Crain's Petrophysical Handbook - Capillary Pressure - PC

12/12/2017 Crain's Petrophysical Handbook - Capillary Pressure -- Pc
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CAPILLARY
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Pay Shareware Fee PRESSURE BASICS Capillary Pressure Basics
Capillary pressure
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a measurement of the force that draws a
liquid up a thin tube, or capillary. Fluid saturation varies with the Drainage and Imbibition
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capillary pressure, which in turn varies with the vertical height The Physics of Capillary
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above the free water level. Typically, laboratory measurements Pressure
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of capillary pressure are plotted on linear X - Y coordinate graph Reservoir Quality Indicator -
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paper, as shown at the right. LAMDA
Saturation- Height Curves
Petrophysical
Capillary pressureTraining
measured in the laboratory can be performed Finding Irreducible Water
using air-brine
Webinar Dates or mercury injection (MICP) methods. The later is Saturation
usuallyDates
Course used in poorer quality reservoirs. The pressures Measuring Capillary Pressure
involved are quite different so the graphs from the two methods
Order AV Courses Averaging Cap Pressure -
are difficult
Order to compare directly. By converting the pressure axis to heightLevorett
Video Courses above free water (described
J-Function
later on
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Reference comparisons can be made quite easily.
Manuals Cap Pressure Examples
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Petrophysicists use cap pressure water saturation, adjusted for height above the free water level, and
Instructor SEE ALSO
residual oil saturation (Sor) to help calibrate log derived water saturation in oil and gas reservoirs above
the transition zone, Calibrating
and to help detect depleted reservoirs. It will not help calibrate SW in Saturation
partially - Pc
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depleted zones.
Consulting Services Coring and Core Porosity
Client List saturations from capillary pressure measurements should be considered
The water Core Saturation
as "what-if" values.
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The saturations represent the value to expect IF the zone is hydrocarbon bearing.CoreClearly
Permeability
a water zone is
still 100% wet, regardless of what the cap pressure SW appears to be. Wettability
Capillary Pressure
DRAINAGE AND IMBIBITION Relative Permeability
Accumulation of hydrocarbon in a reservoir is a drainage Rock Compressibility
process and production by aquifer drive or waterflood is an Electrical Properties A,M,N
imbibition process. The capillary pressure curve is different X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
for these two processes, as shown in the illustration at the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
right. Most capillary pressure graphs show only the drainage Infra-Red (FTIR)
curve. Thin Section Petrography
Averaging Core Data
DRAINAGE Core Analysis Lab Manual
Fluid flow process in which the saturation of the nonwetting
phase increases. Mobility of nonwetting fluid phase increases
as nonwetting phase saturation increases - upper curve on
image at right.
IMBIBITION
Fluid flow process in which the saturation of the wetting
phase increases. Mobility of wetting phase increases
as wetting phase saturation increases - lower curve on image
at right.
THE PHYSICS OF CAPILLARY PRESSURE

If a glass capillary tube is placed in a large open vessel containing water, the combination of surface
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tension and wettability of tube to water will cause water to rise

