PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS

\fh
~t'bAf t~~l'

Water Flooding - Down - Structure Displacement

In the Presence of a Gas Cap
J. F. WILSON UNION OIL CO. OF CALIFORNIA
MEMBER AIME BREA, CALIF.

ABSTRACT eneous porous medium. The transltlOn zone between the

Steady-state flow theory, previously applied to displace-
ments with two mobile phases, is extended to cover down-
structure flow involving three mobile phases: oil, gas and
water. When used with normal reservoir fluid properties,
the theory predicts the existence of four distinct flow
regimes and the conditions under which each regime
exists. The predicted behavior is verified by a parallel-plate
model study.
fluids is assumed to be of negligible extent so that the
displaced and displacing fluids are separated by a sharply
defined interface, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The density and
mobility of the displacing fluid are constant over the
region behind the interface, and the same properties of
the displaced fluid are constant over the region ahead of
the interface.
In such a system, if

INTRODUCTION u(~: ~:):s;g(p2-PI)Sina, (1)

Special problems exist when a water flood is contem- a stable (nonfingering) flow will result in which the tilt of
plated in a dipping reservoir having a substantial gas cap. the interface will approach a steady-state value at which
Normally, the gas-cap region is one of very low oil satura-
tion. If oil is moved into the gas cap during the flood, a dy
u( k,
fL' _
k,
fLI)
loss in recovery results. Efficient recovery of the oil under- tan y =
- dx = g (p, - PI) COS a
+ tan a (2)
lying the gas is therefore difficult. where subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the displaced and
In two reported field water floods, injection into the gas displacing phases, respectively.
cap has been used to solve these problems. At the West
Norfolk Garr Sand Unit, injection into the up-structure To extend the Dietz equations to three-phase systems,
region of the reservoir was made for the stated purpose of we postulate the flowing system shown in Fig. 2 and
filling up the gas cap with water. I The purpose in the determine the conditions under which it can exist. The
Sholem Alechem Fault Block "A" Sims Sand Unit was
to form a continuous water barrier between the gas cap
and oil band. 2 A laboratory model study preceded this
flood and was described in the same publication.
Both of these gas-cap water injections gave satisfactory
results, but the published data are insufficient to allow
generalizing to other field conditions. The present investi-
gation was also undertaken to obtain results for a specific
field problem. However, these results will be shown to be
in agreement with an extension of the Dietz'·5 mathemat-
ical model to three-phase flowing systems. The agreement
between the theory and the model studies indicates that
the mathematical model can be used to describe com- FIG. l-DIETZ FLOW MODEL, TWO-PHASE FLOW.
pletely the flowing system under some conditions, and to
indicate the general type of flow to be expected under all
conditions.

FLOW THEORY
The Dietz equations for two-phase flow are derived'"
for the case of constant-velocity linear flow in a homog-
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers
office Aug. 6, 1962. Revised manuscript received Nov. 2. 1962. Paper
presented at 37th Annual Fall Meeting of SPE, Oct. 7-10, 1962, in
Los Angeles.
1 References given at end of paper.

Discussion of this and aU following technical papers is invited. Dis-

cussion in writir~g (three copies) may be sent to the office of the
Journal of Petroleum Technology. Any discussion offered after Dec. 31,
1962, should be in the form of a new paper. No discussion should ex-
ceed 10 per cent of the manuscript being discussed. FIG. 2-FLOW MODEL, THREE-PHASE FLOW.

