Institut Francais Du Pe'trole

Gaz De France

Patrick Egermann

Roland Lenormand

Marc Fleury

Daniel Longeron

Mickaele Le Ravalec

Philippe Poulain

Francois Kalaydjian

Amir Soltani

Jean-Marc Lombard

Pierre Bretonnier

Joêlle Behot

Arnaud Templier

Olga Vizika-Kavvadias

Laurent Dallet

François Kalaydjian

Christophe Requin

Elodie Goglin

A method and device is disclosed for evaluating simultaneously, and with the same equipment, the electric resistivity and flow parameters of a porous medium, from experimental measurements obtained from at least one multi-flow type displacement experiment which has application in oil reservoir development. The method continuously measures as a function of time the differential pressure between two ends of a sample, the electric resistivity of the sample and, for each stabilization step, at least two values of a displaced fluid production volume are also measured. A continuous curve of the displaced fluid production volume, from which flow parameters are estimated by means of a numerical flow simulator, is then deduced therefrom.

Method and device for evaluating flow parameters and electric parameters of porous medium

The invention relates to a method having applications for oil exploration and COstorage of determining the three-dimensional distribution of the absolute permeability of a heterogeneous sample. The method includes: determining a 3D porosity map of the sample; carrying out a viscous miscible displacement experiment during which the evolution of the differential pressure on either side of the sample is determined; from this evolution, determining a 1D absolute permeability profile along the sample and constructing a first 3D permeability map from the 3D porosity map; estimating a simulated differential pressure by simulating numerically a viscous miscible test from the first permeability map and from the 1D permeability profile; determining the three-dimensional distribution of the absolute permeability of the sample by modifying at least once the first permeability map so as to minimize the difference between the simulated differential pressure and the differential pressure measured over the course of time.

Method of characterizing the distribution of the absolute permeability of a heterogeneous sample

To perform at least an evaluation of the inlet capillary pressure value of a porous medium. From a displacement experiment on a sample of the medium, a curve of the volume of saturating fluid expelled from the sample as a function of time is drawn. The differential pressure between the inlet face and at least one point located at a distance Li from the inlet face that is greater than the distance between the inlet face and the interface between the two fluids within the sample is then continuously measured as a function of time. At least one motive pressure gradient of the first fluid is thereafter calculated by means of distance Li and of the curve. Finally, at least one value of the inlet capillary pressure is determined by calculating the difference between the differential pressure and the value of the motive pressure gradient of the expelled fluid. The method can be applied notably to production of oil reservoirs for example.

Method for determining the inlet capillary pressure of a porous medium

Method of determining the permeability of an underground medium from NMR logs of the permeability of rock fragments from the medium, based on prior calibration of the permeability resulting from this measurements, from direct measurement on rock fragments, such as cuttings for example. The method mainly comprises measuring permeability (k) from rock fragments, measuring the signal produced by a device allowing NMR analysis of the rock fragments previously saturated with a protonated liquid (brine for example), obtaining optimum values for the parameters of a relation giving the permeability as a function of the NMR signal, and applying this relation to the well zones that have already been subjected to NMR logging but for which no direct permeability measurements are available. One example of one of the applications for the present invention is the evaluation of a hydrocarbon reservoir.

Method of determining the permeability of an underground medium from NMR measurements of the permeability of rock fragments from the medium

A method with application for evaluation or production of a reservoir for determining multiphase flow parameters of a porous medium such as a rock, from the interpretation of displacement experiments. From an injection experiment on a rock sample, the saturation profiles are measured in different sections of the sample. The experimental data are then subjected to a preliminary interpretation by means of a numerical simulation code allowing production of simulated pressure profiles. These profiles are then combined with the measured saturation profiles so as to evaluate the local properties of the sample in terms of capillary pressure. These properties are then re-injected into the simulator as input data so as to finely interpret the flow parameters while respecting the evolutions of the differential pressure, of the displaced fluid production and of the saturation profiles.

Method of determining multiphase flow parameters of a porous medium taking account of the local heterogeneity

Method and device for determining the formation factor of underground zones from drill cuttings. The device comprises a cell () associated with a device for measuring the electrical conductivity of the cell with the content thereof. The cell containing the drill cuttings is filled with a first electrolyte solution (A) of known conductivity (&#x3c3;). After saturation of the drill cuttings by first solution (A), the global electrical conductivity (&#x3c3;*) of the cell with the content thereof is determined. After discharging first solution (A), the cell containing the drill cuttings is filled with a second electrolyte solution (B) of known conductivity (&#x3c3;), and the global electrical conductivity (&#x3c3;*) of the cell containing the second solution and the cuttings saturated with the first solution is determined. The cuttings formation factor (FF) is deduced therefrom by combination of the measurements.