in the tube above the water level in the container outside the
tube. The water will rise inWelcome
the tube untilTo C
RAIN
the total ' P
forceSacting
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to pull the liquid upward is balanced by the weight of the
column of
Handbook liquid being
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Assuming the
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radius of the capillary tube is R, the total upward force Fup,
whichISholds
THIS the liquid up,
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SITE. to the
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TO unit
THElength
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of surface times the total length of surface:
Site
1: FupNavigation CAPILLARY
= 2 * PI * R * SIGgw * cos (THETA) PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links
The upward
Terms Of Useforce is counteracted by the weight of the water,
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which
Pay is a downward
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2: Fdown = PI * R^2 * H * (DENSwtr - DENSair) * G Capillary Pressure Basics
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Assume density of air is negligible and set Fup = Fdown, The Physics of Capillary
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solve for surface tension: Pressure
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3: SIGgw = (R * H * DENSwtr * G) / (2 * cos (THETA)) Reservoir Quality Indicator -
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Petrophysical Training Finding Irreducible Water
In the more
Webinar Dates general case of oil and water, the equation becomes: Saturation
Course Dates = (R * H * (DENSwtr - DENSoil) * G) / (2 * cos(THETA))
4: SIGow Measuring Capillary Pressure
Where:
Order Video Courses Levorett J-Function
PI = Reference
Order 3.1416..... Manuals
Cap Pressure Examples
SIGgw
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surface tension between air and water (dynes/cm)
THETA = contact angle
Instructor
R = capillary radius (cm) SEE ALSO
H = height of water in capillary (cm) Calibrating Saturation - Pc
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DENSwtr = density of water (gm/cc) Core Analysis Basics
DENSair =
Consulting density of air (gm/cc)
Services Coring and Core Porosity
G = acceleration
Client List of gravity = 980.7 (cm/sec^2) Core Saturation
Project List Core Permeability
Rearranging equation 5:
Wettability
5: H = (SIGgw * 2 * cos (THETA)) / (R * DENSwtr * G)
Capillary Pressure
The pressure difference across the interface between Points 1 Relative Permeability
and 2 is the capillary pressure: Rock Compressibility
6: P2 = P4 G * H * DENSwtr Electrical Properties A,M,N
7: P1 = P3 G * H * DENSair X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
8: Pc = P1 P2 X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Infra-Red (FTIR)
The pressure at Point 4 within the capillary tube is the same Thin Section Petrography
as that at Point 3 outside the tube. Averaging Core Data
9: Pc = (P3 G * H * DENSair) (P4 G * H * DENSwtr) Core Analysis Lab Manual
10: Pc = G * H * (DENSwtr DENSair)
11: Pc = G * H * DENS
Where:
Pc = capillary pressure (dynes/cm2)
DENS = density difference between the wetting and
nonwetting
phase.(gn/cc)
Combining equations 5 and 11:

12: Pc = (SIGgw * 2 * cos (THETA)) / R
To convert Pc in dynes/cm2 to psi, multiply by 1.45 * 10^-5.
Thus if Pc is measured in the lab and SIGMA is known, equation 12 can be rearranged to give pore
throat radius R.
13: R = (SIGgw * 2 * cos (THETA)) / Pc
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There are four key parameters that are related to a capillary curve:
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Si = irreducible wetting phase saturation
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Sm = 1 -Index
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Pd = displacement pressure, the pressure required to force non-wetting fluid into largest pores
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pore size distribution index;BE FAIR TO THE
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curve
Si isSite Navigation
the initial, CAPILLARY
or irreducible, water saturation in aPRESSURE -- Pcwater-wet, reservoir
hydrocarbon-bearing, Quick at
Links
initial
pressure, prior to the start of production. It is termed SWir elsewhere in this Handbook.
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(1 - Shareware
Pay Sm) is the residual
Fee oil saturation in a fully depleted water-wet reservoir, called Sor elsewhere
Capillary in this
Pressure Basics
Handbook.
The Physics of Capillary
(1 - SI)
Free or (1 - SWir) is the non-wetting phase saturation at initial conditions prior to production. In a
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water-wet reservoir with a water drive, water saturation (Sw) increases above Si as production proceeds.
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At anyThe
About time, saturation of the non-wetting phase (So) equals (1 - Sw). In a gas expansion drive reservoir
Author
LAMDA
Sw = (1 - So) stays relatively constant over time. Capillary pressure curves help to explain the behaviour
of water drive reservoirs Saturation- Height
drive.Curves
Petrophysical Trainingbut do little for gas expansion or gas cap reservoirs with no water
Finding Irreducible Water
Webinar Dates
A capillary pressure curve on Cartesian coordinates is Saturation
Course Dates
difficult to fit with simple equations. By transforming Measuring Capillary Pressure
Order
the SW AVaxis
Courses
to Sw* and plotting Pc vs Sw* on log - log Averaging Cap Pressure -
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graphVideo
paper,Courses
the curves become straight lines. Levorett J-Function
Order14: Reference
Sw* = (Sw Manuals
- SWir) / (1 - SWir - Sor) Cap Pressure Examples
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15: Pc = Pd * (Sw*) ^ (1 / LAMDA)
Instructor SEE ALSO
The slope of the line on the log-log graph is (-1 / Calibrating Saturation - Pc
Petrophysical Consulting
LAMBDA) and the intercept at 100% Sw* is Pd. See Core Analysis Basics
illustrationServices
Consulting below. SWir is obtained from the Cartesian
Coring and Core Porosity
plot or
Client on a saturation height graph (see next section
List Core Saturation
on thisList
Project web page).
Core Permeability
Steeper slope equals higher (1 / LAMDA), which means Wettability
LAMBDA is lower. Lower LAMBDA means poorer Capillary Pressure
quality rock. Relative Permeability
Rock Compressibility
LAMDA decreases with decreasing permeability, poor Electrical Properties A,M,N
grain sorting, smaller grain size, and usually with lower X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
porosity. These effects shift the cap pressure curve X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
upward and to the right on Cartesian coordinate graphs, resulting in higher SWir values(FTIR)
Infra-Red (see graph at
the right). Thin Section Petrography
Averaging Core Data
Core Analysis Lab Manual