DECEMBER, 1962 SPE 424 1383

 configuration is assumed to be stable. That is, all flow
_ vectors are parallel to the top and bottom edges of the
section and are equal in magnitude. Along each interface
the pressure in one phase differs from that in the other
by the capillary pressure, a constant for each two-phase
system. Therefore, the pressure gradients taken along an
interface are equal in each of the two fluids. As in a
two-phase system,'-5 the pressure gradients are obtained
from Darcy's law and then equated, giving an equation
identical with Eq. 2 for each interface.
When tan y becomes zero, the interface is parallel to
the top or bottom of the section and the displacement is
At rates below the critical for the displacement of oil
by water, both the water-oil and water-gas interface angles
calculate to be less than zero, and water will finger along
the bottom of the section. The gas will not move down-
structure, and oil displacement efficiency will be poor. At
rates between the critical values for the displacement of
oil by water and of gas by water, the water-oil interface
angle is greater than zero; the water-gas interface angle
is less than zero. The water-oil displacement will take place
in a stable manner, but the gas cap will again not move
down. At rates above the critical for the displacement of
oil by gas, the interface angle is calculated as greater than
0

unstable. Setting tan y = 0 in Eq. 2, we can solve for a 180 The displacement is unstable, therefore, and the gas
•

"critical" velocity u,. fingers along the top of the structure, moving at a faster
rate than the stable water-oil interface.
g (pz - Pi) sin a
Uc = (3)
fti ftz
MODEL STUDY
k,- k,
The extension of the Dietz flow theory just presented
This equation is not too helpful, however, because it does
was developed to explain the behavior observed in a
not indicate whether the range of stable velocities for a
laboratory model study. The essential properties of the
given interface lies above or below the "critical" value.
prototype reservoir and reservoir fluids are listed in Tables
Consideration of the behavior of various systems as the
1 and 2.
velocity approaches U c leads to the more informative
Eq. 1. Eq. 1 may be applied in turn to each of the three SCALING
displacements (water displacing oil, water displacing gas The scaling laws for reservoir model studies have been
and gas displacing oil) which make up the system illus- discussed by several authors. A recent and complete treat-
trated by Fig. 2. ment was given by Geertsma, Croes and Schwarz:
The displacement of oil by water is stable if The laboratory study was designed to determine the
u (~: - ~:) ~ g (pw - po) sin a (1a)
gross behavior of the fluid-fluid boundaries in a reasonably-
homogeneous sandstone oil reservoir. Scaling groups in-
The direction of flow is down-structure, so sin a is negative volving the pore size distribution and capillary pressure
and the right-hand member of Eq. la is negative. There- can be expected to affect the microscopic fluid distribution
fore, the left-hand member must also be negative. Because but not the gross flow behavior, other than indirectly
the velocity is always taken positive, the mobility ratio through the relative-permeability curves and mobility ra-
tios. If the Dietz assumptions are assumed to fit the reser-
must be favorable (~: >~:); otherwise, the displacement
voir, the dimensionless groups that must be the same in
the model and prototype are: (1) the ratio of length to
could not be stable. Stability exists at high flow rates, and thickness; (2) the angle of formation dip, a; (3) the fluid
the critical velocity defined by Eq. 3 is the minimum rate mobility ratios, AwlA, and Awl Au; and (4) the ratios of
gravity to viscous forces,
at which a stable displacement can be conducted.
The same general conclusions are reached from a study
of Eq. 1 written for the displacement of gas by water. TABLE 1-PROTOTYPE AND MODEL PROPERTIES
Property Prototype Model
u (~: - ~:) ~ g (pw - pg) sin a . (Ib) Description Typiccl reservoir
section
Flow channel between
two verti co lIy·
oriented parallel
For normal reservoir fluid properties, the critical velocity glass plates
Length (ft) 1990 14
will be somewhat higher than for the water-oil system. Thickness (ft) 29 0.204
The situation is different for the displacement of oil by Dip 10 10
Permeability (darci~s)
gas. Eq. 1 becomes
Single Fluid 0.300 2.102 X 10'

