Material Balance
Equation
For Oil Reservoirs
Oil Material Balance Equation
(Bo Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg
N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw = N i Boi
Boi
Bg
Cw S wc + C f
+m
1 + (1 + m )
B
gi
1 S wc
+ We Bw
Nomenclature
Np = cumulative oil produced at reservoir pressure p, STB
Ni = initial oil in place, STB
Gi Bgi
m=
N i Boi
Rs = ratio of gas in place to oil in place under standard conditions,
SCF/STB
Gi = initial gas in place, SCF
We = cumulative water influx, STB
Wp = cumulative water produced, STB
Rp = cumulative producing gas oil ratio, SCF/STB = Gp/Np
Gp = cumulative gas produced, SCF
Nomenclature
p = (pi-p), psia, where pi is the initial pressure
Rs = solution gas ratio, SCF/STB
Bo = oil formation volume factor, bbl/STB
Bg = gas formation volume factor, bbl/SCF = .005
zT
p
Bw = water formation volume factor, bbl/STB
Cw = compressibility of water, psi-1
Cf = compressibility of formation, psi-1
Swc = connate water saturation, fraction
subscript i = initial conditions
(For example, Boi = initial formation volume factor, bbl/STB)
Oil Material Balance Equation
In words, the oil material balance equation
says that any production we obtain is due
to change in volume of reservoir rock and
fluids and/or displacement by encroaching
water from an adjoining aquifer.
Left Hand Side
Production from the reservoir at reservoir
conditions
z
We measure these terms
N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw
NpBo Oil produced at reservoir conditions, (res.
bbl)
z
Note that Bo includes changes in oil volume due to
gas going into solution.
Left hand Side
Np(Rp Rs)Bg Amount of free gas
produced at reservoir conditions.
z
Note Rp is total produced gas (free +
dissolved) per barrel; Rp is gas dissolved at
reservoir conditions that is produced.
The effect of oil volume changes due to
solution gas, Rs is included in Bo
WpBw Amount of water produced (or
injected)
Right Hand Side
Accounts for expansion of oil and free gas
in the reservoir, as well as influx of water
and change in reservoir pore volume.
Expansion of oil + dissolved gas
N i ((Bo Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg )
Right Hand Side
z
Expansion of gas in the gas-cap
Bg
1 = Gi Bg Gi Bgi
N i Boi m
B
gi
Expansion of rock and connate water
Cw S wc + C f
N i Boi (1 + m )
1 S wc
C w S wc + C f
p = (N i Boi + Gi Bgi )
1 S wc
Natural Water influx
We Bw
Problem (from Craft and
Hawkins)
Using the letter symbols for reservoir engineering,
write expressions for the following terms in a
volumetric undersaturated reservoir
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
The initial oil in place in stock-tank barrels
The fractional recovery after producing Np STB
The volume occupied by the remaining oil after
producing Np STB
The scf of gas produced
The scf of initial gas
The scf of gas in solution in the remaining oil.
The scf of free gas in the reservoir after producing Np
STB
The reservoir volume occupied by the escaped gas
Initial Reservoir Conditions
Surface Conditions
Gi scf
Reservoir Conditions
Gas
Oil
NiRsi scf
Ni STB
Original Reservoir Oil = NiBoi res bbl.
Original Reservoir Gas = GiBgi res bbl. = m NiBoi res bbl
Initial Reservoir Conditions
Reservoir Pore Volume = Vp bbl
Pore Volume occupied by water = VpSwc bbl
Hydrocarbon Pore Volume (HCPV) = Vp (1 Swc) bbl
But HCPV = NiBoi + m NiBoi = (1+m) NiBoi bbl
So Vp = (1+m) NiBoi / (1 Swc) bbl
Free gas volume = mNiBoi bbl
So initial gas saturation = mNiBoi/ Vp
= mNiBoi (1 Swc) /((1+m) NiBoi )
Initial oil saturation = NiBoi/ Vp
= NiBoi (1 Swc) /((1+m) NiBoi )
After Production of Oil and Gas
Reservoir Conditions
(Gi+NiRsi - NpRp
-(Ni - Np)Rs)Bg
bbl gas
Gas
Oil
Surface Conditions
Gi scf
NpRp scf
NiRsi scf
Ni STB
(Ni - Np)Bo bbl
containing
(Ni - Np)Rs scf gas
Free Gas in Reservoir = (mNiBoi/Bgi+NiRsi - NpRp
- (Ni Np)Rs)Bg bbl.
Np STB
After Production of Oil and Gas
Gas Saturation = Free Gas Volume Pore
Volume
z
(mNiBoi/Bgi+NiRsi - NpRp - (Ni Np)Rs)Bg [(1+m) NiBoi
/ (1 Swc) ]
Oil Saturation = Oil Volume Pore
Volume
z
(Ni Np)Bo (1+m) NiBoi / (1 Swc)
Example
For a solution gas drive reservoir, calculate the
original oil in place if the following information is
given. Assume water and rock compressibility
are negligible.
p = 2,000 psia
B o = 1.22 bbl/STB
R s = 350 SCF/STB
z = 0.80
R si = 600 SCF/STB
B oi = 1.3 bbl/STB
N p = 20.0 MMSTB
T = 150 o F
R p = 900 SCF/STB
Solution
Solution Gas drive reservoir implies:
z
z
Negligible water influx.
No initial gas cap.
[
N ((B
N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw =
i
Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg )
Solution
Calculate Bg
zT
Bg = .005
p
(
.8)(150 + 460 )
= .005
2,000
= 7.625 10 4 bbl/SCF
Solution
Calculate reservoir production
N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw = 20 106 1.22 + (900 350)7.625 10 4 + 0
= 3.279 107 res. bbl
Calculate PVT dependent terms on RHS
(Bo Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg = (1.22 1.3) + (600 350)7.625 104
= .1106 res. bbl/STB
Solution
Solve for initial oil in place
Ni =
N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw
(Bo Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg
3.279 10
Ni =
= 296MMSTB
.1106
7
Condensed Notation
The material balance equation is lengthy;
cumbersome to work with.
