Anisotropic rate-dependent saturation functions for compositional simulation of sandstone composites

Abstract

Determination of representative saturation functions for permeable reservoir sandstones requires consideration of mm-cm scale laminations and crossbedding common in these heterogeneous porous media. Modelling selected laminated sandstones from CO2CRC's Otway International Test Centre in Victoria, Australia as bimodal composites of different rock types, we analyse drainage relative permeability parallel and perpendicular to the laminae for a range of driving gradients. The results from these numeric drainage experiments are curve fit across a continuous range of flow rates between the capillary and viscous limits. Our analysis shows that laminae-related small, but spatially correlated grainsi..