Patent · US Expired

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

US7092822B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 14, 2003
Grant dateAug 15, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2015/0873
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.