A Simple Correlation Between Permeabilities
and Mercury Capillary Pressures
B.F. Swanson, SPE, Shell Development Co.
Summary
A new correlation is developed between brine and air
permeabilities with capillary pressure data. The
relation is simple to use in that it is expressed easily as
a nomograph. It offers ready application to im-
proved estimation of permeability from capillary
pressure measurements on small portions of sidewall
core samples and drill cuttings.
Introduction
Purcell l showed that mercury capillary pressures
could be related empirically to permeability through
the graphical integral of the curve of mercury
saturation vs. reciprocal capillary pressure squared.
This approach was indicated by consideration of a
model comprised of tortuous, parallel capillaries of
various sizes.
A decade later, Thomeer 2 observed that a log-log
plot of capillary pressure data approximated a
hyperbola and developed a mathematical expression
for capillary pressure data. He empirically related the
hyperbolic functions to permeability. The result was
a further improvement over the earlier methods.
Weare seeking improvements that would enhance
our ability to estimate permeability of small rock
samples such as portions of sidewall core samples or
drill cuttings. Capillary pressure curves measured on
drill cuttings usually present a very gradual, poorly
defined plateau as shown in Fig. la. The depressed
plateau leads to optimistic estimates of permeability
using the Purcell approach. Also, cuttings capillary
pressure data are not well represented by a hyper-
bola. This results III poor fits of Thomeer parameters
to cuttings data (Fig. lb). In Fig. 1, the "cuttings"
data are measurements on rocks of known per-
meability that were crushed to the size of drill cut-
tings:
01492136/81/00128234$00.25
Copyright 1981 Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME
2498
In seeking a new correlation, we try to avoid the
lower plateau of the capillary pressure curve and to
introduce an effective porosity or saturation that
contributes most to fluid flow. We also seek a
method that is easy to use.
A New Correlation
To develop a concept of our approach to a new
correlation, let us infer aspects of single-phase flow
from two-phase relations. Consider a common shape
for an air/liquid residual-initial saturation (CCI)
curve 3 (Fig. 2). There is a region of the CCI curve
normally found to be linear as initial saturation
increases from zero. Also observe the corresponding
capillary pressure curve of Fig. 2.
As the nonwetting phase enters, it first distributes
itself in a tortuous and spotty spatial distribution in
some manner, as shown two-dimensionally in Fig. 3.
The saturation may be high locally, but its areal
distribution is spotty. This feature is demonstrated
very nicely in scanning electron microphotographs of
Wood's metal pore impregnations. 4 At these lower
bulk saturations, the corresponding mercury pressure
is not representative of pore sizes controlling bulk
flow through the total cross section of the rock since
it applies only to the connection of these larg~-scale
tortuous paths.
As capillary pressure increases slightly, a greater
proportion of the pore space is entered and mercury
becomes distributed more widely. It is not until some
capillary pressure is reached such that a broad spatial
distribution of mercury exists that we arrive at the
desired effective saturation. This capillary pressure
corresponds to pore sizes effectively interconnecting
the total major pore system and, thus, those that
dominate fluid flow. Also at this point, the mercury
saturation expressed as percent of bulk volume is
indicative of that portion of the space effectively
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
 100,-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-,

90
1000 ~~~~~~~--~~--~~--~~-.

800 - X

80 MICHIGAN REEF CARBONATE 600

VINECKI-SAMKO~IAK NO. 4-18 THOMEER HYPERBOLA
5814' Pd 10.2
400
o 70 - rfi = 18.8%. Ka = 78 md
Ul
o (Vb)poo= 18.8
0. ><---->< PLUG DATA Ul
0. G 0.2
w 0-0 "CUTTINGS" DATA
a
~ 60 W 200
(f) 0:
w :)
a en
"- en
>- w
0:
~ 50 0.. aUITMflN FIELD
-' 100
-' >- GLEN ROSE LIMESTONE
0:
"-
IT 0: 80
o --l
i;: 40
--l
60
if! 17.6Y.
:::> 0.. Ka 69 md
o 0:
a U
w
>: >- 40 ~ PLUG DATA
0:
30 :)
ct' U cr--D "CUTT I NGS" DATA
0:
W
1:

20 20

10 X
10
o
8 b ' o
o 6
100 80 60 40 20 o 20 10 8 6 5 3
PERCENT PORE VOLUME OCCUPIED 8Y MERCURY PERCENT BULK VOLUME OCCUPIED BY MERCURY

Fig. 1 - Comparison of capillary pressure curves measured on plugs and cuttings.

