Relative Permeability Study in Part of Geleki Oil field of Upper Assam Basin

Abstract

Relative permeability is a critical parameter for evaluation of reservoir performance. Relative permeability is a direct measure of the ability of the porous medium to allow flow of one fluid when two or more fluids are present. This flow property is the composite effect of pore-geometry, wettability, fluid saturation, saturation history, reservoir temperature, reservoir pressure, overburden pressure, rock-types, porosity and permeability types. The relative permeability curves are very important in reservoir studies. They are used in predicting production rate and recovery from the reservoirs during all recovery stages (primary, secondary, and tertiary). The wettability of a core does affect its waterflood behavior and relative permeability. Wettability affects relative permeability because it is a major factor in the control of the location, flow, and distribution of fluids in a porous medium. Present study aims at determining the relative permeability to oil and water of conventional core plugs from a parts of Geleki oil-field of upper Assam basin. This study is based on the determination of relative permeability to oil and water, and preparation of water and oil relative permeability (K_rw and K_ro) curves vs water saturation (S_W)and relative permeability ratio K_rw/K_ro curves vs oil saturation. Other aspects of the present study have been to determine irreducible water saturation and oil saturation and wettability of the reservoir rocks.

Keywords: Relative permeability, flow property, water saturation