EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON 3-PHASE WATER-OIL-GAS RELATIVE PERMEABILITIES OF UNCONSOLIDATED SAND

The objective of this paper is to evaluate experimentally the effect o f temperature on the three-phase brine-oil-gas relative permeabilities of an unconsolidated sand system. Two and three-phase relative permea bilities have been measured at 75 degrees C and 125 degrees C. The exp eriments were performed under steady-state conditions. These measureme nts were conducted in Ottawa sand using a clean mineral oil, 1% brine and nitrogen gas. The measured relative permeabilities showed no signi ficant temperature effect. The three-phase brine relative permeability was found to be a function of brine saturation alone. The three-phase gas relative permeability was always lower than the two-phase values. This is consistent with some of the previously published results. The oil relative permeability was found to vary with the saturations of t he other fluids. Oil isoperms were concave towards the oil apex. Final ly, oil relative permeabilities were compared with predictions obtaine d using modifications of Stone's Methods I and II. The prediction of S tone I was good for both temperatures. But Stone II predictions were c onsistently lower than the experimental values.