contributing to fluid flow. from the initial straight-line segment occurs. If we

In Fig. 2, we see that the eel curve begins to bend
at initial saturations greater than about 42070. At
higher initial saturations, proportionally less residual
saturation is seen. The point of first bending of the
eel curve is considered to indicate the transition
from broadening spatial distribution and trapping to
fine structure trapping and/or intrusion of the
nonwetting phase into corners of pores.
Thus, for this example, a saturation of about 42%
applies to an effective pore space contributing to
fluid flow, and a corresponding capillary pressure of
20 psi is needed to connect all that pore space ef-
fectively. An empirical relation between these two
parameters and permeability should result. The
reciprocal capillary pressure is proportional to the
pore size connecting that effective pore space. The
product of that bulk saturation and reciprocal
capillary pressure then should be related to per-
meability.
This procedure is laborious, and it is often difficult
to select a point on the eel curve where deviation
DECEMBER 1981
consider the log-log plot of capillary pressure vs.
percent bulk saturation, as did Thomeer, a simple
solution results.
Fig. 4 shows a Thomeer capillary pressure plot.
Point A is at the intersection of the hyperbola with a
45 line passing through the origin of the hyperbolic
axes. At all points on the 45 line, (b-b'), the ratios
of coordinates (S b I P e) are equal. For coordinates
falling above and to the right of Line
(b-b') (any other point on the hyperbola), the ratio
(SbIPe) has a lower value. Thus, the ratio of
coordinates at Point A, (S b I P e ) A , has a maximum
value. This feature allows quick calculations of
permeability from capillary pressures using the
equations developed later.
Examination of numerous eel and capillary
pressure curves shows that coordinates selected from
the eel and capillary pressure curves, as just
outlined, fall statistically about Point A on the log-
log plot. Thus, it is easier to choose Point A, the
maximum product of percent bulk saturation and
2499
 70r--------------------------.r----------. 1000

800
CAPILLARY
PRESSURE 600
CURVE
60
400 THOMEER PARAMETERS

" 0.2
Pd ,., 13.0
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(J)
50
200
(Vb)poo = 22
c.
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<l
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80 b'

