Prediction of key points of water-oil relative permeability curves using the linear regression technique

Abstract

Relative permeability is among the most critical parameters in reservoir performance evaluation and EOR projects. It reflects the ease of movement and trapping of different phases and affects the production rate and ultimate recovery from reservoirs. Experimental measurement of relative permeability curves is complicated, costly, time consuming, and the results can easily be influenced by test conditions and interpretation methods. Empirical correlations are alternative approaches that are based on existing experimentally measured relative permeability curves and rock and fluid properties. The authors used 260 relative permeability curves from Iranian carbonate and sandstone reservoirs. Six key points for each set of water-oil relative permeability were determined, which fully characterize these curves. Using linear regression technique, new correlations were proposed to predict these key points. Having this done, it is then easy and straightforward to construct unnormalized/real water-oil relative permeability curves.