Applied Capillary Pressure and Saturation Height Modeling

Example Delivery Outline (This course can be customized to fit the expectations of the participants):

1. Course Expectations and Participants Complete a Pre-Course Technical Assessment

2. Discssion on Why Capillary Pressure Is Important......

Chapter 1 - Pore Geometry and Wettability

1. Using Petropgraphic Thin-Sections to Explore Pore-Geometry

2. Using Scanning Electron Microscopic Images to Explore Pore-Geometry

3. Using Lab Methods to Explore Pore Geometry

4. Workshop 1 - Basic Pore Geometry

On the first day participants will learn the importance of capillary pressure and its practical applications.  Pore geometry will be discussed using petrographic thin-sections and SEM methods.  Wettability will be in introduced and the day will end with a practical pore geometry workshop.

Chapter 2  - Introduction To Drainage and Imibibition

1. Applications of Drainage Capillary Pressure Analysis (Contacts and FWL)

2. Applications of Imibibition Capillary Pressure Analysis (Production Trends and Residual Saturation)

Workshop

Chapter 3 - Lab Methods to Determine Capillary Pressure

Day 2 will focus on the drainiage and imibiibition processes associated with establishing fluid saturations. Practical applications of determining the free water level (FWL) and immisicible fluid-contacts will be discuseed and demonstrated by using workshops and example.  Common laboratory methods will also be addressed.   

1. Porous Plate Method

2. Centrifuge Method

3. High Pressure Mercury Injection

4. Other

Workshop

Chapter 4 - Determining Pore Throat Radius from Lab Data and Estimating Pore Throat Radius from k and phi

Workshop

Day 3 will cover more specific information concerning lab methods and data acquisition.  Common lab data analysis will focus on lab-based pore throat radius and techniques to predict pore throat radius from porosity and permeability. Participants will complete a detailed workshop using these techniques.

Chapter 5 -  Converting from lab data to height above free water

Workshop

Chapter 6 - Common Applications (Thomeer and Leverett J)

Workshop

Chapter 7 - Introduction to Petrophysical Rock Types

Workshop

Day 4 will cover show how to convert lab measured capillary pressure data to reservoir conditions to determine height above free water, seal capacity and initial water saturation.  Petrophysical rock types will be determined from high pressure mercury injection porosimetry data using semi-log, cartesian and incremental saturation intrusion plots combined with several other quality control data analysis graphs.  Participants will complete a detailed workshop using these techniques.

Chapter 8 - Applied Saturation Height Model Using Petrophysical Rock Types

Well Analysis and Reservoir Evaluation Workshop

Chapter 9 - NMR and Core-Log Integration(optional)

Participants Complete a Post Course Technical Assessment 

Course Wrap-Up

Day 5 will cover show how to create a customized saturation height capillary model based on petrophysical rock types.  The SHM can be based on Leverett, Gunter/Smart or a Modified Thomeer method.