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Calculations 3
Chapter Outline
Arguably the two most important reservoir calculations are to determine how much
hydrocarbon is in the reservoir and to predict uid ow rates in the reservoir and wells.
The amount of hydrocarbons in the reservoir (in place) can be determined from the
shape and porosity of the reservoir (volumetrics) and from a material balance. Fluid
ow is usually determined from applications of Darcys law and the radial inow
equation.
hydrocarbon-bearing zone. Hence, for an oil-bearing zone, the volume of oil in the
reservoir at initial reservoir conditions is given by:
PVo 1 Swi
OOIP (3.1.1)
Bo
in which OOIP is the original oil in place in surface volume units, PV is the pore
volume of the oil-bearing rock, and Swi is the initial water saturation in the oil-bearing
zone. The pore volume is the product of the bulk reservoir volume and the average
porosity of the reservoir rock. Equation (2.1.1) can then be expressed as:
BVo f1 Swi
OOIP (3.1.2)
Bo
The bulk volume is often expressed as the product of the outside area and the
average thickness of the oil-bearing zone:
ho Ao f1 Swi
OOIP (3.1.3)
Bo
rng ho Ao f1 Swi
OOIP (3.1.4)
Bo
Similarly, for a gas reservoir or gas cap of an oil reservoir, the volume of free gas in
place at surface conditions is given by:
rng hg Ag f1 Swi
OGIP (3.1.5)
Bg
Note that the net-to-gross pay ratio, average porosity, and initial water saturation of
an oil zone and its gas cap are not necessarily the same.
Sometimes it is desired to determine the amount of solution gas in an oil reservoir,
for example, when booking reserves. The volume of solution gas in place in a reservoir
at surface conditions is given by:
OSGIP Rsi Rssep OOIP (3.1.6)
in which Rssep is the solution gas-oil ratio at the separator conditions. If the volume,
pressure, and temperature (PVT) data match the current operating conditions, Rssep is
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 69
zero. Note the solution gas is dissolved in the oil in the reservoir and is included in the
reservoir volume of the original oil in place (OOIP), not as part of the gas cap. The
original solution gas in place (OSGIP) only has meaning as a surface quantity and is
not part of any material balance calculations.
in which the volumes of withdrawal and expansion are determined at the current
reservoir conditions. Note expansion is dened to include water inux from an un-
derlying aquifer into the dened reservoir volume. Equation (3.2.1) is the general form
of the material balance for petroleum reservoirs. To apply Eqn (3.2.1), it is necessary to
relate the withdrawal and expansion terms to measurable quantities.
All the production data are reported at surface conditions because they are measured
at the surface facilities. If other uids are injected, the appropriate terms must be
included. Because the material balance is applied at reservoir conditions, the produced
volumes are converted to reservoir volumes using the formation volume factors. The
oil withdrawal is:
This term includes the reservoir volume of the produced solution gas because the oil
formation volume factor accounts for this volume. The reservoir volume of all the pro-
duced gas is:
However, this expression includes the solution gas that was produced. If Eqns
(3.2.2) and (3.2.3) are combined, the reservoir volume of the produced solution gas
will be counted twice. Therefore, the produced solution gas is subtracted from the
gas withdrawal to obtain:
net gas withdrawal Np Rp Rs Bg (3.2.4)
Note that each injection uid will have a formation volume factor that depends on
the composition of the uid. The combined withdrawal is given by:
withdrawal Np Bo Rp Rs Bg Wp Bw Gi Bgi Wi Bwi ::: (3.2.7)
The injection withdrawals are negative because injection adds material to the reser-
voir. All the withdrawal terms are determined at a given reservoir pressure. Hence, the
withdrawal represents the volume that all of the produced and injected uids would
occupy in the reservoir at the given reservoir pressure.
