Reservoir Rock Properties Lab.

Capillary Pressure
Theory (Introduction):
The coexistence of two or more immiscible fluids within the voids of a porous medium, such as a
reservoir rock, gives rise to capillary forces. As interfacial tension exists on the boundary between
two immiscible fluids in a pore space, the interface is curved and there is a pressure difference
across the interface. The pressure difference is termed the capillary pressure and can be
expressed as:
PC = Po - Pw

where:
Po is the oil pressure (non-wetting phase)
Pw is the brine pressure (wetting phase)
Capillary pressure as a function of surface tension
and radii of curvature r (for spherical cap) is,

Note that the free water level, FWL is the point

where Pc = 0. Oil-water contact OWC above FWL
has Sw=100% due to the capillary action. The zone of varying water saturation with height above
OWC is called the transition zone (Fig. 1).

Figure 1: Illustration of saturation distribution above OWC

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The size of the transition zone depends on pore size distribution (PSD), grain sorting, interfacial
tension, rock characteristics (porosity/permeability) and also difference in fluid density. The
saturation history of the rock can also affect the capillary pressure. Two processes usually
considered are drainage which is the replacement of the wetting phase (e.g. water) with non wet
phase (saturation of wet phase decreases). The second is imbibition where wetting phase
saturation increases by the expulsion of the non wet phase.
Capillary pressure measurements are essential for the complete characterization of a
hydrocarbon reservoir. A plot of capillary pressure versus fluid saturation for a core plug can be
used:
➢ to calculate reserves
➢ in reservoir simulation computer routines
➢ provides data on the irreducible water saturation of a reservoir rock
➢ shows the entry pressure of fluid into a water saturated reservoir or cap rock

Remarks:
➢ If rock surface is water-wet, capillary pressure is driving force of displacing oil by water;
➢ If rock surface is oil-wet , capillary pressure is resistance of displacing oil by water;
➢ If rock surface is water-wet, water can automatically enter rock ; but if rock surface is
oil-wet , water can not automatically enter rock .
Measurement of capillary pressure using porous plate method:
The derivation of capillary pressure equations has been based on a single uniform capillary tube.
Porous geologic materials, however, are composed of interconnected pores of various sizes. In
addition, the wettability of the pore surfaces varies from point to point within the rock due to
the variation in the mixture of minerals in contact with the fluids. This leads to variation of the
capillary pressure as a function of fluid saturation and an overall mean description of the rock
wettability.
Hydrocarbon reservoirs were initially saturated with water, which was displaced by migrating
hydrocarbons. The geologic structure and formed a trap for the oil, thus producing a petroleum
reservoir. This process can be repeated in the laboratory by displacing water from a core with a
gas or oil. The pressure required for the equilibrium displacement of the wetting phase (water)
with the non-wetting gas or oil is the water drainage capillary pressure, which is recorded as a
function of the water saturation. The porous plate method is the most accurate measurement of
capillary pressure in homogeneous and heterogeneous cores. Several plugs can be measured at
a time.

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 Reservoir Rock Properties Lab.

Procedure:
Water saturated samples for air-water or oil-water tests and oil saturated cores for air-oil tests
are placed on a semi-permeable diaphragm, and a portion of the contained liquid is displaced
with the appropriate fluid of air or oil. A schematic diagram of an apparatus for performing such
tests is seen in Figure (2). It consists of a cell for imposing pressure, a porous plate, manometer
for recording pressure, and a graduated beaker for measuring produced volumes. During
measurement, the pressure is increased in steps and final equilibrium produced volumes of the
wetting phase are recorded for each step.
1. Saturate both the core sample and the plate with the fluid to be displaced.
2. Place the core in the apparatus as shown
3. Apply a level of pressure; wait for the core to reach static equilibrium.
4. Increase the pressure and repeat step (3)
5. Plot capillary pressure versus saturation

Disadvantages:
1. Have to work within threshold pressure of the
porous plate
2. Takes too long to reach the equilibrium,
therefore a complete curve takes from 10 - 40
days. (Mercury injection technique was
developed to reduce this time)
Advantages:
1. The equipment needed for this method is simple
and inexpensive
2. The work needed is limited to some volume
reading during the process.
3. Several samples may be run in one chamber.

Figure (2): Porous Plate method assembly

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 Reservoir Rock Properties Lab.

Air-brine capillary pressures and saturations data of a core sample

Capillary pressure versus saturation for both air-brine and air-oil systems

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 Reservoir Rock Properties Lab.

Capillary pressure by mercury injection method

Theory (Introduction)
Capillary pressure curves for rocks have been determined by mercury injection and withdrawal
because the method is simple to conduct and rapid. The data can be used to determine the pore
size distribution, to study the behavior of capillary pressure curves, and to infer characteristics of
pore geometry.
The mercury injection method has two disadvantages:
(1) After mercury is injected into a core, it cannot be used for any other tests because the mercury
cannot be safely removed, and
(2) Mercury vapor is toxic, so strict safety precautions must be followed when using mercury.

Apparatus:
The equipment consists basically of a mercury injection pump, a sample holder cell with a window
for observing constant mercury level, manometers, vacuum pump, and a pressurized gas
reservoir.

Figure (3): Equipment for mercury injection Capillary pressure measurement

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 Reservoir Rock Properties Lab.

Principle of measurement:

1 — Nitrogen pressure; 2 — pressure gauge;

3 — mercury injection pump; 4 — sample cell;
5 — vacuum system

Procedure:
(Non-wetting phase — mercury; wetting phase — air)
To conduct a test, a core is cleaned, dried, and the pore volume and permeability are determined.
If liquids are used in the core, it is dried once more before the capillary pressure is determined.
The core is placed in the sample chamber of the mercury injection equipment Figure (3). The cell
is then evacuated. Mercury is injected in increments into the core at increasing pressure levels.
The amount of mercury injected divided by the pore volume is the non-wetting phase saturation.
The capillary pressure is the injection pressure.
In this method the mercury injected is calculated as a percentage of pore volume and related to
pressure. The incremental pore volumes of mercury injected are plotted as a function of the
injection pressure to obtain the injection capillary pressure curve.

Two important advantages are gained with the mercury injection method:
1) The time for determining a complete curve is reduce to less than one hour, and
2) The range of pressure is increased compared with the other methods.

Disadvantage of mercury injection method:

1) Core can no longer be used for other tests after mercury injection.
2) The method also cannot be used to determine the irreducible wetting phase saturation.
3) Mercury vapor is toxic, so strict safety precautions must be followed when using
mercury.

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