Factoring in Scale Effect of Core Permeability at Reservoir Simulation Modeling

This paper presents approaches for qualitative and quantitative estimation of the scale effect for the plug (30 mm diameter) and full-diameter (100 mm diameter) core samples based on statistical methods and data analysis including student and Pearson's tests, stepwise regression, correlations, and other statistical approaches. Different methods were used to analyze carbonate cores from Elets reservoirs D3(el1) and D3(el3) located at Lambeyshorskoye field. The analysis has identified the core data scale effect. In the course of the study, a matrix of correction scale factors was constructed for the plug samples to reduce the scale effect. The work results open up the potential for using plug core samples on a par with full--diameter ones for addressing the problems of permeability array refinement for geologic (cells size 100x100 m) and dynamic models (cells size 50x50 or 25x25 m) and upscaling.