Hysteresis in Relative Permeability from Cyclic Water-Oil Corefloods
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Water injection is a long-standing method for secondary oil recovery, benefiting from favorable water/oilmobility. However, ultimate recovery can be limited by gravity segregation in thick reservoirs, snap-off trapping inwater-wet rocks, and low mobility in viscous oil systems. This study investigates relative permeability hysteresisthrough six cyclic coreflooding experiments WOWO (Water-Oil-Water-Oil) on turbidite sandstones with diverseporosity and permeability. The goal is to derive drainage and imbibition Kr curves under high interfacial tensionconditions, evaluating hysteresis and saturation path effects. Water/oil tests used formation brine and dead oil atreservoir temperature and 10 bar pore pressure. 2D X-ray imaging enabled visualization of fluid fronts and capillaryend-effects. Results revealed phase-dependent hysteresis, as WOWO tests exhibited cycle-dependent hysteresis,leading to fluid trapping, mobility reduction, and deviations in Kr and Pc behavior from conventional simulatormodels.
Authors: Fernandes, Victor, Abdoulghafour, Halidi, Rezaei, Amin, Pairoys, Fabrice, Bourgeois, Marcel, Nono, Franck, Caubit, Cyril
Language: English
Subfield: Ocean Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6968848569
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