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Webinar Dates Saturation
Course Dates Measuring Capillary Pressure
Order Reference Manuals Cap Pressure Examples
Plot of Pc
Become Anversus Sw* on log - log scale. The slope of the line is (-1 / LAMBDA) and the intercept
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at 100% Sw* is Pd.
Instructor SEE ALSO
Calibrating Saturation - Pc
The typical range of (1 / LAMDA) is 0.5 for good quality sands to 4 or 8 for poor quality sands and
carbonates. Type curve matching of Sw* can be used to assess cap pressure curves and reservoir
Consulting
quality. Services Coring and Core Porosity
Client List Core Saturation
Wettability
SATURATION - HEIGHT CURVES
Capillary Pressure
To convert from laboratory measurements to reservoir conditions, we need to use the following
relationship: Relative Permeability
16: Pc_res = Pc_lab * (SIGow * cos (THETAow)) / (SIGgw * cos (THETAgw))Rock Compressibility
Electrical Properties A,M,N
Typical values for air-brine conversion to oil-water are: X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
SIGow = 24 dynes/cm X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
THETAow = 30 deg Infra-Red (FTIR)
SIGgw = 72 dynes/cm Thin Section Petrography
THETAgw = 0 deg Averaging Core Data
Giving: Pc_res = 0.289 * Pc_lab
Solving equation 11 for H, and using reservoir (oil-water) Pc values:

17: H = KP15 * Pc_res / DENS
Where:
Pc_res = capillary pressure at
reservoir (psi or KPa)
H = capillary rise (ft or meters)
DENS = density difference (gm/cc)
KP15 = 2.308 (English units)
KP15 = 0.1064 (Metric units)

