Professional Documents
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Pressure Studies
T. P.4636
ABSTRACT capillarity in oil production; Jan hydrocarbons and water in the reser-
Law's' and A. C. Bulnes3 statistical voir. This is the reservoir's total
Volumetric reservoir analysis is treatment of core analysis data; porosity. When true total porosity
dependent upon a firm relationship Chalkley's method,,5 for estimating values are not available, correlations
between porosity, connate water, and specific surface areas and porosity; between porosity and capillary pres-
net pay. Capillary pressure data on Walter Rose's· report on porosity, re- sure characteristics lose their signifi-
core samples interrelate these three serves, and recovery; Archie's'" tex- cance since they cannot be related
factors. It is shown that other reser- tural classification of carbonate rocks; through oil-base mud core data to
voir problems may be resolved: (1) Stewart and Spurlock's' large core the porosity and connate water values
whether water production is indi- analysis; Purcell's'o mercury injection found in reservoirs.
genous or extraneous to the oil pro- method in studying capillary pres- Methods used to obtain reliable
ducing interval, (2) an oil-water con- sure phenomena; Stewart, Craig, and porosity data will not be discussed;
tact is being approached, and (3) Morse's" model multiple-phase flow however, care should be exercised
whether the oil-water contact is re- test in investigating the relative per- in selecting samples for measure-
motely situated. meability effect; and Fatt's" illumi- ment. In homogeneously porous for-
nating network model of porous me- mations, small core plugs sampled
INTRODUCTION dia. frequently will furnish adequate in-
Volumetric analysis of carbonate The present study shows that the formation. Where heterogeneity, par-
reservoirs challenges the ingenuity static reservoir parameters of poro- ticularly vugginess, is present, large-
of the reservoir engineer due to an sity, connate water, and net produc- core porosity data may be required;
absence of data on the minimum oil- tive thickness may be interrelated by in such reservoirs a suite of capillary
bearing and oil-producing pores of a utilizing a statistical arrangement of pressure samples may be selected
given reservoir rock. Many studies mercury capillary pressure data in from small plugs.
with this as the ultimate objective addition to routine core analysis.
are available on the physical char- This report summarizes the techni- CAPILLARY PRESSURE
acteristics and fluid-flow behaviors of ques that are followed to obtain
these relations which are applicable Capillary pressure data provide a
the carbonate reservoir. Some of these
to carbonate and sandstone reser- method for relating two carbonate
pUblications are: Hassler, Brunner
voirs that do not contain clays. Capil- reservoir parameters, porosity and
and Deahl's' study of the role of
lary pressure statistical studies may connate water saturation, which in
be extended to include clay-bearing turn permit delineation of productive
Original manuscript received in Society of
Petrolewn Engineers office on June 15, 1956. rocks by utilizing water capillary rock types necessary for selecting the
Revised manuscript received June 10, 1957.
Paper presented at Petroleum Branch Fall pressure data. third parameter, productive thick-
Meeting in Los Angeles, Oct. 14-17, 1956. ness. Specific applications of capillary
lReferences given at end of paper. POROSITY pressure data to petroleum reservoirs
Discussion of this and all following tech-
nical papers is invited. Discussion in writing It is necessary that the laboratory were suggested by Archie' and Pur-
(3 copies) may be sent to the offices of the
Journal of Petroleum Technology. Any dis- determine the porosity value that in- cell.'o Their work demonstrated that
cussion offered after Dec. 31, 1957, should be
in the form of a new paper. cludes the pores that are filled with in preferentially water-wet rock, pore
I t I.,\ I I I I I 10344·45
10337·38
III LA
IIIMA
3.5
3.9
0.15
0.09
90
98
63
62
51
43
45
38
.. 10343·44
AVERAGES
10331·32
III LA
III MB
3.9
3.6
4.6
0.15
0.14
1.07
64
90
43
51
70
24
49
55
17
42
41
15
10356·57 1I1·I·MB 4.0 0.11 98 96 61 35
50 10342·43 III·LA 4.5 0.36 66 48 43 38
10341·42 III MA 4.6 0.31 86 56 53 44
AVERAGES 4.4 0.46 73 56 44 33.