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a. 30 c:
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C!:
<l
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:I: 20 40 >- ">-c: 20
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,,-
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r
10 -,cr (Vb )Poo
20 crlf)
"'w
~~ .'" b
1f):I: i
~a.
!

~~~
0
20 40 60 80 100

(INITiAL) NON-WETTING PHASE SATURATION. X

Fig. 2 - Hypothetical capillary pressure and eel curves.

..
1100 80
j60 40 20 10 8

Sb. MERCURY SATURATION o. BULK VOLUME 1

Fig. 4 - Manner of defining correlating parameter at Point

A.

10.000,---------------________-.

I:
01 (S.)'.'"
-399-
Pc A

'.

/1111 n:UfABllITY
AlL Sl'INOSH)IS CARBONATES

Fig. 3 - Two-dimensional schematic of spatial distribution

of mercury in rock at low mercury pressure and low Fig. 5 - Air permeability correlation for all sandstones and
saturation. carbonates.

2500 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 IO.OOOr---------------------,
..
CLERK SANIlSTIlIIS
O\:)~.looL,-----'------~-----'---------1
Fig. 6 - Brine permeability correlation for clean sand-
stones.
reciprocal capillary pressure, as the correlating
parameter with permeability rather than using the
tedious procedure outlined earlier.
In practice, a much simpler method to find the
correlating parameter is to use any value of the ratio
0
of coordinates along a line drawn at 45 and tangent
to the capillary plessure curve. Then no hyperbolic
fit is needed. In Fig. 4, Line b-b' includes Point A
and the coordinates of all points on this line are in
equal proportion. This feature ultimately leads to a
simple nomograph to be presented later. In Fig. 4,
the parameter has the numerical value
(SbIPe) A::;: 13.1121.6=0.61.
Again referring to Fig. 1b, note that the Line b-b'
is tangent to both cuttings and plug data. This is one
of the features we were striving for in arriving at a
new correlating parameter.
Values of the parameter at Point A have been
determined on 319 samples representing 74 for-
mations using the tangent approach. These data have
been accumulating in our laboratory files for years
and include only samples on which air permeability
and capillary pressure were measured on the same
sample. The data include 116 carbonates representing
33 formations and 203 sandstones representing 41
formations. Carbonate samples containing surface
vugs or exhibiting pronounced double capillary
pressure curves are omitted. Fig. 5 shows the overall
correlation between (S b I P e) A vs. air permeability
(k a). Plots by data groups have shown that the
correlation appears independent of porosity and
Thomeer's pore geometrical factor, G. All empirical
equations to be presented represent least-squares fits
to the data. From this graph, we see that one stan-
dard deviation of the points from the line is a factor
of 1.96 x .
Comparison of Permeability Estimates
by Different Methods
For comparing this relation with that of Thomeer, a
data set of 58 samples was used - 39 sandstone and
DECEMBER 1981
I
.. 1:.... 290 (~ )"""
A
.. I STD. on ... !. 7~X
...li!lllli.U
132SA11PLES!
O~.!ooL,-----'---------"-----L-------.J
Fig. 7 - Brine permeability correlation for carbonates.
19 carbonate rock types. One standard deviation
factor of the predicted value from measured value
using the Thomeer correlation was 2.61 x; using the
new correlation, it was 1.86 x. Thus, a slight im-
provement was noted for the new correlation. Using
the new relation, one standard deviation indicates
that 66% of the estimated air permeabilities of the
data set of 58 samples lie within the range
K true <Kest < 1.86 K true
1.86
Or, as an example, 66070 of the estimates having a
value of 10 md will have an uncertainty in the range
of 5.4 to 18.6 md.
No attempt was made to revise the Thomeer
correlation by expanding the data set.
It is evident in Fig. 5 that greater deviations are
found in the low-permeability region. Reasons for
this include (1) general insensitivity of air per-
meameters in this range, (2) lack of controlled stress
on the sample in this particularly stress-sensitive
region, and (3) lack of correction for Klinkenberg gas
slippage.
Correlation With Brine Permeabilities
Liquid permeabilities measured on samples under
controlled stress conditions might provide improved
correlation. For the same set of 58 samples above,
the mercury capillary pressure data and brine per-
meability under 1,000-psi effective stress were
available. Further correlations were developed.
Figs. 6 and 7 show brine permeability correlations
for 24 clean sandstone samples representing 21
formations:
Kw =431 (_S_b_) 2.109, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)
Pe A
and, for 32 carbonate samples representing 13
formations,
2501
 ~~.-~.~--------------,
agrees with the value predicted from Purcell's
theoretical model using Poiseuille's equation.

Nomograph Development
:-.- '" Using the feature discussed earlier in regard to
.'
Tangent b-b' in Fig, 4, a nomograph has. be.en
developed using Eq. 3. The nomograph shown m FIg .
9 allows direct estimation of brine permeability of
clean sands and carbonates directly from a plot of
capillary pressure data. One simply interpolates the

-1/,"
permeability from an imaginary tan.gent to. the
CLEAN SANPSIONES RHO CARBOIIII{S capillary pressure curve parallel to the dIagonal hnes.
The nomograph may be reproduced in bulk for
laboratory use.
0001 Eqs. 1 and 2 are based on only 24 and 32 samples,
0.01
respectively. The two relations intersect at around 8
md and they lie within one standard deviation factor
Fig. 8 - Combined brine permeability correlation for clean
of each other over the range of about 0.1 to 500 md.
sandstones and carbonates. In view of these facts, Eq. 3 is considered adequate
and nomographs are not shown for estimating brine
permeability of sands and carbonates individually.
S ) 1.901 Fig. 10 shows an example use of the nomograph
Kw=290 _b~ ................ (2) for a Michigan Reef limestone sample whose
( Pc A
measured brine permeability was 4.6 md. The
