Experimental Study About Water Saturation Influence on Changes in Reservoirs Petrophysical Properties

Abstract

Experimental determination of the physical properties of rocks under conditions simulating in situ reservoir conditions is of great importance both for the calculation of reserves and for the interpretation of well logging data. In addition, it is also important for the preparation of hydrocarbon field development projects. The study of the processes of changes in the petrophysical properties of the reservoir under controlled conditions allows not only to determine their reliability but also to evaluate the dynamics of these changes depending on the temperature and pressure conditions of the reservoir and the water saturation of the rocks. In this work, an evaluation of the dependence of the physical properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs on their water saturation (Sw) was carried out. Residual water saturation (Swr) was created in the rocks and the properties of these rocks were compared at the states of partial (25 %) and complete water saturation (100 %). The changes in petrophysical parameters of partially water saturated rocks during the increase in effective pressure were studied and estimates of these changes were obtained. The results showed that when the effective pressure is increased, the Swr increases by an average of 6 % compared to atmospheric conditions. This is accompanied by an increase in the velocity of longitudinal (by 51.9 % on average) and lateral waves (by 37.1 % on average). As residual water saturation increases, effective permeability decreases for both standard and reservoir conditions, with, gas permeability decreasing for both dry samples (by 23 % on average) and samples with residual water saturation (effective permeability decreases by 27 % on average). HIGHLIGHTS Changes in physical properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs by determining physical properties (permeability, porosity, elastic, electrical, deformation strength) under the standard conditions and in physical modelling of reservoir conditions and processes Assessment of the effectiveness of water saturation on the physical properties of the reservoir Comparisons between the petrophysical properties of reservoir core samples in which the pore space is fully saturated with the reservoir fluid model and samples with residual water saturation Experimental determination of the physical properties of rocks under conditions simulating in situ reservoir conditions Estimation of the changes in petrophysical parameters of partial water-saturated rocks during the increase in effective formation pressure GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT