The study of relative permeability and residual gas saturation at high pressures and high temperatures

This paper presents the results of laboratory investigation conducted with reservoir rock plugs recovered from the Gas reservoir in the North West Shelf of Western Australia. The experiments were conducted in reservoir conditions (High Pressure (HP= 41.37 MPa) and High Temperature (HT = 433.15 K)). The aim of this study was to determine residual gas saturation and quantify the effect of reservoir conditions (HP/HT) on gas-brine relative permeability. The experimental data have been analysed using relative permeability concept. Both wetting and nonwetting phase relative permeability were generated using explicit methods, i.e, Hasslar and Corey model (Power Model). The power model is then used to match experimental data through modifying the parameters of the Corey correlation. Several core plugs were used by this study representing different reservoir quality rocks in the reservoir. The core plugs were in different dimensions, the short core plugs measured around 5 cm in length while the long core plug measured 19.41 cm. The aim of using longer core plugs was to minimise the effect of capillarity and end-effects on the relative permeability measurements. Since permeability measurement under the test conditions depends on pressure drop across the core plugs.