MX2013000464A - Water sensitive porous medium to control downhole water production and method therefor. - Google Patents

Abstract

Water production produced from a subterranean formation is inhibited or controlled by consolidated water sensitive porous medium (WSPM) packed within the flow path of the wellbore device container. The WSPM includes solid particles having a water hydrolyzable polymer at least partially coating the particles. The WSPM is packed under pressure within the flow path of the wellbore device container to consolidate it. The WSPM increases resistance to flow as water content increases in the fluid flowing through the flow path and decreases resistance to flow as water content decreases in the fluid flowing through the flow path.

Description

POROUS SENSITIVE MEDIUM WATER TO CONTROL WATER PRODUCTION IN THE WELL OF A WELL AND THE METHOD FOR THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and methods for controlling the production of fluids through a device in a sounding and methods for constructing the apparatus, and more particularly relates, in a non-limiting mode, to an apparatus and the methods to inhibit and control the flow of water through a sounding from underground formations during operations to recover hydrocarbons and methods to build the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hydrocarbons such as oil and gas are recovered from an underground formation by using a drilled hole in the formation. The production of unwanted water is a major problem to maximize the potential hydrocarbon production of an underground well. Huge costs can be incurred from the separation and disposal of large quantities of produced water, inhibiting the corrosion of tubulars in contact with water, replacing corroded tubular equipment at the bottom of the well, and maintaining surface equipment. Closing, preventing and controlling the production of unwanted water is a necessary condition to maintain a production field.

Oil and gas wells are typically completed by placing a tubing along the borehole and drilling the adjacent tubing of each production zone to extract formation fluids (such as hydrocarbons) in the borehole. These production zones are sometimes separated or isolated from each other by installing a shutter between the production zones. The fluid coming from each production zone that enters the borehole is extracted in a pipe that runs towards the surface. It is convenient to have a practically uniform drainage throughout the production area. Irregular drainage can result in undesirable conditions such as a gas stopper or an invasive water plug. In the case of a well for oil production, for example, a gas cap can cause an influx of gas into the well that could significantly reduce oil production. Similarly, a water plug can cause an influx of water into the flow of oil production that reduces the quantity and quality of the oil produced.

Accordingly, it is desired to provide uniform drainage through a production zone and / or the ability to selectively close or reduce inflow into the production zones by experiencing an undesirable inflow of water and / or gas. In other words, additionally, it might be convenient to discover an apparatus and a method that could improve the control of unwanted water production from sub-surface formations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a non-limiting embodiment, a probing device is provided to control the flow of a fluid through a flow path therein. The probing device includes a container comprising a flow path and a consolidated water-sensitive porous medium (WSPM) packaged within the flow path of the container with the probing device. In turn, the WSPM includes "solid particles and at least one hydrolysable polymer in water coated at least partially on the solid particles.

In a non-restrictive version, a method for constructing a probing device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a flow path in the probing device is further provided, wherein the method involves mixing solid particles with at least one hydrolysable polymer. in water in the presence of a fluid that can be water or brine to provide a mixture. The method further includes dehydrating the mixture at least partially. Additionally, the method involves packing the dehydrated mixture at least partially in the flow path of the probe device vessel to form a consolidated water sensitive porous medium (WSPM).

