Magnitude and detailed structure of residual oil saturation

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/10681-PA· OSTI ID:5615699

Chatzis, I; Lim, H T; Morrow, N R

Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the effect on residual oil, under water-wet conditions, of particle size, particle-size distribution, macroscopic and microscopic heterogeneities, microscopic dimensions such as ratio of pore-body to pore-throat size, and pore-to-pore coordination number. Experiments were performed in random packs of equal spheres, heterogeneous packs of spheres with microscopic and macroscopic heterogeneities, two-dimensional (2D) capillary networks having various pore geometries, and Berea sandstone. Detailed information on residual oil structure is presented, including blob-size distributions of residual oil. Major conclusions are: residual saturations are independent of absolute pore size, per se, in systems of similar pore geometry; well-mixed two-component aggregates of spheres gave virtually the same residual saturations as random packings of equal spheres; clusters of large pores accessible through small pores will retain oil; high aspect ratios tend to cause entrapment of oil as a large number of relatively small blobs, each held in single pores; and the role of pore-to-pore coordination number is generally secondary; hence, correlations that have been proposed between residual oil and coordination number are unreliable.

• Research Organization: New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology
• DOE Contract Number: AS19-80BC10310
• OSTI ID: 5615699
• Journal Information: SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States), Journal Name: SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States) Vol. 23:2; ISSN SSPJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CORRELATIONS
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOMETRY
MATHEMATICS
MICROSCOPY
OIL SATURATION
OIL WELLS
PARTICLE SIZE
PETROLEUM
POROSITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESIDUAL PETROLEUM
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SATURATION
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SIZE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WATER INFLUX
WELLS