3.2.1.2 Expansion
The expansion in a reservoir is a combination of rock compaction, and water, oil, and
gas expansion. Oil expansion is determined from the oil formation volume factor:
in which N is the original oil in place in surface volume units. N and OOIP are
identical, but we have used different nomenclature to distinguish values determined
from the volumetric and material balance methods. Note that oil expansion is negative
because Bo decreases as pressure decreases and solution gas is released. The solution
gas evolution and expansion are found as follows:
If there is a gas cap, the expansion of the free (gas cap) gas is given by:
mNBoi
gas cap expansion Bg Bgi (3.2.10)
Bgi
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 71
in which m is the ratio of the initial reservoir volume of free gas to initial reservoir
volume of oil. The term mNBoi/Bgi is the initial standard volume of the free gas.
The contribution of rock compaction and water expansion are determined from the
compressibility of the formation and water as follows:
in which Vf is the bulk volume of the hydrocarbon bearing zone (the formation), Vw is
the water volume in the hydrocarbon bearing zone, cf and cw are the respective
compressibilities of the formation and water, and DP is the change in average reservoir
pressure. The water compressibility was dened in Eqn (2.5.14). The isothermal rock
compressibility is dened as:
dPVf dVf
cf (3.2.12)
PVf dP T Vf dP T
in which PVf is the pore volume of the formation. The volume of water in the oil-
bearing zone is related to the formation volume through the initial water saturation:
Vw Swi Vf (3.2.13)
NBoi mNBoi
Vf (3.2.14)
1 Swi
Combining Eqns (3.2.11), (3.2.13) and (3.2.14), the formation expansion can be
expressed as:
1 mNBoi
formation expansion cf Swi cw DP (3.2.15)
1 Swi
If there is an aquifer adjoining the reservoir, then the expansion of the aquifer must
also be accounted for. There are several approaches to predict aquifer expansion or
inux (see Chapter 10). For now, let us simply dene the volume of aquifer inux as:
The combined expansion is the sum of Eqns (3.2.8), (3.3.3), (3.2.10), (3.2.15), and
(3.2.16):
2 3
mBoi
6 Bo Boi Rsi Rs Bg Bgi Bg Bgi 7
6 7
expansion N 6
6
7 We Bw
7
4 1 mBoi 5
cf Swi cw DP
1 Swi
(3.2.17)
72 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
Bt Bo Rsi Rs Bg
(3.2.19)
Bti Boi
and is sometimes introduced into Eqn (3.2.18) to obtain the following more concise
expression of the general material balance:
Np Bt Rp Rsi Bg Wp Bw Gi Bgi Wi Bwi
" #
mBoi 1 mBti
N Bt Bti Bg Bgi cf Swi cw DP We Bw
Bgi 1 Swi
(3.2.20)
The application of the general material balance to different types of reservoir is dis-
cussed in Chapter 10. The material balance is used to determine the volumes of oil and
gas in a reservoir and the volume of aquifer inux. Aquifer inux models are also pre-
sented in Chapter 10.
dNg
n_g (3.2.21)
dt
in which Ng is moles of gas in the reservoir, n_g is the molar gas ow rate out of the
reservoir, and t is time. Using the real gas law, the moles of gas can be expressed in
terms of pressures and volumes to obtain:
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 73
P Tr Ps
d qg dt (3.2.22)
z Ts V
in which V is the initial volume of gas in the reservoir at reservoir conditions, and
qg is the gas production rate in surface volumes. Equation (3.2.22) is integrated to
obtain:
P P Tr Ps
Qg (3.2.23)
z z o Ts V
Rt
in which Qg o qg dt is simply the cumulative gas production in surface volumes.
