ABSTRACT

This experiment is to determine the capacity of oil reservoir if map showing contour lines
(isopach) for the area of the reservoir is available. This experiment is carried out using
planimeter. Firstly, the planimeter was switched on and one set of contour was chosen to be
measured. Secondly, a mark was made on the contour map as a starting point of measurement.
Thirdly, the tracer lens of the planimeter was placed exactly on mark and START key was
pressed. Fourthly, the tracer was moved in a clockwise direction. MEMO key was pressed when
the tracer was reached the starting point of measurement. The reading was recorded. As a result,
the total volume of the reservoir is 740 891 162 ft3 with the highest volume of reservoir is at
deprth of 50 ft which is 120 525 931.50 ft3 and the lowest reading is at 90 ft which is 107
15850.90 ft3.

INTRODUCTION

When discover a reservoir, a petroleum engineer will seek to build a better picture of the
accumulation. If an isopach map is available, the volume or capacity of the reservoir can be
determined using planimeter. Isopach is a contour that connects points of equal thickness.
Commonly, the isopachs, or contours that make up an isopach map, display the stratigraphic
thickness of a rock unit as opposed to the true vertical thickness.
The planimeter is a simple instrument for the precise measurement of areas of plane
figures of any shape. In this experiment, planimeter is used to determine the capacity of the
reservoir. The capacity (in terms of volumetric value) can be determined by multiplying the area
and the depth/structural elevation of the reservoir.
Volumetric estimation is also known as the geologists method as it is based on cores,
analysis of wireline logs, and geological maps. Knowledge of the depositional environment, the
structural complexities, the trapping mechanism, and any fluid interaction is required to estimate
the volume of subsurface rock that contains hydrocarbons. The volume is calculated from the
thickness of the rock containing oil or gas and the areal extent of the accumulation with these
reservoir rock properties and utilizing the hydrocarbon fluid properties, original oil-in-place or
original gas-in-place volumes can be calculated.
An isopach is a line representing equal stratigraphic thickness, and an isopach map is one
that shows bv means of isopachs the variations in true stratigraphic thickness of a stratum,
formation, or group of formations. The subsurface isopach map is based primarily on formation
thicknesses determined from well cuttings, cores or geophysical logs. Although isopachs must be
drawn to agree with thicknesses plotted on the map, their spacing and the nature of thickening
and thinning may be guided by other known facts concerning the source of sediments, their
relative rates of deposition, truncation, and so forth. An isopach map drawn strictly to the
numerical values and without regard to the geologic reasons for thickening and thinning of
formations, is likely to present a picture difficult to integrate or reconcile with other geologic
facts.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this experiment is to determine the capacity of oil reservoir if map showing
contour lines (isopach) for the area of the reservoir is available.

THEORY

The geometry of the reservoir is projected onto a map called the isopach map which
consists of several contour lines. From this map, the petroleum engineers are able to determine
and estimate the volume of the reservoir. This data can be used to determine the available
quantity of hydrocarbons in the reservoir.

Isopach and isochore maps are generally used:

1. for predetermining drilling depths to specific horizons in wildcat wells;
2.

To locate buried structures in regions where formations habitually become thinner over
structural crests.

3.

In estimating the elevation of a datum bed below the total depth of a well that penetrated a
higher known stratigraphic horizon.

4. To calculate the volume of oil in a formation

Two methods will be applied in this lab to estimate volumes from an isopach map. The
first will be to use a planimeter to estimate the average thickness within the isopach area. The
second method utilizes a software package that includes digitizing the isopach map and applying
geostatistics to determine the volumetric. When a map showing contour lines (isopach) is
available, it is possible for us to then measure the area of each reservoir. This process is called
planimetry. Planimetry measures the area of the property. Therefore, with the area and thickness
know,a volume of reservoir can be calculated, and from this,a total tonnage can be deprived.
Planimetry can be done by hand using several methods but the one we are using in this
experiment is a mechanical device called a planimeter. Planimeter, also known as platometer is a
measuring instrument used to determine the area of an arbitrary two-dimensional shape.
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After the area of each contour is computed, the volume is computed by various
techniques. Basic volume calculations can be viewed as dividing the structure into layers of a
common thickness. The different techniques define the layer geometry in different ways. The
Trapezoid Rule computes the layer volume by computing the average area of the layer from the
top and bottom layer and then multiplying the average area by the layer thickness.
(Mathematically, this is also equivalent to computing the area underneath a thickness vs. area
graph). The Trapezoid Method has historically been commonly used for computing map volumes
because of its ease in computing, understandability, and accuracy.

Because isopach maps always have smaller contour areas as the thickness increases, the
Trapezoid Method though accurate always slightly overestimates the reservoir volume. Another
common volume method is the Pyramid Rule. This volume technique computes the areas of the
frustum of a pyramid or cone.

An isopach map illustrates thickness variations within a tabular unit, layer or stratum.
Isopach are contour lines of equal thickness over an area. Isopach maps are utilized in
hydrographic survey, stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural geology, petroleum geology and
volcanology. The gross rock volume or the capacity of reservoir is obtained from the area
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measured from the isopach maps. For measuring a common reservoir contour which is in normal
pattern, the perimeter is trace in clockwise direction. The value obtained is the area of the whole
space that is within the contour lines. The capacity in terms of volumetric value can be
determined by multiplying the area measured by measured by planimeter with the depth
elevation of the reservoir.

