WATER DRIVE RESERVOIRS-2

PERFORMANCE PREDICTION
06.02.2015

The two main questions in the event of

Water drive Mechanism are:
1. Recognition of Natural water Influx?
2. Contribution of Aquifer?
During the early exploration-development period of a
reservoir not enough information is available about
the presence or characteristics of an aquifer that
could provide a source of water influx during the
depletion period.
Natural water drive may be assumed by analogy
1
with nearby producing reservoirs.
2 The early reservoir performance trends can
provide clues.

SUBSEQUET STAGE OF EXPLORATION/DEVELOPMENT

A comparatively low, and decreasing, rate of reservoir

pressure decline with increasing cumulative withdrawals.
If the reservoir limits have not been delineated by developed
dry holes, however, the influx could be from an undeveloped
area
If the reservoir pressure is below the oil saturation pressure, a
low rate of increase in produced gas-oil ratio.
Early water production from edge wells is indicative of water
encroachment.
Calculation of the increasing original oil in - place from
successive reservoir pressure surveys

Contribution of Aquifer
The efficiency of water drive
mechanism
is based on the
extent of water influx and
requires quantitative estimation.
The rate of water influx from the
aquifer into the reservoir equals
the withdrawal of fluids (oil, gas
and water) from the reservoir.

Predicting Water drive Reservoir Behavior

Prediction of water drive reservoir is more
difficult than the gas drive reservoirs. It is
required to recognise / add the effect presuure
and time to the productive force of WATER
ENCROACHMENT.
We
UNDER
SATURATED
OIL

SATURATED

REMARKS
While time is a vital parameter for
performance evaluation.
Care must be taken for the water drive
reservoirs producing below the bubble point
pressure with respect to the contribution of
solution gas and possible Gas Cap drive
prediction period.

ESSENTIALITY
To predict performance of water drive
reservoir, it is necessary to know the
nature of aquifer and its cotribution .
which is attributed to:
1, Expansion of the water in the aquifer
2. Compressibility of the aquifer rock,
Reservoir-aquifer systems are commonly
classified on the basis of:
1. Degree of pressure maintenance
2, Flow regimes
3. Outer boundary conditions
4. Flow geometries

ELEMENTS OF AQUIFER
PERFORMANCE
Aquifer Extension
Aquifer and its characteristics
Aquifer Kinetics
Aquifer Flow characterization
Aquifer Flow Geometries
Aquifer functions
Aquifer Water Flow: Calculations

AQUIFER EXTENSION
(1) An oil reservoir represents an extremely small
volume of fluid compared with the volume of aquifer
with which it is connected.
(2) The withdrawal of hydrocarbons , oil or gas ,can
cause the gradual decompression of a large volume of
water of the aquifer.
(3) The water inflows tends to offset the pressure drop
that should have occurred inside the oil reservoir.
(4) Consequently a gradual expansion of the aquifer

occurs in transient conditions over a long time

interval.
(5) The subsequent changes in the reservoir depends
on the size of the aquifer and its characteristics.

AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS
(1) A very sensitive, very continuous and
highly permeable aquifer guarantees
virtually perfect pressure maintenance .

This is termed as Perfect Water Drive

(2) A relatively small non continuous or

mediocre aquifer provides limited support

and is called as Partial Water Drive

(3) If an Aquifer has limited source of water

and requires supplementation of water
injection for necessary oil movement it is

said to have limited water drive.

Active Water drive

The term active water drive refers to the water
encroachment mechanism in which the rate of
water influx equals the reservoir total
production rate.
Active water-drive reservoirs are typically
characterized by a gradual and slow reservoir
pressure decline.
During any long period, the production rate
and reservoir pressure remain reasonably
constant.
The reservoir voidage rate must be equal to the
water influx rate.

Basic Equations

Where

In terms of cumulative production by

introducing the following derivative terms:

Where

Calculate the water influx rate ew in a reservoir

whose pressure is stabilized at 3000 psi. Other
related data is given as under:
Initial Reservoir Pressure = 3500 psi
dNp /dt = 32,000 STB/day Bo = 1.4 bbl/STB
GOR = 900 scf/STB , Rs = 700 scf/STB
Bg = 0.00082 bbl/scf , dWp/dt = 0 EXAMPLE
Bw = 1.0 bbl/STB
Applying Equation above :
SOLUTION
ew = (1.4) (32,000)
+ (900 700) (32,000) (0.00082)
+0
= 50,048 bbl/day

AQUIFER KINETICS
Determining the Water Inflow We in to the reservoir with
respect to time.
More specifically the cumulative water inflow as a
function of time and drop in pressure in the oil + aquifer
zone.,
with the following ASSUMPTIONS:
1 An oil reservoir represents an extremely small volume
of fluid as compared with the volume of aquifer with
which it is connected.
2
The withdrawal of hydrocarbons, oil or gas ,can cause
the gradual decompression of a large volume of water.
3 This results in the water inflows so as to off set pressure
drop that should have occurred inside the reservoir.