Note that when P/z goes to zero, Eqn (3.2.23) becomes:
Pro V Ts
Qg OGIP (3.2.24)
zo Tr Ps
Equation (3.2.23) is the gas material balance, and it shows that a plot of P/z versus
gas production is linear, Figure 3.2.1. Equation (3.2.24) shows that the x-intercept of a
P/z plot is equal to the original gas in place in surface volumes.
dP 2s
0 (3.3.2)
dL r
If the uid is Newtonian, the shear stress is related to the velocity of the uid as
follows:
du
s m (3.3.3)
dr
dP 2mdu
0 (3.3.4)
dL rdr
It can be shown from Eqn (3.3.4) that the average velocity of laminar horizontal
ow in a cylindrical segment is given by:
d2 dP
u (3.3.5)
32m dL
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 75
in which d is the diameter of the cylindrical segment. The square diameter arises from
the integration of the ratio of the shear stress to the area of ow. In effect, the larger the
diameter, the less drag per area of ow and the greater the velocity. The negative sign
in Eqn (3.3.5) indicates that pressure decreases in the direction of ow.
k dP
u (3.3.6)
m dL
in which:
u the apparent velocity, cm/s
k permeability, D
m viscosity, cp
P pressure, atm
L length of cylinder, cm
Comparing Eqns (3.3.5) and (3.3.6), it is clear that the dimension of permeability is
length squared. It is equivalent to the integrated ratio of shear stress to ow area for the
porous media. The higher the permeability, the less drag per ow area and the greater
the velocity. In a sense, the permeability is a measure of the ow capacity of the porous
media. This is best illustrated by modifying Darcys law to determine the volumetric
ow rate:
kA dP
q (3.3.7)
m dL
in which q is the volumetric ow rate in cm3/s, and A is the cross-sectional area in cm2.
Note that for a reservoir problem, the volumetric ow rate in Eqn (3.3.7) would have
reservoir units, not surface units. Equation (3.3.7) is analogous to Fouriers law, the
equation that describes heat conduction across a temperature gradient. Darcys law
describes steady-state volumetric ow across a pressure gradient. The ratio of
permeability to viscosity (the mobility ratio) is the conductivity to ow and is anal-
ogous to thermal conductivity.
The unit of permeability is the Darcy. From Eqn (3.3.7), it is apparent that a rock of
one Darcy will ow 1 cm/s of a 1 cp uid under a pressure gradient of 1 atm/cm. It can
be shown that one Darcy is equivalent to 1.0133 108 cm2. Most reservoirs have
permeabilities lower than one Darcy, and units of millidarcy (mD) are frequently
used. Permeability must be determined experimentally for any given porous medium.
76 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
g
dPg r dh (3.3.8)
gc
dPg g
r cosa (3.3.9)
dL gc
The units of the gravity term must of course be consistent with the units of the pres-
sure gradient.
kA dP
q (3.3.11)
m dr
The sign is positive because the radial coordinate is measured from the wellbore
outward, that is, opposite to the direction of ow. The cross-sectional area for ow
is the edge of a disk around the wellbore, A 2prh. Therefore, Eqn (3.3.11) becomes:
2prkh dP
q (3.3.12)
m dr
To solve Eqn (3.3.12), we need to examine the pressure prole around a vertical well
under steady-state radial ow, Figure 3.3.4. The ow across any given radius is constant.
Nearer the wellbore, the area for ow decreases rapidly, and therefore the uid velocity
and pressure drop increase rapidly. Conversely, the reservoir pressure increases gradu-
ally further from the wellbore, and eventually a point is reached where there is no change
in pressure as the radius increases. This hypothetical radius is termed the drainage radius.
It may correspond to the outer edge of the reservoir or to the point where the pressure
proles of adjacent wells overlap. To obtain a solution for Eqn (3.3.12), it is integrated
from the wellbore radius to the drainage radius:
2pkh Pe Pwf
q n o (3.3.13)
m ln rrwe
in which rw is the wellbore radius, re is the drainage radius, Pwf is the owing
pressure at the wellbore, and Pe is the pressure at the boundary of the drainage radius.
Note that the ow rate and viscosity are assumed to be independent of the pressure
and radius.
