Average Permeability

Flow in Layered Systems

Some figures were taken from Amyx, Bass and Whiting, Petroleum Reservoir
Engineering (1960).
 Average Permeability
• If permeability is not a constant function of space (heterogeneity),
we can calculate the average permeability
– Common, simple flow cases are considered here
• Linear, Parallel (cores, horizontal permeability)
• Linear, Serial (cores, vertical permeability)
• Radial, Parallel (reservoirs, horizontal layers)
• Radial, Serial (reservoir, damage or stimulation)

• Average permeability should represent the correct flow capacity

– For a specified flow rate, average permeability results in same pressure drop
(and vice versa)
• Review Integral Averages (Self Study, e.g. Average Velocity)
 Linear Flow, Pressure Profile
q k  dp 
• Review, Darcy’s Law: vs    
– horizontal flow (F=p) A μ  ds 
kA
q ds   dp
μ
L p2
A
kA
q L 2 q  ds    dp
1
0
μ p1

q
kA
p1  p2 
μL
 Linear Flow, Pressure Profile
• We can determine how x p(x)
kA
pressure varies along the q  ds    dp
flow path, p(x), by 0
μ p1
considering an arbitrary qμ x
point, 0x  L p(x)  p1 
– Integral from 0x
kA
OR, equivalently
L p2
kA
q  ds   
A
dp
μ p(x)
q L 2
1 x

– We could also integrate q μ (L  x)

xL p(x)  p2 
kA
 Linear Flow, Pressure Profile
• Pressure profile is a linear
function for homogeneous
properties p1

– slope depends on flow rate

p(x)

p
A
p2
q L 2
1

0
0 x L
x
 Linear, Parallel Flow
• Permeability varies across several
horizontal layers (k1,k2,k3)
– Discrete changes in permeability
h  h1  h2  h3   hi
– Same pressure drop for each layer
p1 - p2  Δp  Δp1  Δp2  Δp3
– Total flow rate is summation of flow rate for all layers
q  q1  q2  q3  qi
– Average permeability results in correct total flow rate

kwh
q Δp ; A  w  h
μL
 Linear, Parallel Flow
• Substituting,
kwh k1 w h1 k2 w h2 k3 w h3
q Δp  Δp  Δp  Δp
μL μL μL μL

• Rearranging,

k
 k i  hi
h
• Average permeability reflects flow capacity of all layers
 Linear, Serial Flow
• Permeability varies across several
vertical layers (k1,k2,k3)
– Discrete changes in permeability
L  L1  L2  L3   Li
– Same flow rate passes through each layer
q  q1  q 2  q3
– Total pressure drop is summation of pressure drop across layers
p1  p2  Δp1  Δp2  Δp3  Δpi
– Average permeability results in correct total pressure drop
qμ L
p1 - p 2  ; A  wh
kwh
 Linear, Serial Flow
• Substituting,
qμ L q μ L1 q μ L 2 q μ L3
p1 - p2    
k w h k1 w h k 2 w h k 3 w h

• Rearranging, L
k
Li
k p1

• If k1>k2>k3, then k
p
– Linear pressure profile in each layer p2

0
0 L
x
 Radial Flow, Pressure Profile
q k  dp 
• Review, Darcy’s Law: vs    
– horizontal flow (F=p) A μ  ds 
q k
dr  dp
2π rh μ
rw pw
1 2π kh
q q  dr   dp
re
r μ pe

q
2π kh
p e  p w 
rw re
μ ln(r e /rw )
 Radial Flow, Pressure Profile
• We can determine how rw
1 2π kh
pw

pressure varies along the q  dr   dp

flow path, p(r), by r
r μ p(r)
considering an arbitrary q μ ln(r/r w )
point, rwr  re p(r)  p w 
– Integral from r  rw
2π k h
OR, equivalently
OR
r p(r)
1 2π kh
– Integral from rer q  dr   dp
re
r μ pe

q μ ln(r e /r)
p(r)  p e 
2π k h
 Radial Flow, Pressure Profile
• Pressure profile is a linear
function of ln(r) for
homogeneous properties
pe
– slope depends on flow rate
p(r)

p
pw
q

0
rw r re
ln(r) 

rw re
 Radial, Parallel Flow
• Permeability varies across several
(3) horizontal layers (k1,k2,k3)
– Discrete changes in permeability
h  h1  h2  h3   hi
– Same pressure drop for each layer
pe - pw  Δp  Δp1  Δp2  Δp3
– Total flow rate is summation of flow rate for all layers
q  q1  q2  q3  qi
– Average permeability results in correct total flow rate
2π k h
q Δp
μ ln(r e /rw )
 Radial, Parallel Flow
• Substituting,
2π k h
q Δp
μ ln(r e /rw )
2π k1 h1 2π k 2 h 2 2π k 3 h 3
 Δp  Δp  Δp
μ ln(r e /rw ) μ ln(r e /rw ) μ ln(r e /rw )
• Rearranging,

k
 k i  hi
h

• Average permeability reflects flow capacity of all layers

 R1 of this

Radial, Serial Flow figure is r2 of

equations

• Permeability varies across two vertical

concentric cylindrical layers
[k(rwrr2) = k1, k(r2rre = k2]
– Discrete changes in permeability
re  rw  Δr1  Δr2  Δri
– Same flow rate passes through each layer
q  q1  q 2

– Total pressure drop is summation of pressure drop across layers

pe  pw  Δp1  Δp2  Δpi

– Average permeability results in correct total pressure drop
q μ ln(r e /rw )
pe - p w 
2π k h
 Radial, Serial Flow
• Substituting (rw=r1, r2 ,re=r3),
q μ ln(r e /rw ) q μ ln(r 2 /rw ) q μ ln(r e /r2 )
pe - p w   
2π k h 2π k1 h 2π k 2 h
• Rearranging,
ln(r e /rw )
k
(ln(r i 1/ri )

All Layers ki
 Radial, Serial Flow
pe • Damage: k1<k2
– Shown in sketch to the left
– Permeability is damaged near the
wellbore
p

pw k • Reactive fluids
• Fines migration

0
rw re pe
ln(r) 
k1  
k
• Stimulation k1>k2 p
– Shown in sketch to the right pw

– Permeability is improved near

the wellbore
0
• Acid stimulation rw re
ln(r) 
 Integration of Darcy’s Law
• Beginning with the differential form of Darcy’s Law
• Previous lecture on gas flow q k  dp 
vs    
– gas properties are functions of pressure A μ  ds 
• include gas properties in the dp integral
• In this lecture
– parallel flow (permeability varies over cross sectional area)
• integrate over area (integrated average value)
– serial flow (permeability varies along flow path)
• integrate over flow path (leave k in ds integral)
• This approach can be extended to other cases (order of precedence
as shown)
– Any term that varies as a function of pressure can be included in the dp
integral
– Any term that varies along flow path can be included in the ds integral
– Any term that varies over cross sectional area can use an integrated average
value (integrated over cross sectional area, e.g. parallel flow)