Novel and Improved Methods of Permeability Det.DOC

Novel methods of permeability prediction from NMR tool data S.R. Ogilvie1*, S. Cuddy1,2, C. Lindsay2 and A. Hurst1. 1. Department of Geology Petroleum Geology, Meston Building, Kings College, AB24 3UE, Aberdeen, U.K. 2. Helix-RDS Ltd, Westhill, Aberdeen, U.K. * Current address: Statoil ASA, Arkitekt Ebbellsvei 10, Rotvoll, N-7005 Trondheim, Norway. Permeability governs the movement of fluids through pore networks of porous media. Applications include enhancement of hydrocarbon recovery, management of water resources, improved geothermal energy strategies and the safe design of toxic and radioactive waste repositories. It is an elusive parameter in hydrocarbon reservoirs as it is very difficult, if not impossible, to determine directly using current sub-surface logging technology. It is a complex interplay of porosity, pore connectivity, grain packing, grain size, rock electrical properties and rock diagenesis. From these data, empirical equations are popularly used in the oil industry to calculate permeability. Nelson (1994) suitably divided these into (i) surface area (e.g., Coates et al. 1991), (ii) pore size (e.g., Kozeny-Carmen; Swanson, 1981) and (iii) grain size (e.g., Berg 1970; Van Baaren 1979) models. The popular Kozeny-Carmen model has been modified many times since the 1930s but the working equation is, (1) where, c = constant, d = median grain size (μm), ( = porosity. From mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) data, Swanson (1981) created a relation based on 319 cleaned sandstone and carbonate samples from 74 formations, KS=339 (Shg/P)apex1.691 (2) where, (Shg/P) is the value of the mercury saturation divided by the pressure that corresponds to the apex of the mercury saturation divided by pressure against pressure. The scatter in cross-plotting permeability and porosity is primarily a result of variable grain siz