In some cases, the formation near the wellbore is damaged during drilling, and the
near wellbore permeability is reduced. There is in an increased pressure drop through
the damaged zone. van Everdingen (1953) dened a skin factor, S, to empirically ac-
count for the increased pressure drop:
qm
DPskin S (3.3.14)
2pkh
78 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
2pkh Pe Pwf
q (3.3.15)
m
ln rrwe S
Note that when the well is undamaged, the skin factor is zero, and the original radial
ow equation is obtained. If the well is stimulated beyond its native capacity, the skin
factor is negative.
It is often more convenient to use the average reservoir pressure, Pr, rather than the
pressure at the drainage radius. If it is assumed that there is no ow across the outer
boundary, re, the average pressure solution to Eqn (3.3.12) is given by:
2pko h Pe Pwf
qo (3.3.17)
mo Bo
ln rrwe S
Gas ow is more complicated because gas is highly compressible, and gas proper-
ties vary signicantly with pressure. It cannot be assumed that ow rate and viscosity
are independent of pressure. Therefore the gas formation factor must be introduced to
Eqn (3.3.12) prior to the integration. The gas formation factor is related to pressure
through the nonideal gas law and the compressibility factor as follows:
Ps Tz
Bg (3.3.18)
Ts P
in which Ts and Ps are standard temperature and pressure, respectively, and z is the gas
compressibility factor. When Eqn (3.3.18) is introduced into Eqn (3.3.12), the
following expression is obtained:
Wattenbarger and Ramey (1968) observed that at pressures below 2000 psia, mgz is
approximately constant and that at pressures above 2000 psia, mgz/P is approximately
constant. Using these assumptions, two pseudo steady-state solutions of Eqn (3.3.19)
are found:
Below 2000 psia:
2pTs kg h Pe Pwf
qg
. n o (3.3.20b)
Ps T zmg P ln rrwe S
When using Eqn (3.3.20b), the term zmg /P should be evaluated at the average pressure
between Pr and Pwf.
Note that in Eqns (3.3.16) and (3.3.20) the permeability is the absolute perme-
ability. The use of absolute permeability is valid if the reservoir rock contains only
one single-phase uid. If more than one uid is present, the relative permeability
must be introduced as follows:
2pkro kh Pe Pwf
qo n o (3.3.21)
mo Bo ln re S
rw
in which k is the average absolute permeability within the drainage radius, and kro is
the relative permeability to oil. Also note that a constant absolute permeability has
80 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
been assumed so far in the development of the steady-state ow equations. For het-
erogeneous reservoirs, the average absolute permeability can be determined using the
techniques described in Chapters 6 and 7.
The steady-state and pseudo steady-state radial inow equations are summarized in
Insert 1. The steady solutions for different uids are summarized in Field and SI units
in Insert 2. For any given reservoir analysis, the reservoir or production engineer must
choose the most appropriate inow equation for the given reservoir and uid. Tran-
sient equations are discussed in Section 3.4.
krw kA
water qw 0:001127 P2 P1
mw L
Ts krg kA 2
gas below 2000 psia qg 0:003164 P2 P21
Ps Tzmg L
Ts krg kA
gas above 2000 psia qg 0:006328 P2 P1
Ps Tzmg =PL
Continued
82 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
krw kA
water qw 8:523 105 P2 P1
mw L
Ts krg kA 2
gas below 14 MPa qg 4:261 105 P2 P21
Ps Tzmg L
Ts krg kA
gas above 14 MPa qg 8:523 105 P2 P1
Ps Tzmg =PL
in which q is in sm3/d, k in mD, m in mPa s, A in m2, L in m, T in K, and P in kPa.
Radial ow: Darcys law for radial ow is used to analyze reservoir ow to
vertical wells without hydraulic fractures and to hydraulically fractured wells
in which the drainage radius is much larger than the fracture length. The expres-
sion in Field units is given by:
kro kh Pr Pwf
oil qo 0:00708
mo Bo re
ln S
rw
krw kh Pe Pwf
water qw 0:00708
mw Bw re
ln S
rw
Ts krg kh Pe Pwf
2 2
gas below 2000 psia qg 0:01988
Ps Tzmg re
ln S
rw
Ts krg kh Pe Pwf
gas above 2000 psia qg 0:03976
Ps Tzmg =P re
ln S
rw
in which qo and qw are in bbl/d, qg in SCF/d, k in mD, m in cp, h in ft, r in ft, T in
R, and P in psia.
