Single-shot methods suitable for determining capillary pressure and
relative permeability curves are proposed. For steady-state gas flow,
with stationary water or oil remaining in a porous rock core and the
outflow boundary condition (capillary pressure is zero) is maintained by
washing the outlet face of the core with the stationary phase, the gas
pressure distribution, P(x), is determined by SPRITE (Single-Point Ramped
Imaging with T.sub.1 Enhancement) MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) spin
density imaging of flowing gas, since the spin density of gas is directly
proportional to the pressure of the gas phase. Water or oil saturation
distribution, S(x), at the present of steady-state flowing gas, is
measured with MRI. The combination of P(x) and S(x) yields a capillary
pressure curve, P.sub.c(S) and relative permeability curve of flowing gas
phase, K.sub.rg(S) can be determined with differential form of Darcy's
law and ideal gas equations for gas flowing at steady-state. Some
embodiments include the steps of providing a porous rock core having a
length, an inlet face, and an outlet face; saturating the porous rock
core with a first fluid; displacing the first fluid by applying a second
fluid to the inlet face of the porous rock core; washing the outlet face
of the porous rock core with said second fluid so as to maintain an
outflow boundary condition; determining that a substantially steady-state
condition has been reached whereat the fluid saturation distribution and
pressure distribution along the length of the core do not substantially
change with time; performing a single-shot measurement of at least one of
a fluid saturation distribution measurement of the porous rock core and a
pressure distribution measurement of the porous rock core; and
determining a property of the porous rock core by using the single-shot
measurement.