TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013

Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
1
Material Balance Equations

To illustrate the simplest possible model we can have for analysis of reservoir behavior, we will start with
derivation of so-called Material Balance Equations. This type of model excludes fluid flow inside the reservoir,
and considers fluid and rock expansion/compression effects only, in addition, of course, to fluid injection and
production. First, let us define the symbols used in the material balance equations:

Symbols used in material balance equations

B
g

Formation volume factor for gas (res.vol./st.vol.)
B
o
Formation volume factor for oil (res.vol./st.vol.)
B
w
Formation volume factor for water (res.vol./st.vol.)
C
r

Pore compressibility (pressure
-1
)
C
w

Water compressibility (pressure
-1
)
!P
P P
2 1
!
G
i

Cumulative gas injected (st.vol.)
G
p

Cumulative gas produced (st.vol.)
m

Initial gas cap size (res.vol. of gas cap)/(res.vol. of oil zone)
N Original oil in place (st.vol.)
N
p

Cumulative oil produced (st.vol.)
P

Pressure
R
p
Cumulative producing gas-oil ratio (st.vol./st.vol) =
G N
p p
/

R
so
Solution gas-oil ratio (st.vol. gas/st.vol. oil)
S
g

Gas saturation
S
o
Oil saturation
S
w
Water saturation
T

Temperature
V
b
Bulk volume (res.vol.)
V
p

Pore volume (res.vol.)
W
e
Cumulative aquifer influx (st.vol.)
W
i
Cumulative water injected (st.vol.)
W
p

Cumulative water produced (st.vol.)
!
Density (mass/vol.)
!
Porosity


Then, the Black Oil fluid phase behavior is illustrated by the following figures:

Fluid phase behavior parameters (Black Oil)

B
o
R
so
P P P P
B
w
B
g



TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013
Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
2
Oil density: !
! !
o
oS gS so
o
R
B
=
+

Water compressibility: C
V
V
P
w
w
w
T
= !( )( )
1
"
"

Water volume change: B B e B 1 c P
w2 w1
c P
w1 w
w
= ! "
" #
# ( )

Finally, we need to quantify the behavior of the pores during pressure change in the reservoir. The rock
compressibility used in the following is the pore compressibility, and assumes that the bulk volume of the rock
itself does not change.

Pore volume behavior
Rock compressibility: C
P
r T
= ( )( )
1
!
"!
"

Porosity change:
! ! !
w
2
w
1
c P
w
1
r
e 1 c P
r
= " +
#
# ( )


The material balance equations are based on simple mass balances of the fluids in the reservoir, and may in
words be formulated as follows:

Principle of material conservation

Amount of fluids present
in the reservoir initially
(st. vol.)
Amount of
fluids produced
(st. vol.)
Amount of fluids remaining
in the reservoir finally
(st. vol.)
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
(
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
=
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#


We will define our reservoir system in terms of a simple block diagram, with an initial reservoir stage before
production/injection starts, and a final stage at which time we would like to determine pressure and/or
production.

Block diagram of reservoir

Gas
Oil
Water
Initial stage (1)
Gas
Oil
Water
Final stage (2)
oil production: Np
gas production: RpNp
water production: Wp
aquifer influx: We
gas injection: Gi
water injection: Wi


TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013
Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
3
The two stages on the block diagram are reflected in the fluid phase behavior plots as follows:

Initial and final fluid conditions

B
B
P
P
o
R
so
P
w g
P
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
B
Note: If a gas cap is present ini-
tially, then the initial pressure is
equal to the bubble point pressure


Now, we will apply the above material balance equation to the three fluids involved, oil, gas and water:

Equation 1: Oil material balance

Oil present
in the reservoir
initially
(st. vol. )
Oil
produced
(st. vol. )
Oil remaining
in the reservoir
finally
(st. vol. )
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
(
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
=
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#

or
N - N = V S /B
p p o o 2 2 2

yielding
S
N N B
V
o
p o2
p2
2
=
! ( )


