Abstract: A porous rock is saturated with a first fluid and electrical resistivity is measured along its length. A second fluid, immiscible with the first fluid, is injected into the porous rock at a first flow rate. This injection continues until displacement of the first fluid from the porous rock ceases and the pressure drop along the porous rock becomes constant, indicating a first residual fluid saturation equilibrium. The foregoing is repeated for a plurality of increasing second fluid injection flow rates to effect electrical resistivity measurements at decreasing residual fluid saturation equilibriums. The method may then be repeated substituting the second fluid for the first and vice versa to perform an imbibition experiment.

Abstract: A water-saturated core sample of a porous rock is placed in a sleeve which a hydrophobic membrane in one end and a hydrophilic membrane in a second end. A pressurized hydrocarbon is injected into the core sample through the hydrophobic membrane to displace the water in the core sample whereby it drains through the hydrophilic membrane into a collector. Upon a depressurization of the injected hydrocarbon below the displacement pressure of the hydrophilic membrane, the water imbibes back into the core sample through the hydrophilic membrane. Upon a pressurization of the imbibing water above atmospheric pressure the water displaces the hydrocarbon from the core sample through the hydrophobic membrane.

Abstract: A core sample of a porous rock having a wettability representative of a subterranean formation is saturated with a first medium. This first medium is then displaced with an immiscible second medium. Capillary pressure versus wetting phase saturation is measured during the displacement of the first medium with the second medium within the core sample. Mercury is injected into an evacuated core sample of the porous rock, mercury vapor acting as a wetting phase on the porous rock. Capillary pressure versus wetting phase saturation is measured during mercury injection on the evacuated core sample. The ratio of the two capillary pressure versus wetting phase saturation measurements is determined and taken to be an indicator of the wettability of different size pore throats in the porous rock.

Abstract: A core sample from a subterranean formation is shaped to provide a plurality of parallel, planar outer surfaces. Electrical resistivity is measured in each of the azimuthal directions through the core sample which are perpendicular to each of the pairs of parallel, planar outer surfaces for each of a plurality of differing fluid saturations within the core sample. A logarithmic plot is made of measured resistivity versus water saturation for each of the azimuthal directions through the core sample for which resistivity was measured. If the same logarithmic plot is obtained for all measured azimuthal directions, the core sample is identified as being electrically isotropic. If different logarithmic plots are obtained for at least 2 azimuthal directions the core sample is identified as being electrically anisotropic.

Abstract: A surfactant waterflooding process for the recovery of oil from subterranean oil reservoirs in which a water-soluble polyalkylene oxide is employed as a sacrificial agent in order to retard adsorption of the surfactant. An aqueous pretreatment slug is injected which contains a water-soluble polyalkylene oxide sacrificial agent having a molecular weight of at least 1200. Thereafter an aqueous slug containing a surfactant exhibiting a lower molecular weight than that of the polyalkylene oxide sacrificial agent is injected. The surfactant slug may also contain a polyalkylene oxide sacrificial agent as described above. In this case, concentration of sacrificial agent in the surfactant slug normally is lower than the concentration in the pretreatment slug.