Abstract
We present new three-phase capillary pressure correlations that could be employed to model the dynamics of three-phase transition zones in mixed-wet reservoirs. The capillary pressures are expressed as a sum of two terms. One term is a function of a decreasing saturation and the other term a function of an increasing saturation. Thus the correlations depend on the type of displacement process, i.e., the direction of saturation change. The two-saturation dependency, together with the inclusion of adjustable parameters, ensures that the correlations account for different wettability conditions, saturation histories, and different relationships between the three capillary pressures.
The correlations are compatible with a smooth transition between two- and three-phase flow if one of the phases appears or disappears. In particular, if the gas saturation becomes zero, it is shown that the correlations are reduced to a previously published two-phase correlation validated for oil/water systems in mixed-wet rock.
Capillary pressure curves for various conditions, computed using a previously developed bundle-of-triangular-tubes model, are compared with the correlations, and the match is excellent in all cases. Finally, the correlations are validated experimentally by centrifuge measurements performed on water-wet cores.