In another non-limiting manner a method is also provided for controlling the flow of a fluid through a flow path in a sounding device in a sounding. The method involves flowing the fluid through the flow path in the probing device and controlling a resistance to flow of the fluid through the flow path therethrough: the resistance to flow increases as the content of the fluid increases. water of the fluid, and the resistance to flow decreases as the water content of the fluid decreases. The sounding device used includes a container (which may be co-extensive therewith) comprising the flow path and a consolidated water-sensitive porous medium (WSPM) packaged within the flow path of the vessel in the borehole device. . In turn, the WSPM includes solid particles and at least one hydrolysable polymer in water coated at least partially on the solid particles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the water-sensitive porous medium (SPM) installed within a borehole to control the production of water; Figures 2A and 2B are schematic illustrations of different water cuts that generate different flow resistance when flowing through a WSPM as a result of the different degrees of polymer chain activation (expansion); ' Figure 3 is a graph of the pressure differential of WSPM (degraded VF-1 copolymer coated on a 20-60 mesh HSP® consolidator (850-250 microns)) at 93 ° C (200 ° F) with diesel and brine simulated training (SFB); Figure 4 is a graph of a response to pressure drop for different water cutting fluids flowing through WSPM at 93 ° C (20 ° F); Figure 5 is a photomicrograph of a 20/40 mesh HSP ceramic consolidator (850/425 microns) before polymer coating; Y Figure 6 is a photomicrograph of a 20/40 mesh (850/425 micron) HSP ceramic consolidant after polymer coating.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A method for filling a water-sensitive porous media (WSPM) has been discovered to control the production of water at the bottom of a well through a flow path in a sounding device installed within a sounding. WSPM can be constructed of water-soluble, high-molecular-weight polymers, or water-hydrolysable polymers that are coated on solid particles, such as sand, glass beads, and ceramic consolidants. The coated particles are packaged under high pressure to form a homogeneous and high porosity consolidated porous medium within a vessel of a probing device. The container and the probing device can be separate structures, where the container is part of the probing device, or the container and probing device can be the same or co-extensive. After the polymers are fully hydrolyzed in water or brine, the polymers can optionally be degraded with crosslinking agents. The solid particles can be mixed with the polymer solution, for example in a combinator or mixer, at a particular ratio.

As a combiner or mixer is being stirred continuously, the mixture of solid particles and the polymer solution, blowing with ambient air, hot air, nitrogen, or vacuum is applied to the mixture to dehydrate at least partially or totally the polymer . The particles coated with the polymer are loaded into a container for packing in the porous medium consolidated at high pressure. The packaged container, as part of a tool at the bottom of the well, is installed in a borehole. When the water in formation is flowed through the WSPM interstitial flow channels, the coated polymers extend their polymer chains in the pore flow channels, resulting in increased fluid flow resistance. Conversely, when oil flows through the WSPM, the polymer chains contract to open the wider flow channels for the desired flow of oil. This process has shown that it can be repeated and reversed as the water / oil fluid composition varies.

When the water mixed with oil flows through the WSPM, the magnitude of the pressure drop across the flow channels depends on the percentage of water in the mixture (water / oil ratio, or WOR). Higher water cuts result in higher resulting pressure drops. As will be analyzed, laboratory test data has confirmed that pressure drops through WSPM change with the percentage of water in the fluid flow.

More specifically, the production of water in an undesired underground formation can be prevented, controlled or inhibited by a method involving the treatment of particles with high molecular weight polymers, hydrolysable in water, and by incorporating the particles in a sensitive porous medium. to water (WSPM) in a sounding device placed inside the sounding. The polymer-coated particles are introduced into a vessel of a high-pressure sounding device to form a consolidated WSPM in the device prior to its introduction to the bottom of the well.

In general, polymers of relatively high molecular weight that have components or functional groups that anchor, bond or bond to the surface of the solid particles. The polymers are hydrophilic and / or hydrolysable which means that they increase in volume or expand in physical size in contact with water. The average particle size of the particles can vary from about 10 mesh to about 100 mesh (between about 2,000 microns to about 150 microns). Alternatively, the average particle size of the particles can vary from about 20 mesh independently up to about 60 mesh (between about 840 microns to about 250 microns), where the term "independently" means that any lower threshold can be combined with any higher threshold . Thus, it should be understood that the solid particles that serve as a substrate for the hydrolysable polymer in water are relatively small, particulate matter, although they should not be confused with atomic particles or subatomic particles.

The particles can have any wide variety of solid particle material; Suitable materials include, but are not necessarily limited to, sand, glass beads, ceramic beads, metal beads, bauxite grains, walnut shell fragments, aluminum pellets, nylon pellets and combinations thereof, including consolidants conventional and gravel, and, including consolidators and gravel for materials that will be developed. Consolidants are known in the oilfield as dimensioned particles typically mixed with fracturing fluids to maintain open fractures after a hydraulic fracturing treatment. The consolidants are classified by size and sphericity to provide an effective conduit for the production of oil and / or gas from the deposit for the survey. "Gravel" has a particular significance in the oilfield with respect to particles of a specific size or a specific size variation that are placed within a sieve that is placed in the borehole and the surrounding ring. The size of the gravel is selected to avoid the passage of sand from the formation through the gravel filter.

