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Drainage capillary-pressure functions and their computation from one another

Conference · · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6388671

Drainage capillary-pressure functions determined on the same rock material with various fluid-fluid combinations, including the mercury-air system, can be computed from one another with the aid of the ratio of the measured relevant fluid/fluid interfacial tensions. In the case of the mercury-air system, surface tension was found to be time dependent and, after a certain time, to reach an almost constant value. It is this value that should be used in transforming mercury capillary pressures to other fluid-fluid systems. Additional measurements of drainage capillary-pressure functions for the rock-gas-oil system in the presence of connate water show that at sufficiently high gas-oil capillary pressures, very low residual-oil saturations are obtained, independent of whether the oil phase spreads on water or not in the presence of gas. Low oil saturations also are obtained in gravity-drainage experiments after long drainage times when the capillary pressure is sufficiently high, possibly as a result of oil film flow.

OSTI ID:
6388671
Report Number(s):
CONF-7210140-
Journal Information:
Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Vol. SPE-4096; ISSN SEAPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English