An Innovative Technique for Relative Permeability Estimation of Tight Porous Fractured Limestone Formation- Laboratory and Numerical Simulation Studies

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a new and innovative approach for the estimation of relative permeability of porous fractured carbonate rocks. The presented method differs from previous studies in that the relative permeability estimation for three different systems that exists in fractured rocks is measured. Fracture, matrix, as well as fracture-matrix porous systems are all taking into account with laboratory measurements of relative permeability and capillary pressure. In this study, both steady and un-steady states are used for the estimation of relative permeability in addition to the produced water during drainage flooding. Fracture surface topography is imaged by the use of surface scanning technique to determine the asperities of the surface and their heights. Simulation based on Reynolds equation is considered when developing the mathematical formulation of multiphase flow simulation. The developed mathematical model based on the integration of Darcy, cubic law and Reynolds to account for the variation of different porosity systems. The results simulated numerically are in a good agreement with the laboratory.