In addition, the solid particles, for example consolidants or gravel, can suitably be a variety of materials including, but are not limited to, sand (the most common component of which is silica, ie, silicon dioxide, SIO2) , glass beads, ceramic beads, metal beads, bauxite grains, nutshell fragments, aluminum granules, nylon granules and combinations thereof.

The particles can be coated by a method that involves at least partially hydrolyzing the polymer in a liquid including but not necessarily limited to water, brine, glycol, ethanol and mixtures thereof. The particles are then thoroughly mixed or brought into contact with the liquid containing the polymer so that it comes into contact with the surface from the particles with the polymer. The liquid is then vaporized at least partially or evaporated through vacuum, or the use of heat and / or in contact with a gas to dehydrate such as air, nitrogen or the like. The coating method can be conducted at a temperature between ambient to approximately 93 ° C (approximately 200 ° F), to facilitate rapid dehydration of the coating. In some embodiments it may not be necessary to completely dehydrate the coating.

The loading of the polymers can be a ratio of the weight of the solid particles to the weight of the hydrolysable polymer in dehydrated water ranging from about 10,000: 1 to about 10: 1; varying alternately from about 500: 1 independently to about 25: 1. The solid particles must be at least partially coated by the polymer, that is, while it is convenient to completely coat the solid particles with the polymer, the method and the apparatus can still be considered successful if the particles are at least partially coated to the extent that the SPM function effectively for the purposes observed herein.

The high pressure used to pack the particles coated with the hydrolysable polymer in water in the probe device vessel through which the flow path exists may vary from about 0.3 to about 13.8 MPa (about 50 to about 2000 psi), alternatively between about 0.7 to about 6.9 MPa (about 100 independently up to about 1000 psi).

The WSPM placed in the borehole will control the formation of unwanted water that flows through the borehole while not adversely affecting the flow of oil and gas. When water flows in the WSPM, the polymers anchored in the solid particles expand to reduce the water flow channel and increase the resistance to water flow. It can be understood that the polymers interact chemically, ionically or mechanically with a component of the formation fluids produced or in influx, for example, water molecules. This desired response can be described differently as resistance, permeability, impedance, etc., where the flow of hydrocarbons (for example, oil and gas) is convenient, but water flow is not. This interaction varies the resistance to flow through the flow path of the probing device. When the oil and / or gas flows through this special porous medium, the polymers retract to open the flow channel for the flow of oil and / or gas. The pre-treated particles, (for example, the consolidants) are expected to form homogeneous porous media with the polymer uniformly distributed in the media to increase the efficiency of the polymer that controls the production of unwanted water.

In more detail, suitable water hydrolysable polymers include those having a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000. The most suitable specific examples of water-hydrolysable polymers include, but are not necessarily limited to, acrylamide homopolymers and copolymers, sulfonated or quaternized homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, polyvinyl alcohols, polysiloxanes, hydrophilic natural rubber polymers and chemically modified derivatives of the same. Degraded versions of these polymers may also be suitable, including, but not necessarily limited to, degraded acrylamide homopolymers and copolymers, degraded or sulfonated homopolymers and copolymers degraded from acrylamide, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, crosslinked polysiloxanes, degraded hydrophilic natural rubber polymers and chemically modified derivatives thereof. Additional specific examples of suitable water-hydrolysable polymers include, but are not necessarily limited to: copolymers having a hydrophilic monomer unit, wherein the hydrophilic monomer unit is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali metal salt of acrylamido-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), a first monomeric anchoring unit based on N-vinylformamide and a monomeric unit of filler material, wherein the monomer unit of filled material is selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and methylacrylamide. Additional suitable water hydrolysable polymers include, although not necessarily limited to, copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers containing ammonium or quaternary ammonium portions, copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers comprising vinyl-caboxylic acid monomers and / or vinylsulfonic acid monomers, and salts thereof , and the copolymers mentioned above, further comprising a crosslinking monomer selected from the group consisting of bis-acrylamide, diallylamine, N, N-diallylacrylamide, divinyloxy-ethane, divinyldimethylsilane.

In an optional embodiment, when the polymers are totally or essentially completely hydrolyzed, they can be degraded to increase their molecular weight. Suitable crosslinking agents include, but are not necessarily limited to: aluminum, boron, chromium, zirconium, titanium, and other crosslinking agents of inorganic base and organic base and other conventional crosslinking agents.

