Steady-State Tar/Water Relative Permeabilities in Peace River Cores at Elevated Temperature

Abstract

Summary On the basis of Peace River bitumen/brine flow experiments at elevated temperatures, tar relative permeability/saturation relations vary depending on the previous thermal history of the tar. The relative permeability curve for thermally unaltered tar is shifted toward the region of low water saturation, while that for thermally altered tar is closer to the Leverett oil permeability curve for water-wet unconsolidated sands. Oil permeability values for deasphaltcd tar lie at saturations intermediate between those of the thermally altered and unaltered tar.