(~: ~:)
Oil in Oil Zone 0.181 2.102 X 10'
u - ::::; g (pg - Po) sin a . (Ic) Woter Behind Flood Front 0.0251 2.102 X 10'
Gas in Gas Cap 0.181 2.102 X 10'
Porosity (fraction) 0.226 1.000
Both sin a and the density difference are negative, so the
right-hand member is positive. The mobility ratio is

unfavorable so that kfto It" TABLE 2-FLUID PROPERTIES

> k' and the left-hand member Laboratory Set
o 9
Property Reservoir No.1 No.2 No.3 No. 4
is also positive. Stability, therefore, exists only at low flow Density (gm/cc)
rates. The critical velocity is a maximum. /gas .0591 0.0012 0.0008 0.0012 0.0008
oil .7525 0.8841 0.8841 0.8878 0.8878
The criteria for the existence of the stable system shown water .9889 11.1817 1.1817 1.1820 1.1820
in Fig. 2, therefore, are: (1) oil mobility greater than Viscosity (cp)
gas .0134 0.0185 0.035 0.0185 0.035
water mobility, and (2) a flow rate greater than the oil .84 4.73 4.73 ,1.154 1.154
critical velocities for both the water-oil and water-gas 'Water .50 18.59 18.59 5.05 5.05
displacements, but less than the critical velocity for the Mobil ity Ratio
Aw/A, .233 0.255 0.255 0.228 0.228
gas-oil displacement. When these conditions are met, Eq. 2 AW/Ag .0037 0.0010 0.0019 0.0037 0.0069
may be applied to each displacement to calculate the three Density Diff.
Ratio
interface tilt angles in the system. (pw-po)/(Pw-Pg) .254 0.254 0.253 0.249 0.249

