The study of relative phase-permeability functions for anisotropic media

Properties of relative phase-permeability functions for different characteristic configurations of a medium with anisotropic filtration properties are studied using the numerical-analytical method. The anisotropy may be related to fracturing created, e.g., as a result of a brittle rupture. Correlations between tensors of the phase and absolute permeabilities are analyzed on the assumption of capillary equilibrium. Examples of relative phase-permeability functions are obtained for media with orthotropic and monoclinic symmetry of filtration properties. The influence of the property of connectivity on the found functions is shown, and the dependence of the position of the principal axes of the phase-permeability tensor on saturation is also investigated. Thereby, the misalignment of the tensors of the phase and absolute permeabilities is shown. The results qualitatively agree with the experimental data.