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ReservoirConformance- An Overview
D.Brant Bennion
F. Brent Thomas
Ronald F. Bietz
Hycal Energy ResearchLaboratoriesLtd.
Abstract
Hysteretic effects refer to the difference between relative
penneability and residual saturation values as a given fluid
phase saturation is increased or decreased. The difference
between initial, trapped, mobile and irreducible saturations are
clarified. Hysteretic effects can impact a number of reservoir
production scenari~ in both favourable and unfavourable
fashions. Hysteretic effects can operate positively in such
processes as anti-water coning technology (A W AT), mobility
cootrol in cyclic projects. such as a water alternating gas
treatment or cyclic thennal stimulation operation, or in
heterogeneouscarlxmates in a process known as the successive
displacement process (SOP). Adverse effects include phase
trapping and critical vs trapped saturation hysteresis effects.
Discussion on the favourable use of hysteretic effects for
conformance control processes, such as gas or water shut-off,
are also presented.
Introduction
The conceptof relative permeabilitywas introducedto modify
DalCiesLaw, describingsingle phaseflow in a porousmedia,
for the extremely complex multiphaseflow effects occurring
when more than a single immiscible phase is presentin a
porousmedia. Relative permeabilityvalues strongly control
the flow mechanics, pressure and production responseof
virtually every producingoil or gasproperty and, therefore,a
properundelStandingof how they are infl~nced is important
in the process of reservoir optimization.
Relative
penneabilitiesare expressedas functions of water (for wateroil systems)or total liquid saturation(for gas-liquidsystems),
and have beenwell documentedin the literature' to be strong
detenniningfuese values
I., which are crucial to proper
evaluationof relative penneability. It shouldbe notedthat the
initial saturation conditions do not, in many situations,
rooo2-96
8(b)
Immiscible
Negative Effects
Phase Trapping. Phase trapping has been well documented in
the literature as a me(;.hanism of substantially reduced
productivity in many reservoir applicatioos.I..9. Phasetrapping
is caused by a combination of both adverse saturation
hysteresis effects and associated adverse relative penneability
effects ~ illtmtrated in Figure 9. Common situations where
phase trapping may occur are the use of water-based drilling,
completion. stimulation or kill fluids in overbalanced
conditions in low initial water saturation condition
gas
reservoirs or strongly oil wet oil reservoirs (both of which
exhibit extremely low initial water satUlations). Hydrocarbon
phase traps may be established through the use of oil-based
drilling, completion or stimulation fluicb in gas reservoir
POOO2-96
Conclusions
A discmsionon cyclic hysteresiseffects in dle exploitationof
oil and gas producingpropertieshas indicatedthat:
Significantsaturationand relative penneability hysteresis
occurs in many reservoir systems. The degree of
hysteresisis usually more pronoWlcedin the non-wetting
phase,but may be significant in both p~.
Researcl1
studiessuggestthat the degreeof hysteresisis relatedto
the magnitude of contact angle hysteresiswhich is, in
turn. a function of the amoWltof surfaceroughnessin a
givenreservoirsystem.Therefore,tight, low permeability
rocks with high surface roughnessmay exhibit more
hysteresisthan their more uniform higher penneability
counterparts, although specific detemlination on a
reservoirby reservoirsystemis required.
2.
3.
DB. B~ON.
Acknowledgments
The authorswish to expressappreciationto Maggie Irwin and
Vivian Whiting for their assistancein the preparationof the
man~pt
and figures and to the managementof Hycal
EnergyResearehLaboratoriesfor the fimding of this work and
permissionto presentthe data.
References
3,
4.
s.
6.
7.
8.
F1GURE1
ILlUSTRATION OF HYSTERESIS EFFECTS
IN A WATER-WETTED OIL-WATER DISPLACEMENT
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6
ILWSTRATIONOF EFFECT OF FREE GAS SATURATION
FIGURES
WAG PROCESSFOR MOBIUTYCONTROL
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ON ENHANCEDPRODUCTIONRATES
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F1GtME 10
OF CRITK:AL AND TRAPPED SATURATION
HYSTERESIS EFFECTS