13lH JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY


U {Lw U {Lw
or
(pw - po) g kw d p,." - po
an . FT,UlDS
u tJ.w prO - po
A Buckley-Leverett calculation using the measured rela-
tive-permeability curve for the reservoir indicated, as
would be expected from the favorable mobility ratio, that
the displacement of oil by water proceeds with little move-
ment of oil behind the flood front. Thus the Dietz model,
which postulates no oil flow behind the front, should be a
good approximation. The same can be assumed for the
displacement of gas by water. Although the displacement
of oil by gas would not be expected to fit the Dietz
assumptions very closely, Hawthorne's studies in a porous-
media model' showed that the theory adequately describes
such systems.
THE 'IODEL
A Hele-Shaw (or spaced-plate) type of model was
chosen for the study. In this model, flow takes place
between two closely spaced plates. To simulate a vertical
section, the plane through the two major dimensions of
the "crack" is oriented vertically.
Poiseuille's law for fluid flow between two parallel
plates may be written
h'
u= --\7<1>. (4)
12{L
Darcy's law for flow in a porous medium is
- k
u= --\7<1> (S)
{L
Comparison of Eqs. 4 and S shows that they are com-
pletely analogous, and that the parallel plate model has a
permeability of (h'/12) sq cm, or (1.013 X 10W/12)
darcies.
The analogy has been appreciated for a long time and
has been utilized extensively by hydrologists.' It has been
used for petroleum reservoir modeling only recently in
studies of water coning: gravity drainage,' viscous finger-
ing1O,11 and displacements in vertical sections.",13
The flow channel of the model, 2AS-in. high X 14-ft
long, was formed by two pieces of 1,4 -in. plate glass sep-
arated at the top and bottom edges by 0.020-in. cellulose
acetate strips. "C" -clamps were spaced 3-in. apart along
the top and bottom edges to hold the assembly together.
Strips of cold-finish steel bar of rectangular cross-section
(% X 1,4 in.) were placed between the clamps and the
glass to distribute the load. The clamps were adjusted to
give a spacing of 0.019 to 0.020 in., as measured in the
Ys -in. section left between the outer edges of the spacer
strips and the outer edges of the glass. This outer groove
was then filled with epoxy resin. Connections for flow into
and out of the model were made through Plexiglass end
fittings cemented to the model with epoxy resin. The com-
pleted model was set at a dip angle of 1 o.
From single-fluid flow tests made at both the minimum
and maximum pressure drops used in the waterflood
studies, the plate spacing was calculated by Eq. 4 as
0.0499 cm (0.0196 in.). Model properties are compared
with those of the prototype reservoir section in Table 1.
Flow control was achieved by using a controller* to hold
a constant pressure drop across various sections of porous
media selected to give the desired flow rate. A 28-cp
':'Moore Products Model 63 BU,
DECEMBER. 1962
refined oil was used in the flow control system. The oil
displaced the injection fluid into the model from a Plexi-
glass vessel. The flow control set-up is shown schemat-
ically in Fig. 3.
Four different sets of fluids were used in the laboratory.
Their properties, together with the reservoir fluid proper-
ties, are listed in Table 2. The two "waters" were made
from water, glycerine, potassium iodide and Schilling's
blue food coloring. The three oils consisted of blends of
kerosene, light mineral oil, Kel F No. 1 oil and Schilling's
red food coloring. The two gases were air and neon.
The sets were designed to give different gas mobilities
relative to the other fluids. Water-gas mobility ratios of
0.0010, 0.0019, 0.0037 and 0.0069 were used to find if a
reasonable degree of uncertainty in the gas mobility would
have a marked effect on results.
Exploratory runs showed that cleaning the model to a
completely uniform surface wettability was difficult. As a
result, irregularly shaped and nonreproducible interface
configurations were obtained, caused by differences in the
capillary pressure across the interface at various points in
the model. To minimize this problem, a cleaning proce-
dure was adopted designed to leave a low surfactant* '"
concentration on the glass, and 500 ppm of the same
surfactant was used in both the oil and water phases. This
reduced the oil-water interfacial tension to about 1 dyne/
cm and eliminated the irregular-interface problem.
RUN PROCEDURE
The procedure for a run was as follows. The previously
cleaned and dried model was filled with oil. A portion of
the oil was replaced by gas to form a gas cap. The flow
control system was started and fluid allowed to flow
briefly into the burette shown in Fig. 3. Then both the
burette and pump were opened to the bottom of the model
inlet fitting, causing the contents to be rapidly purged out
the top fitting. The run was started with the simultaneous
closing of the line to the burette and the top inlet fitting,
and the opening of the line from the model outlet fitting to
the production graduate.
The run was recorded on 16-mm motion picture film
by a camera controlled by a device that allowed variation
in the picture-taking rate. From 40 to 100 ft of film was
taken for each run. Production-vs-time data were taken
to check the rate, and a clock was kept in camera focus
at all times to relate the observed behavior to time. Num-
bered markers I-ft apart along the length of model also
aided following the progress of the displacement.
""'Triton X-IOO
ACCUMULATOR
CONTROLLED
FLOW
WATER
BURETTE
FILTER
=v HORIZ
MODEL
FIG. 3-FLOW DIAGRAM.
1385
 Individual frames from the movie of each run were pro- In the prototype reservoir, Type 1 flow takes place at
-jected and traced. Interface tilt angles were measured and u < 0.00074 ft/D.
compared with the values calculated by Eq. 2. Run condi-
tions are listed in Table 3, and the measured tilt angles TYPE 2 DISPLACEMENTS
at various stages of the displacements are compared with One run was made at a flow rate greater than the critical
the calculated equilibrium values in Table 4. Three of the for the displacement of oil by water, but less than the
four predicted flow regimes were studied experimentally. critical for the displacement of gas by water. The behavior
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are copies of the tracings included to is illustrated in Fig. 4, taken from the picture record of
illustrate the flow behavior. Run 5. As predicted, the initially-horizontal gas-oil inter-
face tilts down-structure, but the gas cap is not displaced.
On the other hand, the oil is moved from under the gas
DISCUSSION
with 100 per cent vertical sweep efficiency.
For convenience in the subsequent discussion, the four Data given in Table 4 show that the water-oil interface
flow regimes defined by the critical velocities for the three tilt angle during the early stages of the run is slightly
displacements will be referred to as Types 1, 2, 3 and 4, greater than predicted by Eq. 2. There are two reasons for
in order of increasing rate. this. First, the initial interface angle is much greater than
TYPE 1 DISPLACEMENTS the calculated equilibrium value, and a transient period
Rates below the critical for the displacement of oil by must be expected before the difference between the actual
water were not studied for the three-phase system. The and calculated angles becomes negligible. Second, while
general description of Type 1 flow given in the "Flow the interface is under the gas cap, the area available to
Theory" section has been deduced from the nature of flow is less than the cross-sectional area of the model. The
Type 2 flow and from the behavior of slow down-structure actual velocity, therefore, is greater than the superficial
displacements with the gas cap absent. velocity listed in the table.
In the prototype reservoir, Type 2 flow occurs at
0.00074 < u < 0.00224 ft/D.
,TABLE 3-RUN CONDITIONS