<== Example of conversion of
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data to reservoir conditions,
then IS
THIS into saturation-height
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SITE.
results plotted in graph above.
All of the above assumes the lab
data is
Terms Ofan air-brine
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measurement.
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Capillary Pressure Basics
injection capillary,
Handbook pressure
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(MICP) measurements, the Drainage and Imbibition
density of the non-wetting The Physics of Capillary
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phase (mercury) is 13.5 g/cc, so Pressure
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DENS isAuthor
much larger than the Reservoir Quality Indicator -
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air-water case. As a result, Pc LAMDA
values from an MICP Saturation- Height Curves
Petrophysical Training
measurement are about 13.5 Finding Irreducible Water
times higher
Webinar Datesthan an air brine Saturation
measurement
Course Dates (for the same SW Measuring Capillary Pressure
valueAV
Order in Courses
the same core plug). To Averaging Cap Pressure -
compare
Order Video anCourses
air-brine cap Levorett J-Function
pressure
Order curve Manuals
Reference to an MICP Cap Pressure Examples
curve, itAn
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merely necessary to
change the Pc scale on one of
Instructor
the graphs by the appropriate
SEE ALSO
factor, or to convert both Pc Calibrating Saturation - Pc
scales to a saturation-height
Consulting
scale. Services Coring and Core Porosity
Project
When H List
is calculated at a Core Permeability
Wettability
Sw % Pc_lab Pc_res H number of points on the Pc curve, the resulting
Capillary graph of H vs SW
Pressure
is known as a saturation-height curve and can be plotted
Relative Permeability on a
100 2 0.578 6.9 depth plot of log data or results by setting
Rock Compressibility of
H = 0 at the base
90 3 0.867 10.4 transition zone on the logs. This assumes a uniform porosity-
80 4 1.16 13.9 permeability regime, which is seldom encountered in real life, so
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
70 5 1.45 17.4 more complicated methods are needed to superimpose the
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
saturation values from multiple Pc curves.
60 6 1.73 20.8 Infra-Red (FTIR)
50 7 2.02 24.2 Thin Section
If cap pressure curves are available at various depthsPetrography
in the
45 8 2.31 27.7 Averaging
reservoir, the pressure axis of each curve Core Data
is converted to height
Coreeach
above free water. Then the saturation from Analysis
curveLab Manual
is selected
40 10 2.89 35
from the graph with respect to the sample's position above the
35 27 7.8 94 water contact. These saturations are then plotted with respect to
30 75 21.7 260 the sample depths onto the log analysis depth plot, as shown in
the example below.


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Instructor SEE ALSO
Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Enlarged image of log analysis depth plot showing porosity, saturation, permeability, and lithology
Relative Permeability
tracks over a conventional oil-bearing sandstone. Black dots are conventional
Rock Compressibilityand
core porosity
permeability. Pink dots show porosity of samples used for cap pressure measurements and theA,M,N
Electrical Properties water
saturation for those samples, chosen from their respective height above free water curve. The
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)pink
dots match the log analysis water saturation (blue curve) very closely everywhere.
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Thin Section Petrography
Averaging Core Data


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LAMDA
MICP
Order capillary
Reference pressure curve (left) and equivalent height above free water
Manuals Capversion (right)
Pressure for the
Examples
sampleAn
Become just above the oil water contact on the above example. The reservoir is only 30 meters thick,
Associate
so we are only interested in a very small portion of these graphs, near the bottom of each. The graph
Instructor SEE ALSO
has no resolution at low height values so it is easier to use the equivalent table of values, or re-plot
the data on a more appropriate scale. Calibrating Saturation - Pc
Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data


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The first Pc sample above the oil-water contact is at a height of 4.5 meters above the contact. The
Instructor
nearest height in the table is 4.55 meters (column 10) and the corresponding saturation SEE(column
ALSO 3) is
0.497. Use interpolation or plot a detailed graph for better accuracy. RepeatCalibrating Saturation
this for each sample -and
Pc
Petrophysical Consulting its respective data table. Core Analysis Basics
Client List
FINDING IRREDUCIBLE WATER SATURATION Core Saturation
Project List traditional to look at the minimum water saturation on a cap pressure
It has been Core Permeability
curve and to call it
Wettability
irreducible water saturation (SWir). In the above example, we don't see the minimum until 600 to 800
meters above the oil -water contact, and this reservoir is only 30 meters thick. The true
Capillary irreducible
Pressure
water saturation is much higher than the minimum on the graph because weRelative are so close to the
Permeability
contact. Rock Compressibility
The true irreducible saturation is defined by the height versus SW curve for X-Ray
each sample, and(XRD)
Diffraction not by
the minimum SW. If porosity, permeability, pore geometry, grain size, sortingX-Rayvary in a reservoir, you
Fluorescence (XRF)
need a height versus SW curve for each rock type, and a reliable method forInfra-Red
identifying those
(FTIR) rock
types by using a log analysis algorithm or curve shape pattern.
Averaging Core Data
A typical method to differentiate rock types is to use raw log or analysis results ranges to segregate
rocks into various categories. Then an appropriate cap pressure curve can Core Analysis
be applied Lab Manual
to each rock
type, where ever it occurs in the reservoir interval. An example is shown in the table below:
Example of facies assignments using cutoff ranges based on analysis results. Note that only
facies 0, 3, and 13 are reservoir facies.
Once facies are assigned, the cap pressure curves are segregated according to facies and converted
to height above free water level (HAFWL):