These polymers are sometimes referred to as relative permeability modifiers (RP) and more information about the RPMs suitable for use in the method and compositions described herein can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,735,349; 6,228,812; 7,008,908; 7,207,386 and 7,398,825.

In figure 1, there is shown a schematic illustration of an oil well 10 having a bore 12, which appears vertical in part and horizontal in part, in an underground formation 14 containing both oil and water. The water-sensitive porous medium (WSPM) within the probing devices 16 has been installed at four locations between the shutters 18 along the horizontal section of the probe 12 to control the production of water. The flow of oil from the formation 14 in the bore 12 is indicated schematically by black arrows 20, while the water flow is indicated schematically by gray arrows 22. The flow of oil 20 is inhibited by the WSPM due to the lack of resistance of the unhydrolyzed polymer, while the water flow is measured by the increased resistance of the hydrolyzed polymer, as indicated by the lower water flow in the small gray arrows 24.

In Figure 2, there is shown a schematic illustration of different water cuts that generate different flow resistance when flowing through a WSPM 16 as a result of the different degrees of activation of the polymer chain (expansion). As discussed above, WSPM 16 includes solid particles 30 having water hydrolysable polymers 32 at least partially coated thereon or adhered thereto. Water droplets are schematically represented by gray circles 34 and oil droplets are schematically represented by black circles 36. Figure 2A schematically illustrates WSPM 16 where a 25% water cut flows in the direction shown (from left to right). right), where the relatively low amount of water droplets 34 causes a relatively small amount of the polymer 32 to swell, to large or hydrolyze the resistance to flow. Figure 2B schematically illustrates the WSPM 16 where a greater water cut of 50% flows in the direction shown (from left to right), where the relatively equal amount of water drops 34 as compared to the oil drops 36 causes a relatively greater amount of the polymer 32 is swollen, enlarged or hydrolyzed by further increasing the resistance to flow, as compared to Figure 2A.

The invention will now be illustrated with respect to certain examples which are not intended to limit the invention in any way, but simply to further illustrate certain specific embodiments.

EXAMPLES Figure 5 is a microphotograph of a HSP® ceramic consolidator with 20/40 mesh (850/425 microns) before coating with the polymer. The HSP consolidator is available from Carbo Ceramics. Figure 6 is a microphotograph of the same ceramic HSP 20/40 mesh (850/425 micron) consolidant after polymer coating. It can be seen that each consolidating particle in Figure 6 is fully coated and bonded by the polymer using the coating method described.

A non-limiting packing procedure for filling a WSPM as a water-sensitive flow channel (MSCS) is set forth in Table I. The procedure involves packing polymer-coated consolidants into a long 2.5 cm (1 inch) stainless steel tube. ID and 30 cm (12 inches) with both capacetes forming a uniform porous medium.

TABLE I Packing procedure 1) The stainless steel tube (container, simulating a sounding device) is fixed on one end with a shell; a stainless sieve of 100 mesh (150 microns) is laid inside the cap to contain the polymer-coated consolidants; 2) the stainless steel tube is placed in a compressor with the edge open; 3) One teaspoon of polymer-coated consolidants (approximately 5 grams) is loaded into the tube, and a 2.5 cm (0.97 inch) ID and 45.7 cm (18 inches) long alumina rod is placed against the consolidants within the tube; 4) a 544.31 kg (1,200 lb.) force from a compressor is loaded on the alumina rod to compress the polymer-coated consolidants into a consolidated porous medium; 5) steps 3) and 4) are repeated until the length of the porous medium reaches the desired length of the porous medium; 6) another 100 mesh stainless sieve (150 microns) is fixed to the upper part of the stainless steel tube; 7) stainless steel separators are added to the tube if there is any open space inside the tube; Y 8) The upper cap fits tightly and the tube is ready for testing.

Figure 3 is a graph of the pressure differential of the degraded VF-1 copolymer coated on the HSP 20-60 mesh (850-250 microns) at 93 ° C (200 ° F) with diesel and simulated formation brine ( SFB). VF-1 is a degraded copolymer of vinylamide-vinylsulfonate. The HSP consolidants were coated with the VF-1 polymer as described above. The polymer loading was 0.4% of body weight (by weight) of the weight of the consolidant. Figure 3 is a response test graph showing that the pressure differential of the WSPM of the polymer-coated consolidator placed inside a stainless steel tube 30 cm long, 2.5 cm ID (approximately 12 inches long by approximately 1 inch ID) changes when it is pumped with oil (diesel in this example) in relation to the pumping with water in formation (simulated formation brine or SFB) that flows through the filter. This graph shows that the filter exhibits high flow resistance for water and low resistance to flow, for oil.