·Superficial Velocity TYPE 3 DISPLACEMENTS

Size of
.Fluid Set Model Prototype Gos Cap Type Five runs were made under conditions at which all three
Run No. Used* (em/sec) ~ IPV) of Flow
1 ,1 0'.0'583 0'.0'0'62 ---0:039 3
displacements are stable. Scaled prototype rate, density
2 2 0'.0'577 0'.0'0'62 0'.0'39 3 differences and the water-oil mobility ratio were held sub-
3 2 0'.312 0'.0'334 0'.0'39 4
4 2 0'.90'0' 0'.0'965 0'.0'39 4 stantially constant. The mobility of the gas relative to the
5
6
2
3
0'.0'139
1.0'44
0'.0'0'15
0'.0'287
0'.0'39
0'.0'39
2
4
other two fluids and the size of the gas cap were varied.
7 3 0'.348 0'.0'0'95 0'.0'39 4 Run data are shown in Tables 3 and 4, and typical flow
8 3 0'.20'9 0'.0'0'58 0'.0'39 3
9 3 1.0'44 0'.0'287 0'.142 4
behavior is shown in Fig. 5 (Run 8).
10' 3 0'.348 0'.0'0'95 0'.142 4
11 3 0'.20'9 0'.0'0'58 0'.142 3 The data show that changing the water-gas mobility
12 4 0'.348 0'.0'0'95 0'.142 4
13 4 0'.20'9 0'.0'0'58 0'.142 3
ratio from 0.0010 to 0.0069 has virtually no effect on either
*See Table 2 the calculated or measured behavior.

TABLE 4-RUN DATA

Run No. PV· OYwo OYwg 'Yuo Run No. PV' OYwo -Ywg ~
0'.0'0'9 7.3 1.0' 7 0'.182 G. B. 1.
0'.210' 6.6 1.1 0'.226 13.8
0'.273 6.7 ~ .2 0'.512 13.6
0'.571 6.3 .1.7 0'.846 13.3
0'.850' 6.0' 1.5 'Eq.2 12.0'
Eq.2 6.6 1.6 '179.8
8 0'.261 7.2 1.4 179.6
:2 0'.0'44 8.8 0'.6 179.6 0'.50'0' 7.0' ,1.5 179.8
0'.110' 7.0' 1.0' 179.7 0.80'7 6.8 1.7 179.7
0'.284 6.6 1.6 179.8 Eq.2 6.9 1.5 179.8
0'.434 6.3 1.6 ~79.7
0'.573 6.3 1.6 179.8 9 -0'.0'4 G. B. 1.
0'.893 6.2 1.3 179.7 0'.375 34.2
Eq.2 6.5 1.6 179.8 0'.541 33.7
0'.791 33.8
3 0'.0'66 32.0' Eq.2 34.1
0'.10'5 ,G. B. 1.***
0'.142 31.7 10' -0'.0'7 G. B. 1.
0'.325 33.3 0'.141 14.1
0'.575 32.0' 0'.381 13.7
0'.857 29.8 Eq.2 12.0'
0'.925 29.8
Eq.2 34.9 11 0'.238 8.1 1.8 179.8
0'.50'6 7.6 1.4 180'.0'
4 0'.130' G. B. T. 0'.858 7.4 2.9 180'.3
0'.2 -63t Eq.2 6.9 1.5 179.8
0'.8 .--63t
Eq.2 63.8 12 0'.0'79 G. B. T.
0'.169 12.9
5 0'.113 2.8 1.0' 179.0' 0'.255 12.8
0'.418 1.4 0'.6 179.0' Eq.2 12.0'
0'.632 1.2
Eq.2 0'.9 13 0'.165 7.9 2.2 179.5
0'.30'5 7.1 1.2 179.5
6 0'.115 G. B. T. 0'.50'0 6.7 1.2 179.6
0'.143 35.6 0'.785 6.5 1.5 179.7
0'.486 33.2 Eq.2 6.9 1.5 179.8
0'.786 31.7
Eq.2 34.1
"'Pore volumes of wafer iniected.
**Insufficient color contrast to measure.
*"'*Gas breakthrough.
ItAppreciable curvature to infarface.

