Characterizing Average Permeability in Oil and Gas Formations Conference Paper

Summary Permeability in a formation frequently follows a unimodal probability distribution. In many formations, particularly sedimentary ones, the permeability distribution is similar to the log-normal distribution. Theoretical considerations, field cases, and a reservoir simulation example show that the median, rather than the arithmetic mean, is the appropriate measure of central tendency or average value of the permeability distribution in a formation. Use of the correct estimate of average permeability is of particular importance in the classification of tight gas formations under statutes in the 1978 Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA).

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