Comparison of Residual Saturation and Capillary Pressure Model with UNSODA Data

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Journal of Hydrology

OSTI ID:822943

LAURINAT, JAMESE

The capillary pressure model correlates drainage and imbibition data from the UNSODA database, provided that the data incorporate the entry head, a minimum displacement required for drainage to begin. According to the model, the imbibition pressure equals the drainage pressures at a critical minimum saturation of 0.301; below this critical saturation, no additional reversible drainage should occur. Some of the UNSODA data sets had a minimum saturation approximately half this value. The difference is attributed to the presence of fissures, which would lower the residual wetting and critical minimum saturations by reducing the fraction of the void volume controlled by capillary pores. If the UNSODA saturations are adjusted for this discrepancy, a probability distribution of minimum saturations for each data set peaks near the predicted critical minimum saturation. Maximum saturations for each data set have a peak near the predicted residual nonwetting saturation of 0.884.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 822943
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-2004-00172
• Journal Information: Journal of Hydrology, Journal Name: Journal of Hydrology; ISSN 0022-1694; ISSN JHYDA7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
CAPILLARY FLOW
DISTRIBUTION
DRAINAGE
FLOW MODELS
PROBABILITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
SATURATION
VOID FRACTION
WETTABILITY