• 10357·58 III·I·MB 5.1 0.56 57 24 17 13
ij 10329·30 III MB 5.5 1.34 75 58 61 35
f-~ 3 10323·24 III MB 5.0 1.33 43 28 23 23
w 10328·29 III MB 5.6 2.31 39 27 24 19
f-~
~
\ 2
AVERAGES 5.3 1.39 54 34
21
28 23
16
~ 10324·25 III MB 6.2 6.09 28 17
g [\. \
10325·26
10327·28
III MB
111MB
6.3
6.5
2.51
1.88
36
49
26
35
22
32
20
28
10322·23 III MB 6.7 3.40 35 25 20 17
t
EFFECT OF
t'--- t-- .~ 10326·27
10323·24
III MB
III MB
6.9
6.9
4.71
8.10
30
23
23
16
20
13
18
11
1 I 6 S , 3 2 0°
t- c. c. MERCURY INJECTED AVERAGES 6.6 4.45 34 24 21 18
o C. Co WEnIHG PHA.SE _ 6.6
III MB 7.7 7.65 24 17 15 12
10330·31
FIG. I-LABORATORY DERIVED MERCURY 10324·25 III MB 7.8 6.76 30 23 19 17
CAPILLARY PRESSURE CURVE. AVERAGES 7.7 7.21 27 20 17 15
00
. '1
~\ ~
0 20 40 80 100 20 40 iO 80 100
mMB
~6
WATER SATURATION ( % ) - WATER SATURATION (")~
~~ ~ r...
~5 ~~ ~ ~o
mMB
f"'-.. r-..,mL&M A&S
~OIL SATURATION (%) ~Oll SATURATION (%)
04 ........,
3
mL&M A
~~
.......
t-- r--.....
~
b..
100
2&
80 iO
LIMESTONE mVF
40 20
t---
100
25
80 iO
LIMESTONE I YF
40 20 0
2
mLA r-...... r.:::::: ~ ~~5
0 ~20
;::15
r-- t-- ;;; \
i,o \ t,- ,
100" WATER_=~ ~I 0
1 --: -... '""'.' ••
....V 1-:.,-
~ ~ 5 ~
OfCUrIE~ P~OSlp
o0
&
.. .. .
::;-. .L j9·OIL .1--.- 1---- ~OIL-
both Types II and III rock exist lations are generally not possible. An lary pressure data are illustrated by
only if very fine crystals are present example is a case where Type I or Figs. 3 and 6. Both cored intervals
in all types. With all data processed Type III rock has medium-fine crys- show Type III rock, with pore sizes
to date, the smoothest correlations tals, whereas any Type II present ranging from Type A matrix pores,
occur when a uniform crystal size is would have very fine crystals. Such not visible at 10 power magnifica-
present throughout the entire porosity a reservoir would require zoning for tion, through the various secondary-
range, as noted by the data of Table an effective reservoir analysis. type pores B, C, and D, as explained
3 and most of the figures presented by Table 2. The significant difference
PORE SIZE EFFECTS
in this paper. When uniform crys- between the two wells is indicated by
tal size does not exist, unique corre- The effects of pore size on capil- the relative shapes and separation of
TABLE 2-CLASSIFICATION OF CARBONATE ROCKS
Approximate Porosity (Per Cent)
Visible Porosity
(Per Cent of Surface) Total Porosity
Class Appearance Appearance or Luster Crystal or Size of Pore-mm (Sum of Matrix and
Type A Matrix
(Texture of of Hand Under Microscope (About lOX) Grain Size ·0.1 mm 0.1·2.0 mm 2.0 mm _ _ _V.:.:i"si:::b",le,,)-,---=-_
(Not Visible
Matrix) Sample General Range (mm) lOX) Type B Type C Type 0 A·B A·C
I Crystalline, hard, Matrix made up of crystals Resinous L* 0.4 2 e.g. 10 e.g. 15 12 17
Compact dense, sharp edges tightly interlocking, allowing
and smooth faces no visible pore space be- M 0.2
on breaking. tween the crystals, often to
Resinous producing "feather-edge" 0.1
appearance on breaking due Vitreous"''''
to fracturing of clusters of VF 0.05 5 e.g. 10 e.g. 15 15 20
crystals in thin flakes, prob-
ably along cleavage planes
IJ Dull, earthy or Crystals, less effectively in-
Chalky chalky appearing, terlocking than above, join-
hard to soft, crystal-ing at different angles. Ex-
line appearance ab-tremely fine texture may still
sent because the appear "chalky" under this
small crystals are power, but others may start
less tightly inter- appearing crystalline. Grain Chalky** VF 0.05 15 e.g. 10 e.g. 15 25 30
locked, thus re- size for this type is less
flecting light in than about 0.05 mm. Coarser
different directions, textures classed as Type III
or made up of ex-
tremely fine granules
or sea organisms.