1336 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 Runs 1, 2 and 8 were made with a gas-cap size of
0.039 PV. Runs 11 and 13 were made with a 0.142-PV
cap. In the latter case, gas breakthrough occurred at about
0.32-PV injected. Run behavior after breakthrough is in-
fluenced by the relative amounts of gas and oil produced.
The disagreement between the calculated and measured
angles in the latter stages of Run 11 is believed to have
resulted from an inadvertent restriction in gas flow from
the model. With the smaller gas cap, breakthrough oc-
curred at about 0.75-PV injected, so the greater portion of
these runs was not affected by two-phase producing diffi-
culties.
In general, the steady-state tilt angles are approached
fairly rapidly and, with the exception of Run 11, the
agreement with theory is good.
Type 3 flow takes place in the prototype reservoir at
0.00224 < u < 0.00725 ft/D.
TYPE 4 DISPLACEMENTS
The remaining seven runs were made at rates above the
critical for the displacement of oil by gas. As in the Type 3
displacements, four different gas mobilities relative to the
other fluids and two different gas-cap sizes were studied.
Typical behavior is shown in Fig. 6, taken from the record
of Run 7. Decreasing the gas mobility has a slight but
consistently observable effect in slowing the movement of
the gas relative to the water-oil front. Increasing the size
of the gas cap also slows the gas movement. Increasing
the rate increases the rate of gas movement relative to the
water-oil front.
Quantitative evaluation of these effects would be of
doubtful value. In the parallel-plate model, the gas remains
in a single bubble and has a constant mobility. In the
reservoir, the rapidly moving gas zone will probably spread
over a larger area because of viscous fingering. The region
of high gas saturation will be one of reduced mobility,
therefore, and the effects seen in the model will be damped
in the reservoir.
Type 4 flow takes place in the prototype reservoir at
u > 0.00725 ft/D.
CONCLUSIONS
The experimental study was limited to cover only the
conditions expected in the reservoir being modeled. Never-
theless, the excellent agreement obtained with extended
Dietz theory gives confidence that the theory can be
applied to all systems where the assumption that only one
fluid is flowing in a given region of the porous medium
at a given time is reasonable.
If water is injected into the up-structure region of a
dipping reservoir containing a gas cap and the water-oil
mobility ratio is less than 1.0, four distinct types of flow
can occur.
Type I-Water fingers along the bottom of the forma-
tion, the gas cap does not flow and oil re,covery is poor.
This type of flow occurs at rates from zero to the critical
velocity for the displacement of oil by water.
Type 2-The gas cap does not flow, and oil is displaced
from under the gas in a stable manner. This type of flow
occurs at rates lying between the critical velocities for the
displacement of oil by water and of gas by water.
Type 3-Both gas and oil are displaced in a stable
manner. This type of flow occurs at rates between the
critical velocities for the displacement of gas. by water and
of oil by gas.
Type 4-Gas fingers along the top of the formation,
moving faster than the stable displacement of oil by water.
This type of flow occurs at rates greater than the critical
for the displacement of oil by gas.

