Capillary pressure techniques: application to exploration and development geology

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · AAPG Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6916090

Jennings, J B

Capillary pressure can be viewed as the pressure required to drive a fluid through a pore throat and displace the pore wetting fluid, with greater pressure being required as the pore throat becomes smaller. The size and distribution of pore throats within a host rock control its capillary pressure characteristics, which in turn control fluid behavior in the pore system. Mercury-injection capillary pressure curves, which measure capillarity, are obtained by injecting mercury into sample plugs to produce a plot of injection pressure vs. mercury saturation. The resulting capillary pressure curves can provide qualitative assessments of reservoir rock using such calculated values as pore-throat sorting, reservoir grade, and oil columns required to obtain 50 and 75% oil saturations. Regional capillary pressure maps of these calculated values identify a north-south trend of favorable reservoir rock along the state line between Montana and North Dakota in the third porosity (C) zone of the Ordovician Red River Formation. Oil migration and trapping can be significantly controlled by capillary pressure. By understanding capillarity, they can obtain better insight on the nature of reservoir rock, oil accumulations, and permeability relationships. 15 figures, 1 table.

• OSTI ID: 6916090
• Journal Information: AAPG Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Vol. 71:10; ISSN AABUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
OIL WELLS
ORDOVICIAN PERIOD
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROLEUM
PORE PRESSURE
POROSITY
RECOVERY
USA
WELLS