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 83
krw kh Pe Pwf
water qw 0:0005355
mw Bw re
ln S
rw
Ts krg kh Pe Pwf
2 2
gas below 14 MPa qg 0:0002678
Ps Tzmg re
ln S
rw
Ts krg kh Pe Pwf
gas above 14 MPa qg 0:0005355
Ps Tzmg =P re
ln S
rw
in which q is in sm3/d, k in mD, m in mPa s, h in m, r in m, T in K, and P in kPa.
element at the inner radius is taken as the basis of the derivation. A mass balance on
the element gives:
vqr vr
qrjr dr qrjr 2prhfdr
vr vt (3.4.1)
mass rate in mass rate out mass accumulation
at r dr at r
vqr vr
2prhf (3.4.2)
vr vt
Both density and ow rate are functions of pressure. Flow rate is related to pressure
through Darcys law for radial ow, Eqn (3.3.12). Equation (3.3.12) (now a partial
derivative) is substituted into Eqn (3.4.2) to obtain:
v 2prkh vP vr
r 2prhf (3.4.3)
vr m vr vt
Equation (3.4.6) is substituted into Eqn (3.4.4) to obtain the radial diffusivity
equation:
1 v kr vP vP
r fcr (3.4.7)
r vr m vr vt
The radial diffusivity equation describes the radial ow of any single-phase uid
through a porous medium. Pressure appears explicitly in the partial derivative and
implicitly in the density, viscosity, and compressibility terms. Hence, the radial diffu-
sivity equation is a nonlinear partial differential equation.
v2 P 1 vP fmc vP
(3.4.8a)
vr 2 r vr k vt
or
1 v vP fmc vP
r (3.4.8b)
r vr vr k vt
With the above assumptions, the coefcient mc/k is a constant. The reciprocal of
this constant, k/mc, is dened as the diffusivity constant. Note that this solution of the
radial diffusivity equation is mathematically identical to the radial heat conduction
equation:
1 v vT 1 vT
r (3.4.9)
r vr vr K vt
86 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
in which K is the thermal diffusivity constant. Hence, the integrated solutions have the
same mathematical form.
To integrate Eqn (3.4.8), an initial condition and two boundary conditions are
required. The initial condition is that the initial pressure is a constant, Pi. Also, if con-
stant ow rate is assumed, Darcys equation applies at the wellbore:
kh dP
q 2pr (3.4.10)
m dr rrw
P Pe constant; at r re (3.4.11a)
vP
0; at all r and t (3.4.11b)
vt
2pkh Pe Pwf
q n o (3.4.12)
m ln rrwe
The effect of wellbore damage or stimulation is accounted for using a skin factor, as
was described in Section 3.3.4. The expression for Darcys radial ow equation
including the skin factor is as follows:
2pkh Pr Pwf
q n o (3.4.14)
m ln re 1 S
rw 2
vP
0; at r re (3.4.15a)
vr
vP
constant; at all r and t (3.4.15b)
vt
These conditions apply to a single well that has drained a reservoir to the point at
which the drainage radius has reached the pool boundaries. They also apply to a well
with a drainage radius bounded by the drainage radii of other wells, as long as the
boundaries do not move over time. These conditions are usually satised when the
dimensionless group kt/mcA is greater than 0.1, in which t is the time the well owed
at a steady rate.
