saturations, flow rates, and pressures are
measured and the relative permeability
calculated. The process is repeated over the
entire range of saturations.
(Time - Measurements at Each Saturation Level
May Take Days)

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.31
 Unsteady State Method
Disadvantages
– Relative permeability data will not be over the
entire saturation range. Reliable data is often
restricted to end-point measurements.
– Discontinuities in capillary pressures at the
core inlet and outlet faces may distort the
measurements.
– Variation of measured data with core length
and flow rate may also occur; again due to
capillary influences.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.32
 Steady State Method

Disadvantages
– There is some uncertainty as to whether the
fluid distributions are representative of the
displacement process.
– Experimental limitations imposed by the need
to measure saturations at each step after
equilibrium is achieved.
– Very time consuming. (Time can be shortened
via the use of reservoir simulation modeling in
conjunction with the experiments)
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.33
 Effects of Core Cleaning/Handling

Mungan (SPEJ; Oct. 1972) Experiments With:

– Native Core: using live crude oil and brine at
reservoir conditions
– Cleaned Core: core was cleaned with benzene
and toluene, then dried. Measurements with
refined oil and synthetic brine
– Restored Core: cleaned core was resaturated
with brine, driven to irreducible water saturation
with live crude, and aged at reservoir conditions
for 6 days.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.34
 Effects of Core Cleaning/Handling

Mungan (SPEJ; Oct. 1972) Observations:

ƒ At any saturation, kro is lower and krw is
higher for native and restored state cores
compared with cleaned cores,
ƒ Cleaned cores are significantly water wet, and

ƒ Cleaned core will predict higher oil recovery

and delayed water breakthrough to actual
behavior.

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.35
Wettability Effects

Effect of wettability
on relative
permeability with a
reservoir core in the
native, cleaned, and
restored states

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.36
 Effects of Core Cleaning/Handling
The most accurate relative permeability
measurements are made on native state
core where reservoir wettability is preserved.
If native state core is unavailable:
• Clean core to remove all adsorbed
compounds,
• Re-saturate core with reservoir formation
fluids, and
• Age at reservoir temperature and
pressure.
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.37
 Relative Permeability Example
1

0.1

0.01
Kro, Krw (fraction)

“..... relative permeability

0.001 models without
preserving or restoring
0.0001 the correct wettability
can be worse than
0.00001 0.15 useless if the reservoir
is not 100% water wet.”
0.000001
0.28
0.0000001

0.00000001
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Water saturation (fraction)

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.38
Relative Permeability Curves From Correlations - Corey

krw water relative permeability kro oil relative permeability

krw′ end point water rel perm kro′ end point oil rel perm
nw Corey exponent for water no Corey exponent for oil
Sw* reduced water saturation So* reduced oil saturation

no
k rw ′
= k rw S w( )
*
nw
k ro ′ ( )
= k ro S o *

* S w − S wc 1 − S w − S or
Sw = =
*
So
1 − S wc − S or 1 − S wc − S or
Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.39
Example of Corey Relative Permeability Curves

1.2

1
RELATIVE PERMEABILITY
n=1
oil n=2
0.8
n=3
n=4

0.6

0.4

0.2
water

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

WATER SATURATION

Reservoir Engineering
Rock Properties 2.5.40