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Averaging Absolute Permeability

This document discusses different techniques for calculating the average permeability of layered reservoir systems, including: 1) Weighted-average permeability, which is used for linear flow in parallel beds and considers the permeability and thickness of each layer. 2) Harmonic-average permeability, which is used for linear flow in series and considers the total pressure drop across each bed. 3) Geometric-average permeability, which can be used for both linear and radial flow systems and involves calculating the nth root of the product of the n layer permeabilities. Examples are provided to demonstrate calculating average permeability for different well and reservoir configurations, and how acidizing or damage to certain zones can impact the overall average permeability.

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Saroo Bastky
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109 views7 pages

Averaging Absolute Permeability

This document discusses different techniques for calculating the average permeability of layered reservoir systems, including: 1) Weighted-average permeability, which is used for linear flow in parallel beds and considers the permeability and thickness of each layer. 2) Harmonic-average permeability, which is used for linear flow in series and considers the total pressure drop across each bed. 3) Geometric-average permeability, which can be used for both linear and radial flow systems and involves calculating the nth root of the product of the n layer permeabilities. Examples are provided to demonstrate calculating average permeability for different well and reservoir configurations, and how acidizing or damage to certain zones can impact the overall average permeability.

Uploaded by

Saroo Bastky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reservoir Rock Properties

Flow in Layered Systems


Averaging Absolute Permeabilities
The objective of understanding the flow in a layered system is to find the average permeability
across that system with beddings of different permeability. The concept is similar to an
electrical circuit; the average permeability will vary if the flow is in parallel or series to the
beddings in the system. In addition, it could also vary if the flow is linear or radial. We will now
examine each case individually.
There are three simple permeability-averaging techniques that are commonly used to determine
an appropriate average permeability to represent an equivalent homogeneous system. These
are:
• Weighted-average permeability
• Harmonic-average permeability
• Geometric-average permeability

Case 1: Linear Flow in Parallel - Weighted-Average Permeability


This averaging method is used to determine
the average permeability of layered-parallel
beds with different permeabilities. Consider
the case where the flow system is comprised
of three parallel layers that are separated
from one another by thin impermeable
barriers, i.e., no cross flow, (figure1) All the
layers have the same width w with a cross-
sectional area of A.
The flow from each layer can be calculated
by applying Darcy’s equation in a linear form:

Layer 1

Layer 2

Layer 3

The total flow rate from the entire system is expressed as

where qt = total flow rate


kavg = average permeability for the entire model
w = width of the formation

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Reservoir Rock Properties

Δp = p1 - p2
ht = total thickness
The total flow rate qt is equal to the sum of the flow rates through each layer or:
qt = q1 + q2 + q3

The average absolute permeability for a parallel-layered system can be expressed in the following
form:

The equation is commonly used to determine the average permeability of a reservoir from core
analysis data.
The figure shows a similar layered system
with variable layers width. Assuming no cross-
flow between the layers, the average
permeability can be approximated in a
manner similar to the above derivation to
give:

With Aj = hjwj
where Aj = cross-sectional area of layer j
wj = width of layer j

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Reservoir Rock Properties

Example:
Given the following permeability data from a core analysis report, calculate the average
permeability of the reservoir.

Solution:

Case 2: Linear Flow in Series - Harmonic-Average Permeability


Permeability variations can occur
laterally in a reservoir as well as in
the vicinity of a well bore.
Consider Figure, which shows an
illustration of fluid flow through a
series combination of beds with
different permeabilities.
For a steady-state flow, the flow
rate is constant and the total
pressure drop Δp is equal to the
sum of the pressure drops across
each bed, or
Δp = Δp1 + Δp2 + Δp3
Substituting for the pressure drop by applying Darcy’s equation,

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Reservoir Rock Properties

where Li = length of each bed


ki = absolute permeability of each bed

Case 3: Radial Flow in Series


In the radial system shown in Figure, the above
averaging methodology can be applied to produce
the following generalized expression:

The relationship in equation above can be used as


a basis for estimating a number of useful quantities
in production work. For example, the effects of
mud invasion, acidizing, or well shooting can be
estimated from it.

Example:
The permeability of a 160-acre light-gas formation
drained by a single well is 15 mD. The well was
heavily acidized to a permeability of 250 mD and a
radius of 30 ft, and then completed. During well
completion, a 2.5-ft thick damaged zone developed
in the vicinity of the wellbore. The permeability of
this damaged segment is 4 mD. The wellbore radius
is 0.50ft. Calculate the average permeability of this
drainage area.

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Reservoir Rock Properties

Solution:
The figure is a schematic diagram of the drainage system, where rw = 0.5 ft and re = (43,560 x
160/π)0.5= 1,490 ft. The average permeability of this system is calculated from Equation:

This example illustrates how the beneficial effect of a successful acidizing job is counteracted by
the negative effect of improper well completion, and how important it is to calculate accurately
the average permeability of reservoirs. If the well was completed properly without zonal damage,
the average permeability would have been:

or nearly double the permeability of the formation prior to acidizing and well completion.

Case 4: Radial Flow in Parallel Beds:

The identical terms, ∆p, µ, ln(re/rw,), and π, are


canceled, and solving for the average permeability kavg,
one obtains the same solution as obtained in the linear case:

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Reservoir Rock Properties

Example:
A hydrocarbon reservoir is characterized by five distinct formation segments that are connected
in series. Each segment has the same formation thickness. The length and permeability of each
section of the five-bed reservoir are given below:

Calculate the average permeability of the reservoir by assuming:


a. Linear flow system
b. Radial flow system

Solution
For a linear system:

For a radial system:


The solution of the radial system can be conveniently expressed in the following tabulated
form, assuming a wellbore radius of 0.25 ft:

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Reservoir Rock Properties

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