estimated value from the nomograph is about 3.3
The clean sandstones are defined as having a md.
cation-exchange capacity less than 0.2 meq/mL of
pore space. There is much less data scatter at low Applications
permeability when compared with the air per- We seldom have reliable estimates of permeability of
meability data of Fig. 5. Also note the improved potential producing horizons in expl<;>ration wells.
standard deviation factors of 1.74 x for carbonates Conventional cores usually are not dnlled. We rely
and 1.46 x for clean sands. on visual estimates of porosity and permeability from
Data for shaly sands deviate from the correlation ditch cuttings or percussion sidewall samples. Visual
toward lower brine permeability due to the influence estimates become progressively poorer as more
of clay swelling. The shaly sands we have tested are consolidation and/or diagenesis is encountered. The
too few to form correlations for this category. nomograph reproduced here offers a potential for
However, for those tested, permeabilities of shaly estimating permeability that is particularly suited to
sands measured with the samples saturated with oil these types of samples. .
yield values closely fitting the clean sand relation. Sidewall samples often are shattered dunng
Hill et al. 5 reported that the first-order difference percussive coring. Thus, they may contain fractures
between brine and air permeabilities was due to the and are often very irregular in shape. These factors
presence of the brine itself and that the effect of lead to difficulties in making direct measures of
salinity was of lesser significance. This is likely to be permeability. We feel that in I?any cases for t~is type
true as long as the salinity is high enough to prevent of sample, gently disaggregatmg a shattered sIdewall
clay dispersion. Use of clean-sand relations reported sample into smaller elements of undisturbed rock and
here for estimating permeability of shaly sands is determining permeability by the methods presented
then likely to yield a maximum estimate. However, here yields more reliable permeability data than
this estimate is considered to be a substantial im- direct measurement would.
provement over estimates based on air permeability An added benefit from use of the nomograph is
relations. that the predicted permeability is that for brine at
Fig. 8 shows the brine permeability correlation for 1,0DO-psi effective stress. Low permeability rock is
the clean sands and carbonates together. The overall particularly stress-sensitive at low effective stress. A
relationship is* large part of the stress dependence (as well as
Klinkenberg corrections for air permeability) are
Sb ) 2.005 accounted for through use of the nomograph .
K =355 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) A statistical relation between air permeability of
w ( Pc A
unstressed rock and brine permeability of stressed
rock may be achieved by comparing Figs. 5 and 8.
Note that the exponent for this combined correlation Juhasz 6 performed this exercise. From the regression
'In the event that Thomeer parameters are known, Eq. 3 expressed in
equations for these two figures, the following
Thomeer's parameters becomes relation develops.
2 BV )12.005
j
Kw=355
[
1O- ';GI2.303
(
:;'" Kw =0.292 K;186

2502 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 KWI BRINE PERMEABILITY (md)
N
o
o

800

600
500

400

300

200

'"Q
::0 w
i- 100 ""
;:)
V')
> In
I- w
80
co
...""
>
w
60
:E ""
'"
...w 50
...
w u
Z
40
exco >
30 ""
;:)
u
~
:..: ""w
:E
20 ...v

10

40 30 20 :0 8 6 5 4 3 2
Sb I MERCURY SATURATION (% BULK VOLUME)

Fig. 9 - Stressed (1,OOO-psia) brine permeability/capillary pressure nomograph.

DECEMBER 1981 2503

 K..." BR1NE PERMEAB1l1TY (mcJ)
o
G Thomeer pore geometrical factor
Ka air permeability, md
Kw brine permeability, md
Pc mercury capillary pressure, psia
(kPa)
Pd Thomeer mercury/air extrapolated
displacement pressure, psia (kPa)
Sb mercury saturation in percent of
bulk volume
(S b / Pc) A new correlating parameter taken at
Point A of capillary pressure curve
(Fig. 4)
cf> = rock porosity in percent of bulk
volume
Acknowledgment
z I thank the management of Shell Development Co.
: 30
>
=> for permission to publish this paper.
u

i
References
~u

1. Purcell, W.R.: "Capillary Pressures - Their Measurement

Fig. 10 - Use of brine permeability/capillary
nomograph.
This equation is of reasonable quality for per-
meabilities below 750 md, where the two regression
equations cross. The lack of high brine permeability
data probably limits useful extrapolation of the brine
permeability relationship to higher permeability.
Nomenclature
BVP = Thomeer percent (in this paper) bulk
volume occupied by mercury at
infinite mercury pressure
Using Mercury and the Calculation of Permeability
Therefrom," Trans., AIME (1949) 186, 39-48.
2. Thomeer, J .H.M.: "Introduction of a Pore Geometrical
Factor Defined by the Capillary Pressure Curve," 1. Pet.
Tech. (March 1960) 73-77 .
3. Pickell, J.J., Swanson, B.F., and Hickman, W.B.: "Ap-
plication of Air-Mercury and Oil-Air Capillary Pressure Data
in the Study of Pore Structure and Fluid Distribution," Soc.
Pet. Eng. 1. (March 1966) 55-61.
4. Swanson, B.F.: "Visualizing Pores and Nonwetting Phase in
Porous Rock," 1. Pet. Tech. (Jan. 1979) 10 -18.
5. Hill, H.J., Shirley, O.J., and Klein, G.E.: "Bound Water in
pressure Shaly Sands -Its Relation to Qv and Other Formation
Properties," M.H. Waxman and E.C. Thomas (eds.) Log
Analyst (May-June 1979) 3-19.
6. Juhasz, I.: "The Central Role of Qv and Formation-Water
Salinity in the Evaluation of Shaly Formations," Proc.,
SPWLA 20th Annual Logging Symposium, Tulsa (1979).
SI Metric Conversion Factor
psi x 6.894 757 E + 00 kPa
JPT
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers office July 15,
1979. Paper accepted for publication Jan. 24, 1980. Revised manuscript
received Oct. 12, 1981. Paper (SPE 8234) first presented at the SPE 54th Annual
Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Las Vegas Sept. 2326, 1979.

2504 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY