Gas Condensate Reservoir

1
 Characteristics
Between oil and gas reservoir
Produce light-colored or colorless stock tank
oil
Condensate (distillate, oil): > 45 API
Gas-oil ratio: 5,000 ~ 10,000 SCF/bbl

2
 Calculation of Average Specific Gravity
of Well Fluids
Consider a two-stage separator system

R1 1 + 4602. o + R3 3
w =
133,316 o
R1 + + R3
M wo

R1, R 3 : gas-oil ratio from separator (1) and stock tank (3)
1, 3 : specific gravity of separator and stock tank gases
o : specific gravity of the stock tank oil (water = 1.00)

141.5 42.43 o
o = , M wo =
, API + 131.5 1.008 o

3
Calculation of Initial Gas and Oil in Place
Ex. 5.1
Initial pressure: 2740 psia Reservoir temperature: 215 deg F
Average porosity: 25% average connate water: 30%
Daily tank oil: 242 STB Oil gravity at 60F: 48.0 API
Daily separator gas: 3100 MCF Separator gas gravity: 0.650
Daily tank gas: 120 MCF Tank gas gravity: 1.20

Calculate the initial oil and gas in place per acre-ft for a gas-condensate
reservoir.

4
Ex. 5.1 solution:
Step 1: Calculate important parameters
141.5 5954 5954
o = = 0.788, M wo = = = 151.9 lb/lb-mole
48.0 + 131.5 o , API 8.811 48.0 8.811
3,100, 000 SCF 120, 000 SCF
R1 = = 12,800 SCF/STB, R3 = = 496 SCF/STB
242 STB 242 STB
12,810(0.650) + 4602.(0.788) + 496(1.20)
w = = 0.896
133,316(0.788)
12,810 + + 496
151.9
step 2: Look for z factor using pseudocritical values
From one of the figures on pesudocritical values as a function of specific gravity,
we have Tpc = 423 R and p pc =637 psia
T 215 + 460 p 2740
Tpr = = = 1.60, p pr = = = 4.30
Tpc 423 p pc 637
look up in Standing and Katz chart, we have z = 0.825 at the initial condition.
step 3: Initial volume of gas in place, V= 43560 0.25 (1-0.30)
Step 4: initial total lb-mole of gas in place
pV (2740 psia)(43560 0.25 (1-0.30))
n= = lb-mole
zR'T 0.825(10.73)(215+460)
Under standard conditions each lb-mole of gas is equivalent to 379.4 SCF 5
G = n lb-mole 379.4 SCF/lb-mole =1326 MCF/ac-ft
step 5: partition into fraction of oil and gas. For gas, volume fraction = mole fraction
for 1 STB of gas condensate,
Gas volume = 12800+496 SCF = 13296 SCF
o 0.788
Gas equivalent of produced condensate = 133,316 = 133,316 = 691.6 SCF/ac-ft
M wo 151.9
13, 296
fg = = 0.95, f o = 0.05
13, 296 + 691.6
Vg = 1326 MCF/ac-ft 0.95 = 1260 MCF/ac-ft,
Vo = 1326 MCF 0.95/(12800+496) = 94.8 STB/ac-ft
Step 6:
total daily gas-condensate production in MCF is:
daily gas 3100 + 120
G p = = = 3386 MCF/day
0.951 0.951
total daily reservoir voidage by the gas law is:
675(14.7)(0.825)
+V=3,386,000 = 19, 450cu ft / day
520(2740)

6
 Differential Liberation

Gas Gas Gas

Liquid Liquid

p1>=pb p2 p3

Keep constant V, p decreases gradually until atmospheric P.

Simulate the graduate depletion of a volumetric reservoir.7
Composition of produced gas

8
Ex. 5.2. Calculate the volumetric depletion performance of a retrograde
gas reservoir based on lab test given in the following table and the
following condition.
Initial p: 2960 psia; abandonment p: 500 psia; Reservoir T: 195 deg F;
Connate water: 30%; porosity: 25%; standard condition: 14.7 psia and
60 deg F; initial cell volume: 947.5 cu cm; molecular weight of heptane
plus in initial fluid: 114 lb.lb-mole; specific gravity of heptane plus in initial
fluid: 0.755 at 60 deg F.

9
Solution:
Assumption: 1. The same molecular weight and sp. Gravity for the C7
content for all produced gas. 2. Liquid recovery from the gas is 25% of the
butanes, 50% of the pentane, and 75% of the hexane, and 100% of
heptane and heavier.