The solution to Eqn (3.4.8) with these boundary conditions and including skin fac-
tor is given by:
2pkh P P
q n eo wf (3.4.16)
m ln re 1 S
rw 2
The solution using the average pressure instead of the boundary pressure is
given by:
Figure 3.4.2 Typical wellbore owing pressure prole at a constant terminal rate.
its boundaries. The stabilized rate, pseudo steady-state boundary conditions, Eqn
(3.4.15a) and (3.4.15b), still apply and the same solution, Eqn (3.4.17), is obtained.
Now, however, the change in reservoir pressure with time must be accounted for.
When a pseudo steady-state condition is reached, a material balance can be performed
on the drainage area to obtain:
cAhfPi Pr qt (3.4.18)
The material balance is introduced into the pseudo steady-state inow equation,
Eqn (3.4.14), to obtain the constant terminal rate solution:
qm re kt
Pwf t Pi ln 0:472 2p S (3.4.19)
2pkh rw fmcA
in which P in psia, qo is in bbl/d, k in mD, m in cp, A in ft2, h in ft, r in ft, t in hours, and ct
in psia1.
2. in SI units:
2149qo mo Bo r2 0:04166qo Bo t
Pwf t Pi log 0:223 2e 0:87S (3.4.20b)
kro kh rw Ahfct
Basic Reservoir Engineering Calculations 89
in which A is the drainage area, pre2. The constant 31.6 is dened as the shape factor,
CA, so that Eqn (3.4.21) becomes:
qm 1 4A
Pr Pwf ln S (3.4.22)
2pkh 2 1:781CA rw2
in which CA 31.6 for a well in the center of a circular drainage area. Dietz was able
to show that Eqn (3.4.22) applies for all drainage geometries, but that each geometry
has a specic value of the shape factor. Some shape factors are shown in Figure 3.4.3.
162:6qo mo Bo 4A
Pwf t Pr log 0:87S (3.4.23a)
kro kh 1:781CA rw2
in which P in psia, qo is in bbl/d, k in mD, m in cp, A in ft2, h in ft, r in ft, t in hours, and
ct in psia1.
2. in SI units:
2149qo mo Bo 4A
Pwf t Pr log 0:87S (3.4.23b)
kro kh 1:781CA rw2
162:6qo mo Bo 4A 0:2339qo Bo t
Pwf t Pi log 2
0:87S
kro kh 1:781CA rw Ahfct
(3.4.25a)
in which P in psia, qo is in bbl/d, k in mD, m in cp, A in ft2, h in ft, r in ft, t in hours, and
ct in psia1.
2. in SI units:
2149qo mo Bo 4A 0:04166qo Bo t
Pwf t Pi log 2
0:87S
kro kh 1:781CA rw Ahfct
(3.4.25b)
The transient, constant terminal rate solution of the radial diffusivity equation is
given by:
qm fmcr 2
Pr; t Pi Ei (3.4.27)
4pkh 4kt
ZN
eu du
Ei x (3.4.28)
u
x
Typically in well test analysis, a solution is sought at the wellbore. At the wellbore,
r is small, and x fmcrw2 =4kt is usually less than 0.01. The approximate solution of
Eqn (3.4.27) is then given by:
qm 4kt
Pwf t Prw ; t Pi ln (3.4.30)
4pkh 1:781fmcrw2
For ease of graphical analysis, Eqn (3.4.30) is usually recast in the form of a Base
10 logarithm:
2:302qm 4kt
Pwf t Pi log (3.4.31)
4pkh 1:781fmcrw2
92 Basic Reservoir Engineering Principles
When applied to oil reservoirs and the pressure drop due to skin is included, Eqn
(3.4.31) becomes:
1. in Field units:
162:6qo mo Bo kro kt
Pwf t Pi log 0:87S (3.4.32a)
kro kh 1698fmo ct rw2
in which P in psia, qo is in bbl/d, k in mD, m in cp, h in ft, r in ft, t in hours, and ct in psia1.
2. in SI units:
2149qo mo Bo kro kt
Pwf t Pi log 0:87S (3.4.32b)
kro kh 126000fmo ct rw2
ct co So cw Sw cf (3.4.33)