Figure 4 is a graph of the pressure drop response for different water cutting fluids flowing through a WSPM at 93 ° C (200 ° F). The fluids were combinations of brine and diesel. With increasing amounts of water (higher percentage of water cut), the greater the pressure drop. The WSPM was made of VF-1 ceramic consolidators of 50-60 mesh (297 to 250 microns) coated with 0.4% polymer loading. In Figure 4 the different water cuts are marked.

In the above specification, the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments thereof, and has been shown to be effective in providing methods for inhibiting and controlling the flow of water through probes, in particular probing devices having trajectories of flow containing solid particles coated with a hydrolysable polymer in water. However, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broad scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the specification should be interpreted in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive one. For example, specific combinations of solid particles, water-hydrolysable polymers, probing devices and other components that fall within the claimed parameters, although not specifically identified or tested in a particular composition or method, are expected to be within the scope of the invention. of this invention. Furthermore, it is expected that the components and proportions of the solid particles and polymers and construction steps of the probing devices may change to some degree from the probing device to another and still carry out the stated purposes and objectives of the methods described in the present. For example, assembly methods may use different pressures and additional steps or different from those exemplified herein.

The words "comprising" and "comprises" in the sense in which they are used throughout the claims are construed as "including, but not limited to." The present invention may suitably comprise, consist or consist essentially of the described elements and may be practiced in the absence of an element not described. For example, a probing device for controlling fluid flow through a flow path may consist or consist essentially of a container comprising a flow path and a consolidated water-sensitive porous medium (WSPM) packaged within the path of flow of the container with the probing device, where the WSPM consists or consists essentially of solid particles and at least one hydrolysable polymer in water coated at least partially on the solid particles.

Claims (17)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property CLAIMS:

1. A probing device for controlling a flow of a fluid through a flow path therein, the probing device characterized in that it comprises: a container comprising the flow path; Y a consolidated water-sensitive porous medium (WSPM) packaged within the flow path of the vessel, the WSPM comprising: solid particles, and at least one hydrolysable polymer in water coated at least partially on the solid particles.

2. The probing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the average particle size of the solid particles varies between 10 to 100 mesh (2000 to 150 microns).

3. The probing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the WSPM is packed inside the vessel at a pressure ranging from 0.3 to 13.8 MPa (50 to 2000 psi).

4. The probing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the weight ratio of the solid particles to the weight of the hydrolysable polymer in dehydrated water varies from 10,000: 1 to 10: 1.

5. The probing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the polymer hydrolysable in water is degraded.

6. The probing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the polymer hydrolysable in water has a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000 and is selected from the group consisting of: homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulfonated or quaternized copolymer homopolymers of acrylamide, polyvinyl alcohols, polysiloxanes, hydrophilic natural rubber polymers and chemically modified derivatives thereof; degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulfonated or quaternized degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, crosslinked polysiloxanes, degraded polymers of hydrophilic natural rubber and chemically modified derivatives thereof; copolymers having a hydrophilic monomer unit, wherein the hydrophilic monomer unit is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali metal salt of acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid, a first monomeric anchoring unit based on N-vinylformamide and a monomer unit with filler , wherein the monomer unit with filler material is selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and methylacrylamide, and copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers containing ammonium or quaternary ammonium fractions, copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers comprising vinylcarboxylic acid monomers and / or vinylsulfonic acid monomers, and salts thereof, and these copolymers comprising a monomer crosslinker selected from the group consisting of bis-acrylamide, diallylamine, N, N-diallylacrylamide, divinyloxyethane, divinyldimethylsilane; Y wherein the solid particles comprise sand, glass beads, ceramic beads, metal beads, bauxite grains, walnut shell fragments, aluminum granules, nylon granules and combinations thereof.

7. A method for constructing a probing device for controlling a flow of a fluid through a flow path in the probing device, the method characterized in that it comprises: mixing the solid particles with at least one hydrolysable polymer in water in the presence of a fluid selected from the group consisting of water and brine to provide a mixture; dehydrate at least partially the mixture; packing the dehydrated mixture at least partially in the flow path of a probe device vessel to form a consolidated water sensitive porous medium (WSP).

8. The method according to claim 7, further characterized in that it comprises: mixing the solid particles with the hydrolysable polymer in water, the mixing is carried out in the presence of an amount of water effective to fully hydrolyze the hydrolysable polymer in water, and degrading the hydrolysable polymer in water with at least one crosslinking agent.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the average particle size of the solid particles varies from 10 mesh to 100 mesh (2000 to 150 microns).

10. The method according to claim 7? 8, where the SPM is packed into the vessel in the probing device at a pressure ranging from 0.3 to 13.8 MPa (50 to 2000 psi).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the weight ratio of the solid particles to the weight of the hydrolysable polymer in dehydrated water varies from 10,000: 1 to 10: 1.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the polymer hydrolysable in water has a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000 and is selected from the group consisting of: homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulphonated or quaternized homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, polyvinyl alcohols, polysiloxanes, hydrophilic natural rubber polymers and chemically modified derivatives thereof; degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulfonated or quaternized degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, crosslinked polysiloxanes, degraded hydrophilic polymers of natural rubber and chemically modified derivatives thereof; copolymers having a hydrophilic monomer unit, wherein the hydrophilic monomer unit is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali metal salt of acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid, a first monomeric anchoring unit based on N-vinylformamide and a monomer unit with filler , wherein the monomer unit with filler material is selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and methylacrylamide, and copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers containing portions of ammonium or quaternary ammonium, copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers comprising vinylcarboxylic acid monomers and / or vinylsulfonic acid monomers, and salts thereof, and these copolymers comprise a selected crosslinking monomer of the group consisting of bis-acrylamide, diallylamine, N, N-diallylacrylamide, divinyl-oxyethane, divinyldimethylsilane; and wherein the solid particles comprise sand, glass beads, ceramic beads, metal beads, bauxite grains, walnut shell fragments, aluminum pellets, nylon pellets and combinations thereof.

13. A method for controlling a flow of a fluid through a flow path in a device within a sounding, the method characterized in that it comprises: flowing the fluid through the flow path in the probing device, and control a resistance to flow of the fluid through the flow path by which: the resistance to flow increases as the water content of the fluid increases, and the resistance to flow decreases as the water content of the fluid decreases; The probing device comprises: a container comprising the flow path; Y a consolidated water-sensitive porous medium (SPM) packaged within the flow path of the container, the WSPM comprises: solid particles, and at least one hydrolysable polymer in water coated at least partially on the solid particles.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the average particle size of the solid particles varies from 10 mesh to 100 mesh (2000 to 150 microns).

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the WSPM is packed inside the vessel with the probing device at a pressure ranging from 0.3 to 13.8 MPa (50 to 2000 psi).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the weight ratio of the solid particles to the weight of the hydrolysable polymer in dehydrated water ranges from 10,000: 1 to 10: 1.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the hydrolysable polymer in water has a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000 and is selected from the group consisting of: homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulphonated or quaternized homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, polyvinyl alcohols, polysiloxanes, hydrophilic natural rubber polymers and chemically modified derivatives thereof; degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, sulfonated or quaternized degraded homopolymers and copolymers of acrylamide, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, crosslinked polysiloxanes, degraded hydrophilic polymers of natural rubber and chemically modified derivatives thereof; copolymers having a hydrophilic monomer unit, wherein the hydrophilic monomer unit is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and alkali metal salt of acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid, a first monomeric anchoring unit based on N-vinylformamide and a monomer unit with filler , wherein the monomer unit with filler material is selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and methylacrylamide, and copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers containing portions of ammonium or quaternary ammonium, copolymers of vinylamide monomers and monomers comprising vinylcarboxylic acid monomers and / or vinylsulfonic acid monomers, and salts thereof, and these copolymers comprise a selected crosslinking monomer of the group consisting of bis-acrylamide, diallylamine, N, N-diallylacrylamide, divinyl-oxyethane, divinyldimethylsilane; and wherein the solid particles comprise sand, glass beads, ceramic beads, metal beads, bauxite grains, walnut shell fragments, aluminum pellets, nylon pellets and combinations thereof.