10
Solution:
Step 1: Calculate the increments of gross production in M
SCF per ac-ft of net, bulk reservoir rock. Enter in column (2).

VHC = 43,560 0.25 (1 0.30) = 7623 cu ft/ac-ft

For the increment produced from 2960 to 2500 psia,
175.3 cu cm
V=7623 = 1410 cu ft/ac-ft at 2500 psia and 195F,
947.5 cu cm
V Tsc pV Vsc pV
G p = = =
Bg psc zT zR T
379.4 pV 379.4 2500 1410
= = = 240.1 M SCF
1000 zRT 1000 0.794 10.73 655
For column (3) (gross gas production), G p = G p

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Solution:
Step 2: Calculate the M SCF of residue gas and the barrels of liquid
obtained from each increment of gross gas production. Enter in column (4)
and (6). Assume that 0.25 C4, 0.50 C5, and 0.75 C6, and all C7+ is
recovered as stock tank liquid. For example, in the 240.1 M SCF produced
from 2960 to 2500 psia, the mole fraction recovered as liquid is:
nL = 0.25 0.028 + 0.50 0.019 + 0.75 0.016 + 0.034
= 0.007 + 0.0095 + 0.0120 + 0.034 = 0.0625 mole fraction
As the mole fraction also equals the volume fraction in gas,
the M SCF recovered as liquid from 240.1 M SCF is:
GL = 0.007 240.1 + 0.0095 240.1 + 0.012 240.1 + 0.034 240.1
= 1.681+2.281+2.881+8.163 = 15.006 M SCF
The gas volume can be converted to gallons of liquid using the gal/M SCF figures for each carbon,
for C4 , the conversion is 32.04 (average of iso and n-butane) gal/M SCF;
for C5 , the conversion is 36.32 gal/M SCF; for C6 , the conversion is 41.03 gal/M SCF;
114 lb/lb-mole
for C7 , the conversion factor = = 47.71 gal/M SCF
0.3794M SCF/lb-mole 8.337lb/gal 0.755
Therefore, the total liquid recovered from 240.1 M SCF:
1.681 32.04+2.281 36.32+2.881 41.03+8.163 47.71
=53.9+82.8+118.2+389.5=644.4 gal =15.3 bbl.
Volume of residue gas after recovery = 240.1 - 15.006 = 225.1 M SCF
These two number enter cols. (4) and (6).
Cumulative values are calculated and enter in cols.(5) and (7). 12
Step 3: Calculate the gas-oil ratio for each increment of gross production in units of
residue gas per barrel of liquid. Enter in column (8). For example, the gas-oil ratio of
the increment produced from 2960 to 2500 psia is 225.1*1000/15.3 = 14,700
SCF/STB.
Step 4: Calculate the cumulative recovery percentages of gross gas, residue gas,
and liquid. Enter in Cols (9), (10), (11).
379.4pV 379.4 2960 7623
The initial gas in place is: = = 1580 M SCF/ac-ft
1000 zRT 1000 0.771 10.73 655
Of this, the liquid mole fraction is 0.088 and the total liquid recovery is 3.808 gal/M SCF of gross gas,
which are calculated from the intial composition in the same amnner as shown in step 2. Then
G=(1-0.088) 1580=1441 M SCF residue gas/ac-ft
3.808 1580
N= = 143.2 bbl/ac-ft.
42
At 2500 psia, the
100 240.1
Gross gas recovery factor = = 15.2%
1580
100 225.1
Residue gas recovery factor = = 15.6%
1441
100 15.3
Liquid recovery factor = = 10.7%
143.2

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Solution:
Assumption: 1. The same molecular weight and sp. Gravity for the C7
content for all produced gas. 2. Liquid recovery from the gas is 25% of the
butanes, 50% of the pentane, and 75% of the hexane, and 100% of
heptane and heavier.

14
 Recovery
factor of gas =
1200/1441*100
% = 80.4%

Recovery factor of
retrograde liquid =
71.6/143.2*100% =
50%

P decrease 15
 Calculation for the whole reservoir:
IF the reservoir has produced 12.05 MMM SCF of gross well fluid
when the average reservoir pressure declined from 2960 psia
initial to 2500 psia. According to table 4.5 the recovery at 2500
psia under volumetric depletion is 15.2% of the initial gross gas in
place, and therefore the initial gross gas in place for the whole
reservoir is:

12.05 109
G= = 79.28 MMM SCF
0.152
Because the recovery factor is 80.4 at an abandonment pressure of 500 psia,
the initial recoverable gross gas or initial reserve is:
Initial reserve = 79.28 109 0.804 = 63.74 MMM SCF
Since 12.05 MMM SCF has already been recovered,
the reserve at 2500 psia is 63.74-12.05=51.69 MMM SCF

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How accurate is this kind of calculation?