Method for determining of the formation factor for a subterranean deposit from measurements on drilling waste removed therefrom

A method and device evaluate simultaneously, with the same equipment, physical parameters such as the absolute permeability and the porosity of fragments taken from a fragmented natural or artificial porous medium. The porosity of the fragments is measured by means of helium pressure tests according to a protocol known in the art. The chamber () containing the fragments is communicated with a tank () whose volume is also known and containing helium at a known pressure. At pressure balance, the value of the solid volume can be deduced. The rock envelope volume and the fragments mass are also measured. Combining these measurements allows to determine the porosity of the samples and the density of the rock. Their permeability is then measured by immersing them in a viscous fluid and by communicating the chamber with viscous fluid at a determined pressure contained in a vessel () so as to compress the gas trapped in the pores of the rock, according to two different protocols. The values of the physical parameters are determined by modelling the evolution of the pressure or of the volume in the chamber and by means of an iterative adjustment.

Method and device for evaluating physical parameters of an underground deposit from rock cuttings sampled therein

A method of evaluating the capillary pressure curve of rocks of an underground reservoir from measurements on rock debris or fragments such as cuttings from the reservoir, over the total saturation range of these rocks, within a short period and at a low cost, from these measurements is disclosed. The method comprises measuring the permeability k of the debris, measuring the capillary pressure curve Pc as a function of the saturation of these fragments initially saturated with a fluid (brine for example) by subjecting them to centrifugation, and parametrizing a capillary pressure curve Pc satisfying empirical relations depending on adjustable parameters, constrained to adjust to an asymptotic part of the capillary curve measured by centrifugation, and to the value of permeability k measured on the cuttings, so as to obtain the whole of the capillary pressure curve. Applications include hydrocarbon reservoir evaluation.

Method of evaluating the capillary pressure curve of an underground deposit rocks based on rock cuttings measurements

Method and device for evaluating, simultaneously and with a single equipment, physical parameters such as the absolute permeability and the porosity of fragments taken from a fragmented artificial or natural porous medium. The porosity of the fragments is measured by means of pressure tests using helium or any other gas, according to a protocol known in the art. Chamber () in which they are contained is communicated with a tank () of known volume containing helium at a known pressure. At pressure balance, the value of the solid volume can be deduced. The rock envelope volume and the mass in fragments are also measured. The porosity of the samples and the density of the rock are determined by combining these measurements. Their permeability is then measured by immersing them in a liquid and by communicating the chamber with a liquid initially at a predetermined pressure contained in an accumulator () so as to compress the gas trapped in the pores of the rock. The values of the physical parameters are determined by modelling the evolution of the volume of liquid injected in the chamber and by means of an iterative adjustment. Applications: petrophysical measurements from drill cuttings or crushed cores for example.

Method and device for evaluating physical parameters of an underground reservoir from rock cuttings taken therefrom

A modelling method having application to petroleum production, soil cleaning, etc. for optimizing faster and more realistically the displacement conditions, in a porous medium wettable by a first fluid (water for example), of a mixture of fluids including this wetting fluid, another, non-wetting fluid (oil for example) and a gas. The method comprises experimental determination of the variation curve of the capillary pressure in the pores as a function of the saturation in the liquid phases, modelling the pores of the porous medium by means of a distribution of capillaries with a fractal distribution by considering, in the case of a three-phase water (wetting fluid)-oil-gas mixture for example, a stratification of the constituents in the pores, with the water in contact with the walls, the gas in the center and the oil forming an intercalary layer, determination, from this capillary pressure curve, of the fractal dimension values corresponding to a series of given values of the saturation in the liquid phase, modelling the hysteresis effects that modify the mobile saturations of the fluids effectively displaced in the sample, that vary during drainage and imbibition cycles.

Method for modelling fluid displacements in a porous environment taking into account hysteresis effects

A method for faster determination of physical parameters (capillary pressure curves and relative permeabilities for example) of a geologic sample initially saturated with a first fluid placed in a vessel and subjected to centrifugation in the presence of a second fluid. The equilibrium saturations are determined before complete stabilization is reached through analytic modelling involving exponential functions, best adjusting to an effective production curve, for each speed stage. A database, obtained by means of various simulations, is used to obtain the relative permeability curves corresponding to the centrifuged sample. The method can be applied for measurement of petrophysical characteristics.

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Rueil Malmaison, France

Patrick Egermann