V = Ah
Where: V = Volume of reservoir (m3)
A = Area of the contours (m2)
h = Depth (m)

APPARATUS

1. Planimeter
2. Isopach Map
3. Ruler

PROCEDURE

1. The power was switched on.

2. The unit was set (cm2)
3. Starting point was marked with x as reference point at each of contour line.
4. Start key was pressed and figure 0 displayed.
5. The tracer point was traced on the circumference clockwise until it meets the starting
point.
6. Pressed Memo key, and then pressed hold key and 3 readings was taken.
7. Avg key was pressed to get 3 readings average and the value was recorded.
8. Step 4 until 7 was repeated for the rest of the depth.

RESULTS

Area (cm2)

Depth

Actual area (ft2)

Volume (ft3)

(ft)

1st

2nd

3rd

Average

86.8

85.8

86.9

86.50

6 318 480.64

10

71.3

71.8

71.5

71.53

5 224 981.74

52 249 817.40

20

61.4

60.1

59.9

60.47

4 417 092.77

88 341 855.40

30

51.1

49.1

50.6

50.27

3 672 023.38

110 160 701.40

40

40.4

40.6

40.1

40.37

2 948 867.79

117 954 711.60

50

32.4

33.7

32.9

33.00

2 410 518.63

120 525 931.50

60

25.1

26.7

27.7

26.50

1 935 719.50

116 143 170.00

70

16.5

16.4

17.1

16.67

1 217 677.14

85 237 399.80

80

6.3

6.8

7.2

6.77

494 521.55

39 561 724.00

90

1.7

1.7

1.5

1.63

119 065.01

10 715 850.90

28 758 948.15

740 891 162

Total

Depth vs Average Area

100
90
80
Depth ( ft)

70

Depth vs
Average Area

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1.63

6.77 16.67 26.5

33

40.37 50.27 60.47 71.53 86.5

Average Area ( ft2)

Graph Depth vs Average Area

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

Basic formula/conversion:

1. Basic map scale:

2. Conversion from area in contour line map to actual area of geological structure:
(

) (

3. Volume determination for every 10 ft of depth

(

( )

Sample calculation (from 90ft of depth):

1. Taking data from 90ft depth by using planimeter

(

2. Volume determination for 90 ft of depth

(

( )

DISCUSSION

In this experiment, the area of each of the reservoir contour was obtained by using the
digital planimeter. The elevation height difference between each of the contour was estimated to
be 10 ft each. In order to get the volumes of the reservoir rocks, graphs of area versus depth were
plotted. The areas under the graphs were the total volumes of the reservoirs. The area under the
graph was divided into a few sections, where the area under the graph was calculated for each
elevation of 10 ft before it was all sum up together. The number of contours in each reservoir
represents the height of the reservoir. The more line the contours have, the higher the reservoir
will be. From the data analyzed, it was determined that the volume of the reservoir is 740 891
162 ft3 with largest volume of the reservoir obtained at depth of 50ft which is 120,525 931.50ft3.
From the result, it can be conclude that even the reservoir shape is smaller as the depth increases,
it does not mean the volume also decrease with depth, although measured at fixed interval. The
volume is depend on the area of the contour. Since the planimeter is a sensitive device, it must be
used slowly and the tracing process should be accurate to get a very accurate area reading. There
are lots of method in calculating the volume of the reservoir rock and planimetering can be
considered as one the accurate ones.

CONCLUSION

In this experiment, the depth of the contour map used are from 0 90 (ft). The calculated
area was given in (cm2). Then, the calculated area was converted into (ft) in order to get the
actual area. The actual area in this experiment was decreased as the depth increased. The volume
also decreased as the depth increased. The volume was calculated in (ft3). The volume was
calculated from thickness of rock that containing oil or gas and the area extent of accumulation
with these rock properties and utilizing the hydrocarbon fluid properties. The highest volume of
reservoir at 50 ft which was 120 525 931.50 (ft3) while the lowest reading at 90 ft which was
107 15850.90 (ft3).

RECOMMENDATION

1. Make sure the scale in planimeter is correct based on studied isopach map.
2. Make sure the table is steady to prevent miscalculation in planimeter.
3. Use planimeter in bright room to have a better tracing on isopach map.
4. Take three (3) reading for each depth and take the average area to diminish human error
and random error.

REFERENCES

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopach_map
2. http://infohost.nmt.edu/~petro/faculty/Engler370/fmevlab4-isopach.pdf
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contour_line
4. http://infohost.nmt.edu/~petro/faculty/Engler370/fmevlab6-isopach.pdf
5. http://www.scribd.com/doc/136465502/Volume-and-Capacity-of-Reservoir-Lab-Report
6. CGE 558 lab manual

APPENDICES

Figure 2.1: Planimetering process (left) and the digital planimeter tools (right).

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Appendix 1

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