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Height above free water level (HAFWL) curves for the 3 reservoir facies. Note that the yellow (facies 0)
Instructor
and SEE ALSO
green (facies 13) curves are virtually identical, so there are in fact only two rock types. - Pc
Calibrating Saturation
The equation
Consulting used to model water saturation from capillary pressure is:
Services Coring and Core Porosity
18:
Client SWcp = A * ((Perm / PHIe)^0.5 * HAFWL)^B + C
List Core Saturation
Where:
Wettability
Perm = permeability (mD)
Capillary Pressure
PHIe = effective porosity (fractional)
HAFWL = height above free water level (meters) Relative Permeability
A, B, C = regression coefficients Rock Compressibility
The coefficients can be obtained with Excel Solver or commercial Pc software.X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
For the cap pressure curves shown above, the coefficients A, B, and C are: Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data
Regression coefficients for 3 cap pressure curves. Note that results for facies 0 and 13 are virtually
identical.
A comparison of the capillary pressure derived water saturation and that from a conventional
Simandoux porosity-resistivity model is shown below.


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Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Example showing SWpc (black), SWsimandoux (blue), SWcore (black dots), and SOcore (red dots) in
Track 5. Note the near perfect match between log, core, and cap pressure saturations. Log and core
Electrical match
porosity are in Track 4 and permeability is in Track 6. Unless porosity and permeability Properties
core,A,M,N
it will
be impossible to match the saturations. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
Infra-Red (FTIR)
MEASURING CAPILLARY PRESSURE Thin Section Petrography
Capillary pressure can be measured in the laboratory in four different ways:Averaging Core Data
Porous diaphragm method Core Analysis Lab Manual

Mercury injection method
Centrifuge method
Dynamic method
Detailed operation of the laboratory equipment is beyond the scope of this Handbook. The illustrations
are not fully self-explanatory, but the general principles are relatively visible.
POROUS DIAPHRAGM METHOD

The apparatus and sample data set are shown below. The method is very accurate but it can take days to
months to get a complete cap pressure curve.


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Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Porous Diaphragm apparatus and results X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Infra-Red (FTIR)
MERCURY INJECTION METHOD Thin Section Petrography
The apparatus is shown at right. The method Averaging Core Data
is reasonably accurate and takes minutes to Core Analysis Lab Manual
hours to get a complete cap pressure curve.
The core sample cannot be re-used for any
purpose and require special disposal
procedures due to the mercury. A conversion
factor is needed to get an equivalent air-brine
capillary pressure, comparable to that from a
porous plate method.
CENTRIFUGAL METHOD
The apparatus is shown below. The method is
reasonably accurate and takes hours to days
to get a complete cap pressure curve. Data
analysis is complicated and can lead to errors.