Equation 2: Water material balance

Water present
in the reservoir
initially
(st. vol. )
Water
produced
(st. vol. )
Water
injected
(st. vol. )
Aquifer
influx
(st. vol. )
Water remaining
in the reservoir
finally
(st. vol. )
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
(
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
+
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
+
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
=
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#

or
V S /B - W + W + W= V S /B
p w w p i e p w w 1 1 1 2 2 2

yielding
( )
( )
S 1 m NB
S
S
1
B
W W W
B
V
w2 o1
w1
w1 w1
i e p
w2
p2
= +
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
"
#
$
%
&
'
+ + !
(
)
*
*
+
,
-
-
1


TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013
Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
4
Equation 3: Gas material balance


Solution gas
present in the
reservoir initially
(st. vol.)
Free gas
present in the
reservoir initially
(st. vol. )
Gas
produced
(st. vol. )
Gas
injected
(st. vol. )
Solution gas
present in the
reservoir finally
(st. vol. )
Free gas
present in the
reservoir finally
(st. vol. )
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
+
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
(
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
+
!
"
#
$
#
%
&
#
'
#
=
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#
+
!
"
#
#
$
#
#
%
&
#
#
'
#
#

or
NR + mNB /B - R N = (N-N )R + V S /B
so o g p p p so p g g 1 1 2 2 2 2 2

yielding


S
g2
= N (R
so1
! R
so2
) + m(
B
o1
B
g2
)
"
#
$
$
%
&
'
'
! N
p
(R
p
! R
so2
) +G
i
(
)
*
+
*
,
-
*
.
*
(
B
g2
V
p2
)

In addition to these three fluid balances, we have the following relationships for fluid saturations and pore
volume change:


Equation 4: Sum of saturations

S S S 1.0
o w g
+ + =



Equation 5: Pore volume change

V =V ( +c P)
p p r 2 1
1 !

TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013
Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
5
By combining the 5 equations above, and grouping terms, we obtain the material balance relationships, as shown
below:



THE COMPLETE BLACK OIL MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION:


( )
( )
F N E mE E W W B G B
o g f w i e w2 i g2
= + + + + +
,


where

production terms are

( )
[ ]
F N B R R B W B
p o2 p so2 g2 p w2
= + ! +


oil and solution gas expansion terms are

( ) ( )
E B B R R B
o o2 o1 so1 so2 g2
= ! + !



gas cap expansion terms are

E B
B
B
1
g o1
g2
g1
= !
"
#
$
$
%
&
'
'



and rock and water compression/expansion terms are

( )
E 1 m B
C C S
1 S
P
f w o1
r w w1
w1
,
= ! +
+
!
"





TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2013
Material Balance Equations

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe
Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 19, 2013
6
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION FOR A CLOSED GAS RESERVOIR


The material balance equation for a closed gas reservoir is very simple. Applying the mass balance principle to a
closed reservoir with 100% gas, we may derive the general eguation


GB
g1
= (G! G
p
)B
g2

where

G is gas initially in place,

G
p
is cumulative gas production, and

B
g
is the formation-volume-factor for
gas. Since

B
g
is given by the real gas law


B
g
= (constant)
Z
P
(here temperature is assumed to be constant)
the above material balance equation may be rewritten as


G
Z
1
P
1
!
"
#
$
%
&
= (G' G
p
)
Z
2
P
2
!
"
#
$
%
&

or

P
2
Z
2
!
"
#
$
%
&
= (1'
G
p
G
)
P
1
Z
1
!
"
#
$
%
&

This equation represents a straight line relationship on a

P
2
Z
2
!
"
#
$
%
&
vs.

G
p
. plot. The line passes through

P
1
Z
1
!
"
#
$
%
&
at

G
p
= 0, and through

G at

P
1
Z
1
!
"
#
$
%
&
= 0. By making a best-fit straight line to measured data, and extrapolate, we
may get an estimate of

G.


The straight-line relationship is very useful in estimating the initial volume of gas-in-place (

G) from limited
production history.