Heriot-Watt University

DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION

Adrian C Todd

Reservoir Engineering Tasks

Be able to make dependable estimates of

initial hydrocarbons in place.

Predict the future reservoir performance.

Ultimate hydrocarbon recovery.

Material Balance Equation

Basic tool in reservoir engineering.

Many reservoir engineering techniques involve
some application of the material balance.
Principle of conservation of mass underlies the
MB equation
It is however written on a volumetric basis.
Mass of fluids originally in place = fluids produced
+ remaining reserves

Material Balance Equation

First presented by Schilthuis 1936

Relates volumes to pressures

Limited in application since no time dependant

terms.
Provides relationship with reservoir cumulative
production and its average pressure

Material Balance Equation

Scope of the analysis depends on the Reservoir

simulators apply material balance approach within
each cell
MB equation enables one to get a feel of the
reservoir and the contribution of various processes.
A danger of the blind use of the reservoir simulator
is one might not be aware of the various
contributions to fluid production.

Material Balance Equation

Basic material balance equation

The reservoir volume of original

fluids in place = reservoir
volume of fluids produced +
volume of remaining reserves

Material Balance Equation

As a consequence of pressure depletion in a reservoir a
number of things will happen.

The pore volume of reservoir will decrease

Connate water will expand

Undersaturated oil will expand

Saturated oil will shrink as gas comes out of solution.

Free gas will expand.

Water may start flowing into reservoir.

MB for GAS RESERVOIRS

Simplest MB equation is applied to gas

reservoirs
Gas compressibility is very significant.
Compared to reservoir volume
compressibility.
If no water drive and pore volume changes
insignificant.

Dry Gas Reservoir with Water Drive

If gas reservoir supported by water then as gas

produced water encroaches into pore space, some
MAY BE also produced
However because of very high mobility of gas
compared to water. Water production delayed.
Water support evidenced by pressure support

GBgi G G p Bg We Wp

Gas Reservoirs Graphical MB

GBgi G G p Bg

From equation in gas properties

czT
Bg
p

zi
z

G G Gp
pi
p
G

zi
z
G Gp
pi
p

p
Gp G
z

Gz i

Pi

Hence a plot of Gp vs. p/z will give a straight line.

Gas Reservoirs Graphical MB

If gas ideal then Gp vs. p would be a straight line

-when p/z = 0. Then Gp = G the original gas in place
-When Gp = Then p/z =pi/zi
Often used in predicting gas reserves.
Often water drive neglected.
Often used as a history matching tool to compare reserves based
on production data with those from exploration methods.

Gas Reservoirs Graphical MB

Great caution to be taken when using this method

Water drive is considered to be zero.

Gas compressibility is only pressure support.

If the plot deviates from straight line then this

gives evidence of other pressure support

Wet Gas Reservoirs

These reservoirs produce liquids as well as gas.

Important to convert liquids to gas equivalent figures
to add to the gas production.
For condensate systems Gp produced should include
produced condensate and produced water (originally
dissolved in gas ).

Wet Gas Reservoirs

Volume of 1STB of condensate of molecular weight
Mo and specific gravity o.

znRT
V
P
z=0 at p= 14.7 psia and T= 520 oR

psia.SCF 520o R lb.mole

lb
cu.ft.
V / STB 10.73
x
x
x62.4

x5.615
o
lb.mol.o R 14.7psia M o lb
cu.ft.
STB

o SCF
v 133, 000
M o STB

Development of General MB Eqn.

Gas cap Expansion
Gas cap attached to an oil reservoir
Gpc

GBgi
Oil
Pi

(G-Gpc)Bg
G G pc Bg GBgi

Gas cap exp.

Oil
P

Change in gas cap volume due to gas production from

gas cap is:

G G pc Bg GBgi

MB for Oil Reservoirs Above Bubble Point

Np

NBoi

(N-Np)Bo

Pi

Above the bubble point, the undersaturated condition,

production is due to expansion of liquids, oil and
water and reduction in pore volume.
Assuming oil production only due to oil expansion.
Then:

NBoi N N p Bo

MB for Oil Reservoirs Below Bubble Point

Below bubble point gas liberated in the

reservoir. The mechanism of Solution Gas
Drive
Produced fluids: oil plus its dissolved gas, gas
which has come out of solution in reservoir
and produced and free gas which has come
out of solution in reservoir and remains there.

MB for Oil Reservoirs Below Bubble Point

Free gas in reservoir = original gas in solution
remaining gas in solution produced gas Gps

NR si N N p R s G ps

SCF

NR si N N p R s G ps Bg
NBoi N N p NR si N N p R s G ps Bg

rbbl

rbbl

Original volume oil = remaining oil volume + volume of

free gas

NBoi N N p NR si N N p R s G ps Bg

rbbl

MB for Oil Reservoirs Below Bubble Point

Equation in terms of original stock-tank volume in reservoir

N p Bo G ps N p R s Bg
Bo Boi R si R s Bg

Gps

Np

NBoi

Free gas
(NRsi-(N-Np)RsGps)Bg
Oil (N-Np)Bo

Pi

MB with gas cap and water drive

So far no volume change in reservoir considered.
If gas cap expands or water encroaches there will be a
loss to reservoir volume
Change in volume due to gas cap expansion:

G G pc Bg GBgi

Change in volume due to water encroachment:

We Wp

Total change in volume = original oil volume (remaining

oil volume + free solution gas)

MB with gas cap and water drive

Np

Gpc

Gps Wp

NBoi

Pi

We

W W G G B GB
NB N N B NR N N R
e

oi

pc

gi

si

G ps Bg

MB with gas cap and water drive

Np

Gpc

Gps Wp

NBoi

Pi

We

N p Bo G ps N p R s Bg G G pc Bg GBgi We Wp
Bo Boi R si R s Bg

Gp = Gpc+Gps

N p Bo G p N p R s Bg G Bg Bgi We Wp
Bo Boi R si R s Bg

Effect of Pore Volume Changes

Water and rock pore compressibility although low can contribute to overall pore
volume changes.

