Characterizing Disproportionate Permeability Reduction Using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography

Abstract

Summary X-ray computed microtomography was used to investigate why gels reduce permeability to water more than that to oil in strongly water-wet Berea sandstone and in an oil-wet porous polyethylene core. Although the two porous media had very different porosities (22% vs. 40%), the distributions of pore sizes and aspect ratios were similar. A Cr(III)-acetate-HPAM gel caused comparable oil and water permeability reductions in both porous media. In both cores, the gel reduced permeability to water by a factor 80 to 90 times more than that to oil. However, the distributions of water and oil saturations (vs. pore size) were substantially different before, during, and after gel placement. This paper examines the mechanism for the disproportionate permeability reduction in the two porous media.