-
A: 0 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED
I I t The recognition and definition of these flow regimes can
be used in the planning, control and interpretation of field
water floods.
13 12 II

B: 0.21 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED

NOMENCLATURE
g = gravitational constant
h = plate spacing in Hele-Shaw model
C: 0.57 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED
k = permeability
u = superficial velocity (flow rate per unit area)
He = critical velocity defined by Eq. 3
FLOW- x = Cartesian co-ordinate in direction of flow
GAsD OIL~ WATER~
A: 0 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED
FIG. 4-TYPE 2 FLOW-RuN 5. I I I

A: 0 PORE
I
VOLUMES INJECTED
t I -~- 13 12 II

WAttttttpt'_ B: 0.04 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED

I I I

B: 0.29 PORE
13 12
VOLUMES INJECTED
II
iI-~3f1Jt~.
13 12 II 10
c:

I 1_
0.06 PORE VOLUME INJECTED

C: 0.73 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED

I D: 0.23 PORE VOLUMES INJECTED

t~ 4 3 2
II 9 8
FLOW-
FLOW-
GAS 0 OIL~ WATER IiiiI GAS C:=J OIL ~ WATER e/c'j
FIG. 5-TYPE 3 FLOW-RuN 8. FIG. 6-TypE 4 FLOW-RuN 7.

DECEMBER, 1962 1381

 y = Cartesian co-ordinate normal to flow :~. Dietz, D. N.: "A Theoretical Approach to the Problem of
Encroaching and Bypassing Edge Water", Konikl. Ned. Akad.
a = angle of formation dip Wetenschap (1953) Proc. B56, 38.
y = angle between interface and edge of formation 4. Hawthorne, R. G.: "Two-Phase Flow in Two·Dimensional
(see Fig. 2) Systems-Effects of Rate, Viscosity and Density on Fluid
Displacement in Porous Media", Trans., AIME (1960) 219,
;\ = fluid mobility (kip,) 81.
jJ.. = viscosity 5. Pirson, S. .T.: Oil Reservoir Engineering, Second Ed., Mc-
p = density Graw-Hill Book Co., Inc., N. Y. (1958) 429-432.
<I> = potential 6. Geertsma, .T., Croes, G. A. and Schwarz, N.: "Theory of
Dimensionally Scaled Models of Petroleum Reservoirs",
SUBSCRIPTS Trans., AI ME (1956) 207, lI8.
1 = displaced fluid 7. Todd, D. K.: Ground Water Hydrology, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., N. Y. (1959) 314-316.
2 = displacing fluid 8. Meyer, H. 1. and Searcy, D. F.: "Analog Study of Water
g = gas Coning", Jour Pet. Tech. (April, 1956) 8, No.4, 61.
0 = oil 9. Hollingsworth, B. J. and Meyer, H. 1.: "Two-Dimensional
Gravity Drainage Profiles", Trans., Am. Geophys. Un. (1958)
w = water 39,689.
10. Saffman and Taylor: "The Penetration of a Fluid into a
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Porous Medium or Hele-Shaw Cell Containing a More Vis-
cous Liquid", Proc., Royal Soc. (1958) A245, 312.
The author is indebted to the Union Oil Co. of Canada II. Chuoke, R. L., van Meurs, P. and van der Poel, c.: "The
and to Hudson's Bay Oil & Gas Co. for permission to Instability of Slow, Immiscible Viscous Liquid-Liquid Dis-
publish the results of this work. placement in Permeable Media", Trans., AIME (1959) 216,
188.
REFERENCES 12. Pirson, S . .T. and Salvi, G. V.: "Some Reservoir Applications
of the Hele-Shaw Fluid Model", Paper 801-G presented at
1. Nelson, H. A.: "Flooding of Gas Cap in the Norfolk Garr AI ME Regional Meeting, The U. of Texas, Austin, (Feb. 14-
'Sand Unit", Jour. Poet. Tech. (Oct., 19'58) 10, No. 10,14. 15, 1957).
2. Griffith, J. D., Riley, H. G., Craig, F. F., Jr. and Wagner, 13. Buzad, P.: "Study of the Lay-Down of an Initially Vertical
R. J.: "A Study of Gas.Cap Water Injection in a Peripheral Interface in a Waterflood, by Means of a Hele-Shaw Model",
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