Course Description

The course provides detailed knowledge of how capillarity affects hydrocarbon distribution in a reservoir rock, and how the magnitude of capillary forces can be used to deduce valuable information about rock properties including pore throat sizes, pore network geometry, porosity, and permeability. Several in-class exercises reinforce the course learning and provide students with experience using capillary pressure data for reservoir characterization. Exercises will be worked on the computer using spreadsheet software.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participant will be able to:

• Understand capillarity’s impact on hydrocarbon distribution in reservoir rocks.
• Learn capillary pressure measurement methods and their application.
• Analyze and interpret capillary pressure data using various techniques.
• Estimate rock properties (pore throat sizes, porosity, permeability) from capillary pressure data.
• Convert mercury/air capillary pressure curves to hydrocarbon/water curves.
• Determine saturation-height distribution in different pore system rocks.
• Estimate irreducible water saturation and transition zone length.
• Predict downdip water level and assess clay-bound water.
• Compare capillary pressure data with NMR data.
• Evaluate maximum hydrocarbon column sustainment in sealing layers.
• Apply capillary pressure data in reservoir characterization.
• Extract rock properties from capillary pressure measurements.
• Upscale and represent multiple capillary curves.
• Understand surface phenomena, wettability, and interphase tension.
• Analyze competition between capillary and gravity forces.
• Interpret imbibition cap curves and assess pore system types.
• Evaluate seal capacity for hydrocarbon containment.

Who Can Benefit

Geo-scientists, Petrophysicists, reservoir engineers, and research and development staff who want to gain fundamental and intermediate insight into the capillary properties and hydrocarbon distribution in reservoir rocks.