PERMEABILITY

Some slides in this section are from NExT PERF Short Course Notes, 1999.
Some slides appear to have been obtained from unknown primary
sources that were not cited by NExT. Note that some slides have a notes section.
Permeability
Definition (ABW, Ref: API 27)
permeability is a property of the porous medium and
is a measure of the capacity of the medium to transmit
fluids
a measure of the fluid conductivity of the particular
material
Permeability is an INTENSIVE property of a
porous medium (e.g. reservoir rock)
Sources for Permeability Determination
Core analysis
Well test analysis (flow testing)
RFT (repeat formation tester) provides small well tests
Production data
production logging measures fluid flow into well
Log data
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) logs calibrated via
core analysis
Examples, Typical Permeability-
Porosity Relationship
From Tiab and Donaldson, 1996
Darcys
Apparatus for
Determining
Permeability
h
1
-h
2
h
1
h
2
(Sand Pack Length) L
q
A
W
A
T
E
R
WATER
q
A
Flow is Steady State
q = KA (h
1
-h
2
)/L
K is a constant of
proportionality
h
1
>h
2
for downward flow
PERMEABILITY (k)
Darcys K has a unit of m/s and is called
hydraulic conductivity
Permeability can be easily obtained from K:
or hydraulic conductivity can be easily obtained
from k
k
g

K
K

g k
Review - Derived Units
Consider Newtons 2nd Law for constant
mass, F=ma
SI Units are Absolute and Coherent
Absolute: Force is a derived unit, 1 N = 1 (kg*m/s
2
)
Coherent (consistent): No conversion constants
needed
So: F[N] = m[kg]*a[m/s
2
]
What if we want F to be in [lb
f
]?
Then, F[lb
f
]*4.448[ N/lb
f
] =
m[kg]*a[m/s
2
]
Adding the conversion factor restores the
original formula (a true statement in SI units)
Review - Derived Units
For: F in [lb
f
], m in [lb
m
], a in [ft/s
2
]
Then, F[lb
f
]*4.448222[N / lb
f
] =
m[lb
m
]*0.4535924[kg/lb
m
] *
a[ft/s
2
]*0.3048[m/ft]
Or, F[lb
f
] = m[lb
m
] * a[ft/s
2
] /
32.17405[(lb
m
ft)/(lb
f
s
2
)]
Remember: 1[N] / 1[kg*m/s
2
] = 1; dimensionless
Review - Derived Units
Permeability
Dimensions & Units
Permeability is a derived dimension
From Darcys equation, the dimension of permeability is
length squared
This is not the same as area, even though for example, it is m
2
in SI
units
In Darcy and SI Units, this equation is coherent
Oilfield units are non-coherent, a unit conversion constant is
required
[ ]
2
2
3
L
P
1
L
1
1
L
1
T P
T
L
;
p A
L q
k =

=
Darcy Units (Obsolete)
Peremebility in d
viscosity in cp
length in cm
volume in cm
3
pressure in atm
time in s
x
p k
v
s

SI Units
Permeability has a derived dimension L
2
based on Darcys
Equation:
The SI unit of permeability is 1 m
2
The oilfield unit is millidarcy
1 md = 9.8710
-16
m
2
If you have 1 m long core with 9.8710
-16
m
2
permeability and
you apply 10
5
Pa pressure difference to the two ends, the Darcy
velocity of water (=0.001 Pas) will be v
s
= 9.8710
-8
m/s
If the core has a cross sectional area 0.1 m
2
, the flow rate will be
q = A v
s
= 9.8710
-9
m
3
/s
x
p k
v
s

m
Pa

s Pa
m

s
m
2

English Units
If you have 3 ft long core with 1 md
permeability and you apply 14.7 psi pressure
difference to the two ends, the Darcy velocity
of water ( = 1 cP) will be v
s
= 3.5910
-7
ft/s
If the core has a cross sectional area 1 ft
2
, the
flow rate will be 3.5910
-7
ft
3
/s
x
p k
v
s

7 -
10 7.324
ft / s md / cp psi / ft
Field Units
If you have 3 ft long core with 1 md
permeability and you apply 14.7 psi
pressure difference to the two ends, and
the flowing fluid is water ( = 1 cP) and
the core has a cross sectional area 1 ft
2
,
the flow rate will be 0.00552 bbl/day
x
p k
A q

3
10 1.127
bbl / day ft
2
md /cP psi / ft
Differential Form - Darcys Law
Darcys Equation rearranged as Darcy velocity (volumetric
flux)
v
s
= q/A = (k/) (p/L)
This equation applies for any L, as L0
v
s
= q/A = -(k/) (dp/ds)
where,
v
s
Darcy velocity, (volumetric flux)
s distance along flow path (0s L), in the direction of
decreasing pressure (note negative sign)
The differential form is Darcys Law
Flow Potential
The generalized form of Darcys Law includes pressure
and gravity terms to account for horizontal or non-
horizontal flow
The gravity term has dimension of pressure / length
Flow potential includes both pressure and gravity terms,
simplifying Darcys Law
= p - gZ/c ; Z+; Z is elevation measured from a datum
has dimension of pressure

= =
ds
dz
ds
dp k
A
q
v g
s
s

= =
ds
d

k
A
q
v
s
s
Permeability Dimensions & Units

Permeability is a measure of the fluid conductivity of a rock.

From Darcys Equation, the dimension of permeability is


[ ]
k
q L
A p
L
T
P T L
L
P
L =

3
2
2
1 1
1 1


The permeability unit is defined in an older system now called Darcy Units. Other
unit systems are shown in braces and brackets: {SI Units} and [Oilfield Units]


+ =

=
Z Z;
c
g
p where ;
ds
d

k
ds
dZ
c
g
ds
dp

k
A
q
s


k = permeability, d {m
2
} [md]
q
s
= volumetric flow rate along flow path, cm
3
/s {m
3
/s} [barrel/d]
(42 US gallons/barrel) (5.6145833 ft
3
/barrel)
A = cross-sectional area of flow path, cm
2
{m
2
} [ft
2
]
= fluid viscosity, cp {Pas} [cp]
p = pressure, atm {Pa} [psi]
s = distance along flow path, cm {m} [ft]
= density, g/cm
3
{kg/m
3
} [lb
m
/ft
3
]
g = acceleration due to gravity, 981 cm/s
2
{9.81 m/s
2
} [32.17 ft/s
2
]
c = gravity term conversion constant, 1.01325 x 10
6
dyne/cm
2
atm
{1 Pa/(N/(m
2
)} [(32.174 lb
m
ft/ lb
f
s
2
)(144 in
2
/ft
2
)]
Z = vertical elevation measured from datum, cm {m} [ft]

Note: Darcys Equation in oilfield units is non-coherent, and requires an
additional unit conversion factor (not shown)