Mobility Recovery
Methods for Determining Inputs to Environmental Petroleum Hydrocarbon Mobility and Recovery Models
API Publication 4711
This manual describes methods used to obtain input parameters for models that evaluate the mobility and potential recovery of petroleum liquids in unconsolidated granular porous media. These models are valuable tools for improving system design because, unfortunately, the presence of petroleum liquids in a well is not itself a reliable indicator of the feasibility of free-product recovery or the need to continue recovery operations.
The first section of the manual introduces nomenclature and parameters of interest. The second section addresses determination of fluid properties. The third section describes methods for analysis of porous media properties at a laboratory (column) scale. The fourth section addresses measurement of porous media properties at a field scale. Lastly, suggestions for reporting results are presented.