Method to characterize underground formation
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsJerald J. Hinkel, Dean Willberg, Markus Pagels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining a characteristic of an underground formation with a fluid is described. The method includes providing a sample material of the underground formation; measuring the permeability and the porosity of the sample material; performing a drainage test on the sample material using the fluid; estimating the threshold pressure of the sample material from the drainage test, the permeability and the porosity measurements; and determining the receding contact angle of the fluid on the sample material from the threshold pressure. The sample material can be disaggregated material.
Claims24
A method for determining a characteristic of an underground formation with a fluid comprising:
- measuring a permeability of a sample material of the underground formation;
- measuring a porosity of the sample material;
- performing a drainage test on the sample material using the fluid;
- estimating, via a processor, a geometric mean capillary pressure of the sample material from the drainage test;
- and determining, via the processor, a receding contact angle of the fluid on the sample material from the estimated geometric mean capillary pressure, the measured permeability, and the measured porosity;
- wherein estimating the geometric mean capillary pressure comprises:
- determining a threshold pressure representing a pressure threshold for directing a non-wetting fluid into a largest radii capillary of the sample material;
- determining an irreducible saturation pressure representing a pressure for directing the non-wetting fluid into a smallest radii capillary of the sample material;
- and calculating the geometric mean capillary pressure based on the threshold pressure and the irreducible saturation pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.