Abstract: A method of determining absolute permeability in carbonates without upscaling computations includes performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and a mercury-injection capillary-pressure (MICP) analysis on at least three samples from carbonate rock of a set of representative regions to determine an experimental permeability, where each of the representative regions have properties related to the porosity and pore-throat size of the carbonate rock. A series of low resolution X-ray scans and a series of high resolution X-ray scans are performed on the same three samples of the carbonate rock of the set of representative regions. Permeability simulations are performed on the same three samples of the carbonate rock of the set of representative regions to determine a computed permeability. The experimental permeability and the computed permeability are then compared to provide computationally manageable and reasonable estimates of the absolute permeability of the carbonate rock.

Abstract: A method of determining absolute permeability in carbonates without upscaling computations includes performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and a mercury-injection capillary-pressure analysis on at least three samples from the carbonate rock to determine an experimental permeability. A series of low resolution X-ray scans and a series of high resolution X-ray scans are performed to determine a set of representative regions, wherein each of the representative regions reflects properties related to the porosity and pore-throat size of the carbonate rock. Permeability simulations are performed on the set of representative regions to determine a computed permeability. The experimental permeability and the computed permeability are compared to demonstrate that the set of representative regions provide computationally manageable and reasonable estimates of the permeability of the carbonate rock.