Capillary Pressure

CapillaryPressure
Objectives:
- List the uses of capillary pressure data.
- Define hysteresis.
- Sketch capillary pressure curves for typical drainage and imbibition processes.
- Explain the relation between capillary pressure data and reservoir fluid saturation
- Define oil-water and gas-oil transition zones.
- Convert capillary pressure lab data to reservoir conditions.
- Define the J-function.
- List the different methods for measuring capillary pressure in the lab
Uses of Capillary Pressure Data:

 Determine initial water saturation in the reservoir.
 Determine fluid distribution in the reservoir.
 Determine residual oil saturation for water flooding applications
 Determine pore size distribution index.
 May help in identifying zones or rock types.
 Input for reservoir simulation calculations
Capillary pressure measurements determine the initial water saturation. This is the saturation at which the
increase in capillary pressure does not affect the saturation.
Capillary pressure data can also determine the vertical fluid distribution in the reservoir by establishing the
relation between the capillary pressure and height above the free water level.
Imbibition capillary pressure measurements determine the residual oil saturation in water flooding application.
We can infer the pore size Distribution index, λ, from capillary pressure data. This index can be used to
calculate relative permeability using industry correlations.
Capillary pressure curves are similar for the same rock type. The shape also gives indication about the rock
permeability.
Capillary pressure curves are used to initialize simulation runs and in flow calculations between and blocks.
Capillary Pressure Concept:
Water exists at all levels below 2, and both water and oil exist at all levels above 2
Oil and water pressure gradients are different because their density is different
At level 2, pressure in both the water and oil phases is the same.
At any level above 2, such as level 3, water and oil pressures are different
This difference in pressure is called the capillary pressure.
Capillary Pressure 1
Introduction and Theory
Capillary pressure data are required for three main purposes:
• The prediction of reservoir initial fluid saturations.
• Cap-rock seal capacity (displacement pressures).
• As ancillary data for assessment of relative permeability data.
Capillary pressures are generated where interfaces between
two immiscible fluids exist in the
Pores (capillaries) of the reservoir rock. It is usual to consider
one phase as a wetting phase
And the other as a non-wetting phase. However, intermediate
cases occur which can greatly
Complicate the picture. The drainage case, i.e. a non-wetting
phase displacing a wetting phase
Applies to hydrocarbon migrating into a previously brine
saturated rock. Imbibition data is the
Opposite to drainage, i.e. the displacement of a non-wetting
phase by a wetting phase. Thus,
The drainage data can usually be used to predict non-wetting
fluid saturation at various points
In a reservoir, and the imbibition data can be useful in
assessing the relative contributions of
Capillary and viscous forces in dynamic systems.
The basic relationship (Figure 8.1)
Where;
Cp = capillary pressure (psi)
G = interfacial tension (dynes/cm)
Q = contact angle (degrees)
A = pore radius (microns)
A = 145 x 10-3 (constant to convert to psi)
Applying this to a water wet rock having a broad spectrum of pore entrance radii, oil
Migrating into water filled pores under a given pressure differential will only enter pores
larger than those indicated by ‘a’ in Equation (8.1). Thus for oil introduced at 2 psi into a
system having g = 40 dynes/cm and q = 0 (water wet), oil will only enter pores larger than
Giving a = 5.8 μm.
If capillary pressure data are available for a given system, it should be possible to convert to
Another system of known q and g.

Theory
Capillary Pressure Definition:
 The pressure difference existing across the interface
separating two immiscible fluids.
 It is usually calculated as
Pc = Pnwt - Pwf
One fluid wets the surfaces of the formation rock (wetting

phase) in preference to the other (non-wetting phase). Gas is
always the non-wetting phase in both oil-gas and water-gas
systems.
Oil is often the non-wetting phase in water-oil systems.
Example:
Define capillary pressure in the following systems:
 Water-gas system.
 Water-wet water-oil system.
 Oil-gas system.
Solution:
Water-gas system:
Pc =ρg-ρw
Water-wet water-oil system:
Pc =ρo-ρw
oil-gas system:
Pc =ρg-ρo
6

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CapillaryPressure

Uses of Capillary Pressure Data:

Capillary Pressure Concept:

Cp = capillary pressure (psi)

G = interfacial tension (dynes/cm)

Q = contact angle (degrees)

A = pore radius (microns)

A = 145 x 10-3 (constant to convert to psi)

Giving a = 5.8 μm.

Another system of known q and g.

One fluid wets the surfaces of the formation rock (wetting

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