Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs

Abstract Unconventional reservoirs have unique characteristics such as low porosity, low permeability, complex pore structure, and strong heterogeneity. Conventional gas–water relative permeability curve determination methods no longer apply to unconventional reservoirs. Therefore, this paper clarif...

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Main Authors: Sijie He, Feifei Fang, Kun Song, Xizhe Li, Jie Zhang, Jianqi Cao, Yu Wang, Xiaoliang Huang, Chaoliang Bian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-024-01895-4
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author Sijie He
Feifei Fang
Kun Song
Xizhe Li
Jie Zhang
Jianqi Cao
Yu Wang
Xiaoliang Huang
Chaoliang Bian
author_facet Sijie He
Feifei Fang
Kun Song
Xizhe Li
Jie Zhang
Jianqi Cao
Yu Wang
Xiaoliang Huang
Chaoliang Bian
author_sort Sijie He
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Unconventional reservoirs have unique characteristics such as low porosity, low permeability, complex pore structure, and strong heterogeneity. Conventional gas–water relative permeability curve determination methods no longer apply to unconventional reservoirs. Therefore, this paper clarifies the necessity of accurately obtaining the gas–water relative permeability curve, investigates a variety of direct measurement and indirect calculation methods suitable for unconventional reservoirs proposed by scholars, concludes the advantages, disadvantages and applicability of various methods, and prospects for the future research direction of the gas–water relative permeability curve determination method. The research results show: (1) The gas–water relative permeability curve has broad applications, and its precise measurement is essential for the efficient and economical development of gas reservoirs. (2) Current research on the unsteady-state method in unconventional reservoir applications generally focuses on improving the experimental method by combining the NMR, CT, and DPT techniques or optimizing the JBN method by considering the threshold pressure gradient, stress sensitivity, and gas slippage effect. (3) When experimenting with relative permeability curves in ultra-low permeability core samples is difficult or impossible, the indirect calculation can be used as an alternative to quickly obtaining numerous relative permeability curves. However, most of the relative permeability determination methods proposed by scholars remain at the laboratory stage, and how to apply them to the field is a significant challenge for current research. Future research should accelerate the development and release of standards for determining relative permeability curves in unconventional reservoirs, continuously improve the reliability verification scheme for relative permeability curve indirect calculation methods in unconventional reservoirs, and actively explore the gas–water relative permeability curve determination method based on machine learning.
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spelling doaj-art-41759bf77476429b90e813183d9e1ccc2025-08-20T02:16:40ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology2190-05582190-05662025-02-0115213610.1007/s13202-024-01895-4Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirsSijie He0Feifei Fang1Kun Song2Xizhe Li3Jie Zhang4Jianqi Cao5Yu Wang6Xiaoliang Huang7Chaoliang Bian8School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologySchool of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologyUnconventional Resources Development Company, PetroChina Jilin Oilfield CompanyUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologySchool of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologySchool of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologySchool of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and TechnologyExploration and Development Research Institute of PetroChina Jilin OilfieldAbstract Unconventional reservoirs have unique characteristics such as low porosity, low permeability, complex pore structure, and strong heterogeneity. Conventional gas–water relative permeability curve determination methods no longer apply to unconventional reservoirs. Therefore, this paper clarifies the necessity of accurately obtaining the gas–water relative permeability curve, investigates a variety of direct measurement and indirect calculation methods suitable for unconventional reservoirs proposed by scholars, concludes the advantages, disadvantages and applicability of various methods, and prospects for the future research direction of the gas–water relative permeability curve determination method. The research results show: (1) The gas–water relative permeability curve has broad applications, and its precise measurement is essential for the efficient and economical development of gas reservoirs. (2) Current research on the unsteady-state method in unconventional reservoir applications generally focuses on improving the experimental method by combining the NMR, CT, and DPT techniques or optimizing the JBN method by considering the threshold pressure gradient, stress sensitivity, and gas slippage effect. (3) When experimenting with relative permeability curves in ultra-low permeability core samples is difficult or impossible, the indirect calculation can be used as an alternative to quickly obtaining numerous relative permeability curves. However, most of the relative permeability determination methods proposed by scholars remain at the laboratory stage, and how to apply them to the field is a significant challenge for current research. Future research should accelerate the development and release of standards for determining relative permeability curves in unconventional reservoirs, continuously improve the reliability verification scheme for relative permeability curve indirect calculation methods in unconventional reservoirs, and actively explore the gas–water relative permeability curve determination method based on machine learning.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-024-01895-4Gas–water relative permeability curveUnconventional reservoirsLaboratory measurement methodIndirect calculation method
spellingShingle Sijie He
Feifei Fang
Kun Song
Xizhe Li
Jie Zhang
Jianqi Cao
Yu Wang
Xiaoliang Huang
Chaoliang Bian
Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
Gas–water relative permeability curve
Unconventional reservoirs
Laboratory measurement method
Indirect calculation method
title Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
title_full Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
title_fullStr Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
title_full_unstemmed Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
title_short Research progress on the method of determining gas–water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
title_sort research progress on the method of determining gas water relative permeability curve in unconventional reservoirs
topic Gas–water relative permeability curve
Unconventional reservoirs
Laboratory measurement method
Indirect calculation method
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-024-01895-4
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