PVT Short Course for Cairo University SPE Student Chapter

Ahmed Muaz
Khalda Petroleum Company

April 23, 2011

Contents
Why Study PVT? Objectives of PVT Analysis Types of Reservoir Fluids Differentiation Between the Different Types of

Reservoir Fluids

Fluid Sampling Laboratory Experiments PVT Reports

Why Study PVT?

Gas Sep.

Oil

Stock Tank Transport

Diff. Flow Regime

Objectives of PVT Analysis

Need to understand PVT analysis for:

Determination of reservoir fluid type Knowledge of physical properties of reservoir fluids Match an EOS to the measured data Creation of PVT models Ultimate recoveries of different components Amounts and composition of liquids left behind Determination of well stream composition

Objectives of PVT Analysis Cont.

Completion design Separator/NGL plant specifications Product values Vs. time Prediction compositional gradient

The Five Reservoir Fluids

Black Oil Volatile Oil Retrograde Gas Wet Gas Dry Gas

Reservoir Fluid Type Identification

Analyzing a representative sample in the lab Production data 1.Initial GOR 2.API 3.Oil color 4.C7+

Black Oil
An initial GOR, 1750 SCF/STB or less A 45 API initial stock tank oil gravity or less A dark color of stock tank oil C7+ > 20 mole % Initial Bo of 2 res bbl/STB or less

Black Oil Phase Diagram

T h e i ni ti a l re se rvo i r co n d i ti o n s ( P &T ) a re m u ch l o w e r th a n th e cri ti ca l co n d i ti ons T h e h e a vy m o l e cu l es co n ce n tra ti on i s hi gh

Volatile Oil
An initial GOR, 1750 SCF/STB or greater A 51.2 API initial stock tank oil gravity A medium orange stock tank oil color C7+ concentration between 19 and 22 mole % Bo 2.0 res bbl/STB or greater

Volatile Oil Phase Diagram

The initial reservoir conditions (P&T) are close to the critical conditions Have fewer heavy molecules than black oil

Retrograde Gas Condensate

An initial GOR > 3200 SCF/STB API > 45 initial stock tank oil gravity A light stock tank oil color C7+ concentration <12.5 mole %

Retrograde Gas Phase Diagram

The initial reservoir conditions (P&T) are higher than the critical conditions

Have fewer heavy molecules than volatile oils

The overall composition of the reservoir fluid becomes heavier as the lighter gas is produced and the heavier condensate remains behind

Wet Gas
An initial GOR > 15,000 SCF/STB API up to 70 initial stock tank oil gravity Water white of tank oil color C7+ concentration <4 mole %

Wet Gas Phase Diagram

Reservoir Temperature above Cricondentherm (pressure path not enter phase envelope)
Pressure

Pressure path in reservoir

li

ne

Wet gas

The reservoir fluid is gas throughout the life of the reservoir

De

wp

Critical point

bb l li epo ne in t

oi

nt

% Liquid

2
30

The separator condition is two phases

25

Bu

Separator

Temperature

Gravity of stock tank liquid same as retrograde gas

Dry Gas
An initial GOR > 1000,000 SCF/STB Almost no liquid C7+ concentration < 0.7 mole %

Dry Gas Phase Diagram

Primarily methane and some intermediates The reservoir fluid is gas throughout the life of the reservoir No liquids formed either in reservoir or at surface
Pressure path in reservoir

l in

Pressure

De w

poi

nt

Dry gas

% Liquid

50

Separator

Temperature

Reservoir Fluids Phase Diagram Window OIL

GAS
Volatile Critical Oil Critical Gas

Black Oil

Oil

Gas

Wet C

Cricondenbar Bubbl e Point Loci

Critical Point

Pressure

Dew Point Loci

Retrograde Region
Cricondenterm

Two Phase Region

C Temperature

C7+ & GOR for Reservoir Fluids

Reservoir Fluid Types Classification

Composition of Reservoir Fluids

Differences Between Black and Volatile Oil

Black Oil

The evolved gas is a dry gas. The solution gases remain gas phase in the reservoir, tubulars and separator. As reservoir pressure decreases, the gas leaving solution, becomes richer in intermediate components. API gradually decreases during the reservoir life.