Outer Boundary Conditions

The aquifer can be classified as

Infinite
Finite (bounded)
a. Infinite system indicates that the effect of the
pressure changes at the oil/aquifer boundary can
never be felt at the outer boundary. This
boundary is for all intents and purposes at a
constant pressure equal to initial reservoir
pressure.
b. Finite system indicates that the aquifer outer limit
is affected by the influx into the oil zone and that
the pressure at this outer limit changes with time.
Geologically all formations are finite, but may act as infinite

Aquifer Flow characterization

There are basically three flow regimes that
influence the rate of water influx into the
reservoir.
a. Steady-state
325
b. Semi steady (pseudo steady)-state
c. Unsteady-state
Reservoir-aquifer systems can be classified
on the basis of flow geometry as:
a. Edge-water drive
b. Bottom-water drive
c. Linear-water drive

Pressure p with
respect to Time t at any
Location i

rate
of
change
of
pressure p with respect
to time t at any location i
is
thezero
rate of change of pressure
with respect to time at any
position in the reservoir is not
zero or constant
pressure at different locations
in the reservoir is declining
linearly as a function of time,
i.e., at constant declining rate,

Aquifer Flow Geometries

Edge-water drive, water moves into the flanks of the

reservoir as a result of hydrocarbon production and
pressure drop at the reservoir-aquifer boundary.
The flow is essentially radial with negligible flow in the
vertical direction.
Bottom-water drive occurs in reservoirs with large
areal extent and gentle dip where the oil -water contact
completely underlies the reservoir.
The flow is essentially radial and, in contrast to the
edge-water drive, the bottom-water drive has
significant vertical flow.
In linear-water drive, the influx is from one flank of
the reservoir. The flow is strictly linear with a constant
cross-sectional area.

Aquifer functions

An aquifer# function represents cumulative

water influx into the oil reservoir and
is
defined as the basic property of aquifer that
relating the pressure changes and the flow
rate as a function of time. (P,Q)=ft
The contours of O/W boundaries and of the
aquifer are treaded as circles with the radial
cylindrical flow
Water influx may be regarded as a function of
aquifer compressibility , initial volume of aquifer
and pressure changes.We= F(aq.vol.), Pt
Assuming a relatively small aquifer and pressure drop in the
reservoir in instantaneously transmitted throughout the
reservoir aquifer system.
#

Aquifer Models

Pot Model
PARAMETERS
ra = radius of the aquifer, ft
re = radius of the reservoir, ft
h = thickness of the aquifer, ft
= porosity of the aquifer
= encroachment angle

Radial aquifer geometries.

PROCESSES
We = cumulative water influx, bbl
cw = aquifer water compressibility, psi1
cf = aquifer rock compressibility, psi1
Wi = initial volume of water in the aquifer, bbl
f =fractional encroachment angle f = /360

Water influx into a gas or oil reservoir , is based

on the basic definition of compressibility given as:
V = c V p
Applying the above equation to the aquifer flow;

Water influx = (aquifer compressibility)

(initial volume of water)#
(pressure drop)
OR
We = (cw + cf) Wi (pi p)
pi = initial reservoir pressure, psi
p = current reservoir pressure, psi
#

SQ is Wi and need to be

CALCULATING INITIAL VOLUME OF AQUIFER

(Assuming radial shape)
(ra2 r e2)h )
Wi =
---------------1
5.615
The above relation envisages radial flow in all the
directions , as such a concept of fractional
encroachment is incorporated with respect to water
influx and the required equation becomes:

We = (cw + cf) Wi f (pi p)

f = fractional encroachment angle
= /360
= is defined as encroachment angle

---------------- 2

Example -2
Calculate the cumulative water influx that results
from a pressure drop of 200 psi at the oil-water
contact with an encroachment angle of 80.The
reservoir-aquifer system is characterized by the
following properties:
Reservoir
Aquifer
Radius , ft
2600
10,000
Porosity, fraction
0.18
0,12
Cf,psi-1
4x 10 -4
3x10-3
Cw,psi-1
5x10--6
4x10-6
h , ft
20
25

Solution
Step 1.
Calculate the initial volume of water in the aquifer
from equation below:.

Step 2. Determine the cumulative water influx

by applying equation below :

Schilthuis Model
(aquifer to respond to a pressure change in the reservoir.)
The rate of water influx ew as determined by
Darcys equation may be given as:

Incorporating TIME dependency variable

The above relationship can be more conveniently

expressed as:
Where
ew = rate of water influx, bbl/day The parameter C is
k = permeability of the aquifer, mdcalled the water influx
h = thickness of the aquifer, ft
constant and is given in
ra = radius of the aquifer, ft
bbl/day/psi.
re = radius of the reservoir
t = time, days

Determining the values of ew and C

ew can be determined independently from a
different expression , as explained earlier in
slide 12&13.
The water influx constant C may be calculated
from the reservoir historical production data
over a number of selected time intervals,
provided that the rate of water influx is known.
Vital Issue
1. The water influx constant (C)can only be obtained
in this manner in which the reservoir pressure
stabilizes,
2. Once it has been found, it may be applied to both
stabilized and changing reservoir pressures.

