DETERMINACIÓN DE PERMEABILIDAD A PARTIR DE POROSIDAD APLICANDO ECUACIONES BASADAS EN TEORÍA FRACTAL EN POZOS DEL LAGO DE MARACAIBO (VENEZUELA) Y CAMPO TEAPOT DOME (ESTADOS UNIDOS).

Permeability values were obtained using core and log porosity data from three oil wells (two in the Maracaibo Lake and one in the Teapot Dome Field), adapting a general expression proposed by Pape et al. (1999) that connects permeability with the pore space geometry using Fractal Theory. The results indicate a single fractal behavior along the whole porosity range for one of the Maracaibo Lake wells. Two ranges of fractal behavior, separated by a porosity of 8% were identified in the rest of the wells. The empirical curves of capillarity obtained for these wells support such behavior which could be associated to the variation in the mineral content of the shale group in each case. This is also consistent with the existence of two ranges of pore aperture radii. By using fractal equations fitted to each range, it is possible to infer permeability values with an error lower than 10%. The comparison with the results derived from some empirical models employed to calculate permeability indicates a better inference when fractal equations are used. The scope of these equations and the method itself was checked by applying the empirical equations obtained for one of the Maracaibo Lake wells to calculate permeability at the Teapot Dome well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]