Phase Diagram of Black Oil and Associated Gas

Production Processes for a Black Oil

Differences Between Black and Volatile Oil

Volatile Oil

The evolved gas is a retrograde gas. The evolved retrograde gases release a large amount of. condensate at surface conditions. Often over one half of the stock tank liquid produced during the reservoirs life. API steadily increases with time.

Phase Diagram of Volatile Oil and Associated Gas

Production Processes for a Volatile Oil

Analysis and Prediction Tool

Black Oil Mbal

Assume free gas in the reservoir remains gas in the separator Treat a multi component black oil mixture as a twocomponent mixture: gas and oil

Volatile Oil Mbal

Treat mixture as a multi-component mixture Total composition of the production stream is known

Effect of Using Black Oil Mbal for Volatile Oil

Differentiation between Volatile and Retrograde

A G O R o f 3 2 0 0 S C F /S T B i s a good cu t- o ff A va l u e o f 1 2 .5 m o l e % of C7 + is a u se fu l d i vi di ng l i ne

Differences between Volatile Oil and Retrograde Gas

Retrograde Gas

GOR increases with time as condensate dropout API increases with time Compositional Mbal should be used in reservoir calculations Conventional gas Mbal can be used above dew point Also, it can be used below dew point if two phase Zfactors are used

Differences between Retrograde and Wet Gas

A n i ni ti alG O R of 1 5 ,0 0 0 S C F/S T B ca n b e a cu to ff A va l ue of 4 m ol e% or l e ss ca n b e u se fu l d i vi di ng l i ne

Field and Laboratory Identification of Reservoir Fluids

Reservoir Fluid Sampling

Open Hole Sampling:

RFT, small sample volume and often contaminated MDT, allows controlled drawdown and multiple sample chambers Optical MDT, allows to identify the type of fluid being sampled

Cased Hole Sampling:

Surface Sampling Subsurface Sampling

Surface & Subsurface Sampling

Well Conditioning during Sampling

Small perforation is preferable Limiting drawdown Large tubing diameter in case of high rates Better well cleaning Stable production No liquid slugging Small amount of produced fluid prior to sampling

Laboratory Tests
Primary tests Routine laboratory tests Special laboratory PVT tests

Primary Tests
API Gas specific gravity Separator gas composition GOR

Routine Laboratory Tests

Constant-Composition Expansion - CCE Differential Liberation Constant-Volume Depletion CVD Separator Test

Constant Composition Expansion CCE Test

The test is conducted for the purposes of determining:

pressure)

Saturation pressure (bubble-point or dew-point

Isothermal compressibility coefficients of the singlephase fluid in excess of saturation pressure Compressibility factors of the gas phase Total hydrocarbon volume as a function of pressure

CCE Test Procedures

pb

Vt

Liquid

Vt

Liquid Liquid

Vt

Liquid Liquid Liquid

Gas Vt Liquid Vt Gas

Hg

Hg

Hg Hg

Liquid Hg

First Step

Second Step

Third Step

Fourth Step

CCE Test Data

Differential Liberation Test

The experimental data obtained from the test include:

Amount of gas in solution as a function of pressure The shrinkage in the oil volume as a function of pressure Properties of the evolved gas including the composition of the liberated gas, the gas compressibility factor, and the gas specific gravity Density of the remaining oil as a function of pressure

Differential Liberation Expansion Test Procedures

pb Gas Gas

Vo

Liquid

Gas Liquid

Vo

Liquid

Gas Liquid

Vo

Liquid

Hg Hg

Hg Hg

Hg

First step

Differential Liberation Test Data

Separator Test Procedures

pb

Rsb =
Gas

scf STB

Gas

scf
Liquid

scf
Separator

resbbl
Hg Hg Stock tank

Liquid STB
Liquid

Bob =

resbbl STB

Separator Test Data

CVD Test Procedures

Constant Volume Depletion CVD Test

PVT Reports

Thank You