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The apparatus is shown at right. The method is
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AND PAY and simulates
YOUR actual reservoir
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flow when whole core is used. It can take weeks or
months to complete a full cap pressure curve.
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-- LEVERETT
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J-FUNCTION Pressure
The Leverett J-function was originally an attempt Reservoir Quality Indicator -
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to convert all capillary pressure data to a LAMDA
universal curve. A universal capillary pressure Saturation- Height Curves
Petrophysical Training
curve does not exist because the rock properties Finding Irreducible Water
affecting capillary
Webinar Dates pressures in reservoir have Saturation
extreme variation
Course Dates with lithology (rock type). But, Measuring Capillary Pressure
Leveretts J-function
Order AV Courses has proven valuable for Averaging Cap Pressure -
correlating
Order Video capillary
Courses pressure data within a Levorett J-Function
lithologic
Order rock type.
Reference Manuals Cap Pressure Examples
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The Leverett J-Function is described by
Instructor
21: Jsw = C * Pc * ((K / PHIe)^0.5) / (SIGwo * SEE ALSO
Cos (THETA)) Calibrating Saturation - Pc
Consulting
The squareServices
root of (K / PHIe) is a function of pore Coring and Core Porosity
Client
throatList
radius. The constant C is a units Core Saturation
Project List factor to make Jsw unitless.
conversion Core Permeability
Wettability
By substitution and rearrangement: Capillary Pressure
22: H = Jsw * SIGwo * cos (THETA) / ((K / Relative Permeability
PHIe)^0.5) / DENS Rock Compressibility
All parameters are adjusted to represent reservoir
conditions. When Pc is in psi and DENS is in
psi/ft, then H is in feet.
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data


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Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging
Left: Smoothed Jsw curve versus Sw; Right: Derived saturation-height curves Core
for various Data
permeability
values (porosity held constant) using equation 17.Core Analysis Lab Manual
J-function is useful for averaging capillary pressure data from a given rock type from a given reservoir
and
can sometimes be extended to different reservoirs having the same lithology. Use extreme caution in
assuming this can be done. J-function is usually not an accurate correlation for different lithologies. If J-
functions are not successful in reducing the scatter in a given set of data, then this suggests that we are
dealing with variation in rock type.


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Leverett J-Function
Petrophysical versus water saturation for West Texas Carbonates showing moderate spread of
Consulting Core Analysis Basics
saturation data - rock type is not really very uniform (varying pore geometry). However, the J-function
curve may be suitable for reservoir simulation purposes
Wettability
CAP PRESSURE EXAMPLE - SAND AND SILT RESERVOIR Capillary Pressure
A capillary pressure (Pc) data set, along with some calculated parameters, is summarized in the table
below. Rock Compressibility
CAPILLARY PRESSURE SUMMARY X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data
Sample Depth Perm PHIe SWir SWir PHI*SW PHI*SW sqrt/PHIe) Pore Throat
m mD 425m 100m 425m 100m Radius um
Bakken
1 x03.5 2.40 0.118 0.12 0.19 0.014 0.022 4.51 1.358
2 x04.3 0.24 0.137 0.62 0.94 0.085 0.129 1.32 0.036
3 x04.5 0.32 0.139 0.39 0.64 0.054 0.089 1.52 0.100
4 x05.2 0.77 0.149 0.31 0.62 0.046 0.092 2.27 0.113
Average x04.4 0.93 0.136 0.36 0.60 0.050 0.083 2.41 0.402
Torquay
5 x16.8 0.05 0.163 1.00 1.00 0.163 0.163 0.55 0.008
6 x20.4 0.07 0.145 0.59 0.97 0.086 0.141 0.69 0.038
7 x21.8 0.09 0.174 0.79 0.96 0.137 0.167 0.72 0.019
8 x23.8 0.03 0.157 1.00 1.00 0.157 0.157 0.44 0.009
9 x31.4 0.07 0.138 0.83 0.98 0.115 0.135 0.71 0.017
Average x24.4 0.07 0.154 0.80 0.98 0.124 0.150 0.64 0.021
In higher permeability rock, the cap pressure curve quickly reaches

