Introduction to

Effective Permeability
and
Relative Permeability

r
i
k

Review: Absolute Permeability

o

d
e

h
S

Absolute permeability: is the permeability of a

porous medium saturated with a single fluid
(e.g. Sw=1)

a
s

m
a

h
o

Absolute permeability can be calculated from

the steady-state flow equation (1D Linear,
Horizontal Flow; Single Phase; Darcy Units):

s
i
E

.
r
k
A

p
D
.f q
L
ro

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Multiphase Flow in Reservoirsk
o
h
Commonly, reservoirs contain 2 or 3S
fluids
d
e
Water-oil systems
m
a
Oil-gas systems
h
o
Water-gas systems M
a
s
Three phase systems
(water, oil, and gas)
s
i
E
To evaluate multiphase
systems, must
.r
considerDthe effective and relative
.
f
permeability
o
r
P

Effective Permeability

r
i
k

o
h

Effective permeability: is a measure of

the conductance of a porous medium
for one fluid phase when the medium is
saturated with more than one fluid.

m
a

h
o

d
e

The porous medium can have a distinct and

measurable conductance to each phase present in
the medium

.
r
D
.

s
i
E

a
s

Effective permeabilities:

f
ro

(ko, kg, kw)

Effective Permeability
ko A o
qo
o L

Oil

r
i
k

o
h

Steady state, 1D, linear flow

equation (Darcy units):

d
e

m
a

qn = volumetric flow rate for a

specific phase, n

k w A w h A = flow area
o
Water qw
w LM = flow potential drop for
Gas

f
ro

s
i
Ek A

q gr.

D
.

a
s

g L

phase, n (including pressure,

gravity and capillary pressure
terms)

n = fluid viscosity for phase n

L = flow length

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Relative Permeability is the ratio of the effectivek
o
permeability of a fluid at a given saturation
to some
h
S
base permeability
d
e as:
Base permeability is typically defined
m
a
h
o
M
a
s
s
i
E
.
r
D
.
f
o
r
P
Relative Permeability

absolute permeability, k
air permeability, kair

effective permeability to non-wetting phase at irreducible wetting

phase saturation [e.g. ko(Sw=Swi)]
because definition of base permeability varies, the definition
used must always be:
confirmed before applying relative permeability data

noted along with tables and figures presenting relative

permeability data

Relative Permeability
Oil

kro( 0.5, 0.3)

ko ( 0.5,0.3)
k

m
a

d
e

h
k w( 0o.5,0.3)
Water k rw( 0.5, 0.3) M
k
a
s
s
i
E
k g ( 0.5,0.3)
.
krgr( 0.5,0.3)
Gas D
k
.f
o
r
P

r
i
k

o
h

So =0.5
Sw =0.3
Sg = 0.2

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i
Relative Permeability Functions
k
o
h
S
d
e
m
a
h
o
M
a
s
s
i
E
.
r
D
.
f
o
r
P

Relative Permeability (fraction)

Imbibition Relative Permeability

1.00

Wettability and direction of

saturation change must be
considered
drainage, or
imbibition

kro @ Swi

0.80

Two-Phase Flow
Region

0.60

Base used to normalize this

relative permeability curve is
ko @ Swi

Oil

0.40

0.20

krw @ Sor

Water

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

Water Saturation (fraction)

1.00

As Sw increases, kro decreases

and krw increases until
reaching residual oil
saturation

1.0

0.8

0.6

a
s

Oil
0.4

0.2

.
r
D
.
Water

20

f
ro

40

s
i
E

60

80

100

Relative Permeability, Fraction

Relative Permeability, Fraction

Effect of Wettability
for Increasing Sw

d
e

1.0

o
h

m
a

0.8

h
o

r
i
k

0.6

Oil

0.4

Water

0.2

20

40

60

80

Water Saturation (% PV)

Water Saturation (% PV)

Strongly Water-Wet Rock

Strongly Oil-Wet Rock

100

Water flows more freely

Higher residual oil saturation (typical)

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Factors Affecting Relative Permeabilities

o
Fluid saturations

d
e

h
S

h
o

m
a

Geometry of the pore spaces and pore

size distribution

Wettability

.
r
D
.

s
i
E

a
s

Fluid saturation history (i.e., imbibition

or drainage)

f
ro

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Characteristics of Relativek
o
h
Permeability Functions
S
d
e for
Relative permeability is unique
m
a
different rocks and fluids
h
o
Relative permeability
M affects the flow
characteristicssa
of reservoir fluids.
s
i
Relative permeability
affects the
E
.
r
recovery
efficiency
of
oil
and/or
gas.
D
.
f
o
r
P

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i
k

Applications of
o
h
Relative Permeability Functions

m
a

d
e

Reservoir simulation

h
Flow calculationsothat involve
M
multi-phase flow
in reservoirs
a
s
s
i
Estimation
of residual oil (and/or
E
.
r
gas) saturation
D
.
f
o
r
P