Calculate Schilthuis water influx constant

steady-state approximation

The data given in is used in this example:

Pi = 3500 psi p = 3000 psi Qo = 32,000 STB/day
Bo = 1.4 bbl/STB GOR = 900 scf/STB Rs = 700 scf/STB
Bg = 0.00082 bbl/scf Qw = 0 Bw = 1.0 bbl/STB

Step 1

Solve for the rate of water influx ew as below :

ew = (1.4) (32,000) + (900 700) (32,000) (0.00082)+ 0
= 50,048
Step
2. bbl/day
Solve for the water influx constant as below:
*
* If the steady-state approximation adequately describes the
aquifer flow regime, the calculated water influx constant C
values will be constant over the historical period.

Determination of We
When variation exists with Pressure & Time
(Both)
In terms of the cumulative water influx We, equation
may be integrated as below:
or
Where
We = cumulative water influx, bbl C = water influx constant, bbl/day/psi t = time,
days pi = initial reservoir pressure, psi p = pressure at the oil-water contact at time t,
psi

The pressure at the oil/water interface drops as a

function of time, the pressure curve can be sub divided
into successive increments/sectors

Pressure Variations

Water inflows Qe (P,t)

The water in flows entering the oil zone is
given as:

Where

In this geometry o/w contact surface is replaced by virtual

vertical surface in accordance with the amount of oil in place

Pressure Variations with Time

Calculating the area under the curve

This area at time t can be determined

numerically by using the trapezoidal rule, as:

Remarks
With its values during the production history , the
aquifer function can be determined up to the present
time , enabling its extrapolation for production
forecasts.
Also depending on the regional geological data ,
optimization method serve to determine the most
probable values of the size and permeability of the
aquifer.
These analysis are of fundamental importance ,
because , depending on the predicted activity of the
aquifer function, recovery may vary with in a
reasonable range(1 to 10%)

Aquifer Water Flow:

Calculations
When aquifer characteristics are known,
When water inflows are estimated from
material balance

Example 4

When aquifer characteristics are known,

The pressure history of a water-drive oil reservoir is

given below:
t, days
p, psi
0
3500 (pi)
100
3450
200
3410
300
3380
400
3340
The aquifer is under a steady-state flowing condition
with an estimated water influx constant of 130
bbl/day/psi.
Calculate the cumulative water influx after 100, 200,
300, and 400 days using the steady-state model.

Step 1.
Calculate the total pressure drop at each time t.

Step 2.
Calculate the cumulative water influx after
100 days:

Step 3.
Determine We after 200 days.

Step 4.
We after 300 days.

Step 5.
Calculate We after 400 days.

Hursts Modified Steady-State Model (Hurst)

Problems
as the water is drained from the aquifer, the
aquifer drainage radius ra will increase as the
time increases.
Solution
the dimensionless radius ratio ra/re may be
replaced with a time dependent function, as:
ra/re = at ---------------1
As such the Equation
becomes

---------------2

The water influx relation can also be

written as:
---------------3
In terms of the cumulative water influx

------4

The two unknown constants, a and C,

that is determined from the reservoiraquifer
pressure
and historical data of water influx. This may be
--------5
done by straight line method:
The linear relationship between a and C may given as:
or

------6

Equation 6 indicates that a plot of (pi p)/ew versus ln(t) will

be a straight line with a slope of 1/C and intercept of

Graphical determination of C and a.

1
2
3
4
5

Determine the slope or 1/C

METHOD
Find the value of C
Consider any point on the state line;
Determine its parameters
Use the following equation to calculate the
value of a by using the value of C
or

6 Use the following equation within any time

limits

Example
Use the following data to calculate cumulative
water influx after 1186.7 days when the
boundary pressure would drop to 3379 psi.

1 Determine the slope or 1/C

SOLUTION
Reconstruct the table for essential data and
Plot the term (pi p)/ew versus ln(t) and
draw the best straight line through the
points to calculate the slope of the line .

2 Find the value of C

Let C= 1/0.02 = 50
3 Consider any point on the state line say X
4 Determine its parameters
5. Solve for a using following equation to
calculate the value of a:
or
Let a = 0.064
6. Use the following equation to calculate
desired value

Calculate the cumulative water influx after

1186.25 days using following relation:

When water inflows are estimated

from material balance

Use following data to calculate

the produced oil

Assumption :

Recovery due to water encroachment

THANKS