Sources of error: spatial variation:

Uneven distribution of pressure and properties
varying stage of depletion
varying gas-oil ratio
varying gas composition

17
Material Balance for Retrograde Gas
Reservoirs
cw S wi + c f
G ( Bg Bgi ) + GBgi p + We = G p Bg + BwW p
1 S wi
Compressibility term negligible
compared to the gas expansion

G ( Bg Bgi ) + We = G p Bg + BwW p (For single phase gas

reservoir in general)

G ( Bg Bgi ) = G p Bg

Here the Bg needs to be calculated using the two phase z

factor, not a single phase z factor. 18
Two Phase z factor
z factor for the
379.4 presVres
z= gas phase
(G G p ) R ' Tres remaining in
reservoir

z factor of
produced gas

19
Gas Production History

20
 Differences Between Production
curve and prediction
Here z is two phase
gas deviation factor
Possible cause of
differences:
Reservoir Pressure (psia)

-Sampling error
- N2 as part of the gas
- possibility of retrograde
liquid flow

21
 Lean Gas Cycling
Lean gas: the dry gas produced on surface
after the condensate liquid being removed
from the total produced (wet) gas.
Lean gas cycling: dry gas is returned to the
reservoir through injection wells.
Advantage: maintain reservoir pressure and
retards retrograde condensation.
Advantage: drives the wet gas toward
producing wells.

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 Lean Gas Cycling
Disadvantage: deferred income from the sales
of gases
Disadvantage: required additional
expenditures (more wells sometimes)
Disadvantage: liquid recovery may still be
considerably lower than 100%.

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 Three separate recovery factors
1. Microscopic displacement efficiency: 70% ~ 90%
2. Due to flow rate of production and injection wells,
there are areas not swept by dry gas 50% - 90%
3. Stratified reservoirs: wet gas remain in less
permeable regions while the lean gas tends to
sweep through more permeable regions.

If 80% in each stage, what is the overall

efficiency? = 0.8*0.8*0.8 = 51.2%

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 To Cycle or Not to Cycle

Not attractive, because retrograde loss rarely

exceeds 50%
Whether or not to cycle is balancing between the
gain and the loss

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 Other Types of Gases for Pressure
Maintenance
1. Wet hydrocarbon gas
2. N2
3. CO2
4. Combustion flue gas

What to consider:
Composition and properties of injection gas
Possibility of changing dew point values
Which gas works best depends on the properties of
gas and also reservoir condition
26
Gas Condensate Reservoir Under Active Water Drive

Under active water drive, pressure drop very little

- there is little or no retrograde condensation
- Gas-oil ratio of the production remains constant
- Formation volume factor would remain the same
- behave the same as non-retrograde gas reservoir
Recovery factor depends on:
- Initial connate water saturation: Swi
- Residual gas condensation: Sgr
- The fraction of initial reservoir invaded by water: F

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 Fractional Recovery from Retrograde
Gas Reservoirs under Active Water Drive
(Pa = Pi, Bgi = Bga)
If under an active water drive there is essential no decline in reservoir pressure,
Bgi = Bga
G-G a Vi (1 S wi S gr ) Bgi F (1 S wi S gr ) F
Recovery factor = = =
G Vi (1 S wi ) Bgi 1 S wi

Fraction of the reservoir

invaded by water drive
What determines F:
well location, well spacing, permeability stratification,
water coning in bottom-drive reservoirs

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Swi

29
From Table 4.8:
We know that
With the same Swi and Sgr, recovery factor
increases with increasing F.
With the same Sgr and F, recovery factor
decreases with increasing Swi.
With the same Swi and F, recovery factor
increases with increasing Sgr.

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31
32
 Unit Recovery from Single Phase Gas
Reservoirs under Active Water Drive (Pa =
Pi, Bgi = Bga)
If under an active water drive there is essential no decline in reservoir pressure,
Bgi = Bga
1 Swi Sgr 1 Swi Sgr
unit recovery = 43,560 ( - )=43,560 ( )
Bgi Bga Bgi
1 Swi Sgr
100( )
100(G-G a ) B gi 100(1 Swi Sgr )
Recovery factor = = = %
G 1 Swi 1 Swi
Bgi

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