Petroleum literature contains several symbols for water saturation; Swi, Swc, Swir.
Care must be taken to ensure correct interpretation of the symbol. The following definitions should help.
1) Swir -irreducible water saturation, below which water cannot flow.
2) Swc -connate water saturation existing on discovery of the reservoir. It may or may not be irreducible. Be careful!
3) Swi -may mean irreducible, connate, or interstitial, which means saturation among the interstices, or pores. Interstitial may or may not signify irreducible. It may be the value on discovery of the reservoir, or the value at any time thereafter. Swi may also mean initial or original, which truly means the water saturation on discovery, but it may or may not be irreducible.