May be siliceous or
argillaceous
III Sandy or sugary Crystals less effectively in- Finely 0.1 10 e.g. 10 e.g. 15 20 25
Sucrosic appearing terlocked, fracture generally Sucrose
(Sucrose) along individual crystal faces M 0.2
giving a rough or sandy ap-
pearance. Generally more
space between crystals. Ool- 0.4 e.g. 10 e.g. 15 15 20
ite, pisolite and other granu-
lar textures also fall in this Coarsely
class Sucrose
5 •
1-'
W~RO
"0 NAHANS FIELD
tNf
WINKLER COUNTIES, TEXAS 1.5
2.4
IFA
I FA
4
J
L, VERY FIN E
3.4
4,4
1 F AS
(1,1·111) F AS 4.6 I Y FA
2 1\' GRAINED fA. RTHY 5.4 (1·111) F AB 5.5 1·11 Y FA
I 0 6.6 1·111 f BC 6.4 (I-II, I) YF AB
0 7.6 1·111 F BC 7.4 (I-II, I) YF BC
9 • 8,4 (1-111,111.1) F BC 8.3 (1-11,1·111) YF BC
8 •
~
p\
'0
9.3
10.3
(I-III, III-I) F BC
1·111 FM BC
9.5
10.3
II-III YF AC
(I-II, II) YF BC
7 11.5 (1·111, 111·1) F BC 11.3 I-II, YF BC
6 12.4 (III-I, I-III) F BC 12.4 (I-II, 11·1, II-III) YF BC
0 13.5 (111-1,1.111) F BC
5 13.5 II-III YF BC
4 62 AIMS. 14.3 (111·1 F, I-III r, III M) BC 14.4 (1-111,11·111) YF B
J
15.3 (1·111, III-I, III) F BC 15.3 (I-III, 11·111) Y FC
2 • 61 AIMS.
~ 100 % WATER
16.7
17.4
(111·1 F, I-III F, III hi) BC
(III M, 111·1 F) BC
16.7
17.0
II-III YF BCD
II YF A
1 OCCUPIED POROSITY 20.3 III F BC 18.5 11·111 YF B
00 10 20 30 40 SO 60 70 80 90100 19.5 11·111 YF BC
ESTIMATED CONNATE WATER (%)
10 10 II
I
..
1 I 'A DOLO. A moved from the free water level, or
'" '" '0
that they are a depletion-type reser-
FIG. 8-GROSS THICKNESS HAS NO EFFECT
voir. Since Sealy Smith No. 61 pro-
ON CAPILLARY PRESSURE CORRELATIONS. FIG. 9-MERCURY CLOSURE EFFECT ON duced 11 per cent water on final
Dolomite separated by limestone, Devonian for· CAPILLARY PRESSURE CORRELATIONS. completion, the 12 per cent per-
motion, Shell·State GA·2, Caudill field, tea Clearfork formation, North Russell field, Gaines
County, N. M. County, Tex. meability-feet of Type II earthy rock
:1 ,
MERCURY CAPILLARY PRESS URE CORRELA TION LINE
0
ESTIMATED CONNA TE WATER VS. POROSITY
CLEAR F~ K FORMA TION
7r-~~
"'c !;t N=..!
19 oc
w~
:g- IOl~ o t J o ~J t--
i3/'" + WATER SATURATION _ t--
-
MONAH ANS FIELD
6r-i· 18
7 WARD'AND WINKL ER COUNTIES, TEXAS
... ! :fl~
I II--I 17 oct-
6 15 r-f~ 0..", ......
\ ~~ -
5
x VERY FINE GR AINED ENHHY \C.,\ \ 16 -t=- on
4 I ~~RCURY CAPI LLARY PRESSURE I~
It x \
J
ORRELATION UNE
3 \\ \ 15
,
1
\+
1 \ ~ ~ "- 14
0 \ \ '\
9 f'-c -I1 i\. ~ C\ 13
\
t:
8
7 • ~1 0 r\. N -12
,!!
\ \ \
~I I
;;;
\
-
6
5 ~9 r-INITIAL WATER CUT
o \
t-
enlO
+ \
4
x
61 ATMS.
A.8 C·, r- ~ \ o \ .\
x t-f"62 ATMS, ~9
~
J
1
x 100% WATER
t--.OCCUPIED
C·6
r-C.ll
0..
8 \ [,+, \
1
0
o 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 !'IO .0100,
POROSITY
6
35" i
7
\ .\ \ \
ESTIMATED CONNATE WATER (%)
SHELL· SEAL Y SMITH /10. 61: 5
\ 6 \ +
"\..
OIL BASE MUD CORE WATER: ESTIMATED CONNATE WATER '4. POROSITY + \
X FINE GRAINEI) CRYSTALLINE 8. SUCROSIC 'iAMPLE5 CALCAREOUS DES MOINES SAND 5
OVERY FINE GRAINED EARTHY SAMPLES
.INDUCTION LOG CONNATE wATEq
SHELL. BURNETT NO. C-6
4 r-... + ~
BURNETT RANCH DES MOINES SAND FIELD
ESTIMATED CONNATE WAT~ .......
FIG. 10--GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN OIL· KINGCDUNTY. TEXAS 3
s::