Introduce shorthand notation to facilitate
manipulation.
Total Production of oil, water and gas:
F = N p Bo + (R p Rs )Bg + W p Bw
Condensed Notation
Reservoir fluid expansion terms (on a
per STB basis)
z
Expansion of oil and dissolved gas
Eo = (Bo Boi ) + (Rsi Rs )Bg
Expansion of gas-cap gas
Bg
mE g = mBoi
1
Bgi
Expansion of rock and connate water
cw S wc + c f
p
(1 + m )E f ,w = (1 + m )Boi
1 S wc
Note
The fluid expansion terms Eo, Eg, and Ef,w
are composed only of fluid PVT properties
and connate water saturation.
z
At reservoir conditions (Temperature
constant), they are functions of reservoir
pressure only.
Material Balance Equation
In terms of our shorthand notation
F = Ni (Eo + mEg + (1 + m)E f , w )+ We Bw
Simplifications:
z
Solution Gas Drive Reservoir: We = 0, m = 0
F = N i (Eo + E f , w )
Solution Gas Drive
Production (F) is measured.
Eo
and Ef,w are determined from PVT and
rock properties.
Material balance is a straight line equation
z
Plot of F versus Eo + Ef,w is a straight line with
intercept 0 and slope Ni
Solution Gas Drive
Slope = Ni
(0,0)
Eo
Gas Cap Drive No Water
Influx
In this case, the material balance equation can
be simplified to
F = N i (Eo + mEg + (1+ m )E f , w )
Straight line form:
F = N i ((Eo + E f , w ) + m(E g + E f , w ))
(
Eg + E f ,w )
F
= N i + mNi
(Eo + E f ,w )
(Eo + E f ,w )
Gas Cap drive Plot
Slope = mNi
F
(Eo + E f ,w )
}
(0,0)
Ni
(E
(E
g
o
+ E f ,w )
+ E f ,w )
Gas Reservoirs
Material Balance
Problem
Suppose we had a
tank of gas buried
underground
z
z
z
Fixed known
temperature
Pressure known
Tank Volume unknown
Gas
pi
T
Gi
Problem (Contd)
Suppose we remove
Gp scf gas
z
Gp
Pressure falls to a new
measured value
Temperature constant
Can we determine the
original scf of gas in
the tank?
Gas
p
T
Gi - Gp
Solution
From real gas law:
Original number of moles of gas in the tank, ni
pV = znRT
piV 14.7Gi
Gi
=
= 0.0283
ni =
520 R
zi RT
R
Solving for original volume of the tank
Gi ziT
V = 0.0283
= Gi Bgi
pi
Solution (Contd)
Number of moles removed from tank
nr = 0.0283
Gp
R
Number of moles left in the tank
nleft
(
G G )
= 0.0283
i
Solution (Contd)
Gas left occupies the entire tank volume, so
pV = znleft RT
(
Gi G p )
RT
pV = z 0.0283
R
Tank volume
zT
V = 0.0283 (Gi G p ) = Bg (Gi G p )
p
Gas Material Balance
Volumetric Reservoir
We have two expressions for tank volume
z
Must be equal
V = Bg (Gi G p ) = Bgi Gi
Bgi
= Gi 1 z
G p = Gi 1
B
pi
zi
Straight line plot
For a volumetric gas reservoir, a plot of Gp
versus p/z will be a straight line of slope
(Gi/(pi/zi)) and intercept Gi
In practice, people plot p/z versus Gp and
extrapolate to p/z = 0
p/z versus Gp
pi
zi
p
z
Gi
0
Gp
Problem
Suppose when we
remove Gp scf gas,
WeBw res. bbl of
water encroached
z
Pressure falls to a new
measured value
Temperature constant
Can we determine the
original scf of gas in
the tank?
Gp
Gas
p
T
Gi - Gp
W eBw
Solution
Original volume of gas in tank
V = Gi Bgi
Final Volume of gas in tank
zT
V We Bw = 0.0283 (Gi G p ) = Bg (Gi G p )
p
Material Balance with water influx
Gi Bgi We Bw = Bg (Gi G p )
p/z versus Gp with water influx
pi
zi
Effect of water influx
p
z
Gi
0
Gp
Production of Gas
Processes that determine gas production:
z
z
z
Expansion of gas
Water Influx
Expansion of rock and connate water
In most cases expansion of rock and
connate water is small compared to gas
expansion.
In abnormally pressured gas reservoirs,
this term may be significant.
Gas Material Balance
General form
cw S wc + c f
G p Bg + W p Bw = Gi (Bg Bgi ) + Bgi
1 S wc
Gas formation volume factor
zT 3
ft /scf
Bg = 0.0283
p
p + We Bw
Gas Material Balance - p/z
It is customary to express the gas material
balance in terms of p/z
If there is no water influx and formation
and rock compressibility are negligible
pi
p
(Gi G p )
=
z Gi zi
Plot of p/z vs. Gp
z
is a straight line
Intercepts the x-axis at Gi
Abnormally Pressured
Reservoirs
Normal pressure gradients for gas
reservoirs are in the range of 0.4-0.5
psia/ft of depth
Abnormally pressured reservoirs have
gradients of 0.7-1.0 psia/ft of depth
z
> 300 abnormally pressured gas reservoirs
offshore Gulf Coast; gradients > 0.65 with
depths over 10000 ft.
P/z for Abnormally Pressured
Reservoirs
