Saturations required for hydrocarbon flow

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Traditional definitions

Hydrocarbons flow through a water-wet seal when there is a continuous, interconnected pathway of hydrocarbon-filled pore space. Flow through a seal occurs with saturations of 4.5–17% of the rock pore volume, averaging 10%.[1] This is one reason displacement pressure is defined at 10% saturation.

Possible modifications

Other experiments, including lower porosity rocks, indicate much higher oil saturations of 25–91% may be required.[2] The current assumption that seal capacity is based upon the displacement pressure at only 10% saturation could be very misleading. The value could be two or more orders of magnitude greater than that predicted at 10% saturation.

See also

References

  1. Schowalter, T., T., 1979, Mechanics of secondary hydrocarbon migration and entrapment: AAPG Bulletin, vol. 63, no. 5, p. 723–760.
  2. England, W., A., Mackenzie, A., S., Mann, D., M., Quickley, T., M., 1987, The movement and entrapment of petroleum fluids in the subsurface: Journal of the Geological Society, London, vol. 144, no. 2, p. 327–347.

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Saturations required for hydrocarbon flow