an asymptote and the minimum saturation usually represents the
actual water saturation in Welcome
an undepletedTo C
RAIN S
hydrocarbon ' P
ETROPHYSICAL ANDBOOK
reservoir H
above the transition zone. In tight rock, the asymptote is seldom
reached, Index
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Petrophysical from the
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at two heights (or equivalent) Pc values to represent two extremes
of reservoir
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Only sample
Site 1 in the above table CAPILLARY
Navigation behaves close toPRESSURE
asymptotically, -- Pc Quick Links
as in curve A in the schematic illustration at the right. All other
samples behave like curves B and C (or worse). The real cap
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curves for samples 1 and 2 are shown below.
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Capillary Pressure
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data
Examples of capillary pressure curves in good quality rock (sample 1 left) and poorer quality rock
(sample 2 right)
The summary table shows wetting phase saturation selected by observation of the cap pressure graphs
at two different heights above free water, namely 100 meters and 425 meters in this example. In this
case, the 100 meter data gives water saturations that we commonly see in petrophysical analysis of well
logs in hydrocarbon bearing Bakken reservoirs in Saskatchewan. This is a pragmatic way to indicate the
water saturation to be expected when a Bakken reservoir is at or near irreducible water saturation. The
data for the 450 meter case is considerably lower and probably does not represent reservoir conditions
in this region of the Williston Basin.
Two other columns in the table are calculated from the primary measurements.
The first is the product of porosity times saturation, PHI*SW, often called Buckles Number. It is
considered
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pore geometry
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values vary considerably in the Bakken, between low and medium values, indicating the laminated
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reservoir is poor quality in all samples.
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the square root of permeability divided by porosity, sqrt(Kmax/PHIe), which is another
measure of reservoir Capillary Pressure
quality, directly proportional to pore throat radius and Pc. High numbers Basics
represent
good
Free connectivityDownloads
Spreadsheet and low values show poor connectivity. Again, the Bakken shows the variations due
to laminations, and The Physics of Capillary
the Torquay shows low values and unattractive reservoir quality.
Free Publications
Pressure
Testimonials
Average
About Thepore throat radius and detailed pore throat distribution data are now Reservoir
Author
Quality Indicator
routinely available in the -
LAMDA
capillary pressure spreadsheet provided by the core analysis laboratory. Examples are shown below.
Become An Associate
Instructor SEE ALSO
Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Examples of pore throat radius distribution in good quality rock (sample 1 left)
Thinand poorer
Section quality rock
Petrography
(sample 2 right) Averaging Core Data
By comparing cap pressure and pore throat distribution graphs from each sample with the quality
indicator values in the summary table, it becomes more evident as to which parameters in a
petrophysical analysis might be the best indicator of reservoir quality. Since both Buckles Number and
the Kmax/PHIe parameter can be determined from logs, it has been relatively common to assess
reservoir quality from these parameters as a proxy for capillary pressure and pore throat measurements.
However, in thinly laminated reservoirs like the Bakken, this is not always possible since the logging
tools average 1 meter of rock. This means we cannot see the internal variations of rock quality evident in
the core data.
"META/SCAL" Spreadsheet -- Capillary Pressure Summary

This spreadsheet is used to summarize Capillary Pressure data, with crossplot to find SWir.
Capillary Pressure Analysis Spreadsheet


Free Publications
Pressure
Testimonials
About The Author
LAMDA
Become An Associate
Instructor SEE ALSO
Wettability
Capillary Pressure
Infra-Red (FTIR)
Averaging Core Data
Sample of "META/SCAL" spreadsheet for summarizing capillary pressure data.
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12/12/2017 Crain's Petrophysical Handbook - Capillary Pressure -- Pc

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

THE PHYSICS OF CAPILLARY PRESSURE

tension and wettability of tube to water will cause water to rise

Combining equations 5 and 11:

To convert Pc in dynes/cm2 to psi, multiply by 1.45 * 10^-5.

RESERVOIR QUALITY INDICATOR - LAMDA

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Solving equation 11 for H, and using reservoir (oil-water) Pc values:

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Porous diaphragm method Core Analysis Lab Manual

POROUS DIAPHRAGM METHOD

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

In higher permeability rock, the cap pressure curve quickly reaches

"META/SCAL" Spreadsheet -- Capillary Pressure Summary

Capillary Pressure Analysis Spreadsheet

Welcome To CRAIN'S PETROPHYSICAL HANDBOOK

Site Navigation CAPILLARY PRESSURE -- Pc Quick Links

Sample of "META/SCAL" spreadsheet for summarizing capillary pressure data.

Page Views 40548 Since 01 Jan 2015

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