An Advanced Special Core Analysis Study for a Middle Eastern Carbonate Field

Abstract

Abstract A novel special core analysis (SCAL) study was conducted utilizing samples from a Middle Eastern Carbonate Reservoir in order to gain insights into flow behavior across stylolitic intervals. This study included relative permeability and capillary pressure measurements performed on individual core plug and core plug composite samples, as well as a unique waterflood experiment on a four-inch diameter whole core composite. All laboratory flow measurements were performed at reservoir conditions of temperature, pressure, and net confining stress. As part of this study, it was demonstrated that wettability restoration remains a significant challenge for carbonate core samples, with implications for coring and core analysis program design and interpretation of historic SCAL data. Core-scale simulation using measured relative permeability and capillary pressure data along with whole core rock properties provides an opportunity to validate laboratory results across laboratory scales and can also serve as an intermediate to mechanistic modeling studies at larger scales. In this paper, the novel technical approach and significant findings for the special core analysis study are presented, with implications for modeling of displacement processes across stylolitic intervals in complex carbonate reservoirs. General recommendations for the design of special core analysis programs are also presented.