Impact of pore volume changes due to rock.

As pressure falls bulk volume reduces ( increased nett
overburden stress )
and increase in volume of grains.
Nett effect reduction in porosity
Compressibility of rock cf

1 Vpr
cf
Vp p

Vpr cf pVp

Effect of Pore Volume Changes

Impact of pore volume changes due to connate water.
Expansion of water can contribute to reduction in pore volume for
the hydrocarbons.
Compressibility of water:

1 Vpw
cw
Vpw p

Vpw VpSwc

Vpw c w pSwc Vp

Total Pore Volume Change due to rock & water:

Vp Vpr Vpw

Vp cf c w Swc pVp

Effect of Pore Volume Changes

This term can be added to MB equation and
expressed in terms of oil (and gas) in place.
If we neglect a gas cap then the pore volume =

NBoi
Vp
1 Swc

Compressibility of water and rock

NBoi
Vp
c wc S cf p
1 Swc
If we also include gas cap then

NBoi
Vp 1 m
c wc S cf p
1 Swc

M is ratio of gas
to oil in place

If free gas present then errors in gas compressibility effects greater

than absolute pore compressibility effects, so M ignored.

General Material Balance Equation

Net water influx + gas cap expansion + pore volume reduction =

cf c w Swc

We Wp Bw G G pc Bg GBgi 1 S pNBoi
wc

NBoi N N p Bo NR si N N p R s G ps Bg
Original oil volume volume of remaining oil and free solution gas.

General Material Balance Equation

Other forms of the MB Equation

Equation sometimes presented using total formation volume
factor.Bt.

Bt Bo R si R s Bg

Using m, where

GBgi

Using Gp where

NBoi

Gp NpR p

N p Bt R p R s Bg We Wp
Bt Bti mBti

Bgi

Bgi

cf c wSwc pBti / 1 Swc

Modifications to the General MB Eqn.

All of the parameters not significant over the life of a reservoir.

Above bubble point some terms go to zero.

Above Pb, Rs is constant. Gp-NpRs =0. Only solution gas

produced.
Above Pb no gas cap, G or m = 0
Below Pb, gas related terms have significance. Some consider
pore & water compressibility terms can be neglected when
compared to the errors associated with the free gas terms.
As well as water influx, We, the equation can be used for
artificial drive, e.g. gas injection, Gi and water injection, Wi.

Alternative
method for
deriving MB eqn.
According to Dake,
Underground withdrawal =
expansion of the system +
cumulative water influx.
Reservoir volume at pressure P
of the produced fluids
= expansion of primary gas cap
+ expansion of oil plus originally
dissolved gas
+ expansion of connate water
+ water influx
+reduction of total pore volume

Assumptions in MB Equation

Pressure
the MB equation is tank model. Pressure constant throughout the reservoir at
any time. An average pressure has to be selected to be represent fluid
properties.

Temperature
Changes in a reservoir take place at constant temperature, isothermal.

Production rate
Time has no part within MBE.

Representative PVT data

PVT measurements should be made or calculated to reflect behaviour in the
reservoir

Good production data essential

Significance and use of MBE

MBE is a relation between;

Oil & gas in place, N & G
Production,Np,Gp, & Wp
Water influx, We
Average reservoir pressure, PVT parameters and in
compressibility terms

If three of these are known the fourth can be calculated.

If production and pressure data available and oil & gas in place
known, then water influx can be determined.
If no water drive then can history match reserves.
For a known oil in place, the pressure at future dates can be
determined for a proposed production plan

Significance and use of MB(Dake)

Should be known

Potential unknown

Np

Rp

We

Wp

Cw

Bo,Bg,Rs

cf

Swc
Bw

6 known and 8 unknowns need more independent equations

Significance and use of MB(Dake)

6 known and 8 unknowns need more

independent equations
In reservoir simulation more unknowns re.
Reservoir description, porosity, relative
permeabilities etc.
Np & Rp generally best known except when
good productions records not available.
Petrophysical data is generally good.

Significance and use of MB

Unknowns
Once production starts MB provides useful route to
upgrade STOIIP estimate, N.
MB provides opportunity to determine water drive,
We.
Size of gas cap if not drilled may be difficult to
determine.
Important to determine rock & water compressibility.
MB zero dimensional. Requires average pressure.
Can be obtained from range of pressures from wells
in drainage area.

Sources of Data for use in MBE

PVT data

From PVT reports

Production data

Should be measured

Well and reservoir

records

Oil & Gas in Place

From volumetric
estimates

Connate Water Saturation

From petrophysics

Water Compressibility
Pore Compressibility
Should be measured

Reservoir Pressures
From pressure surveys

Water Influx
Calculation or history
match

Limitations of MBE

Zero dimensional
fluid properties averaged over entire reservoir.

Saturations distributions cannot be

determined.
No time parameter.
It will calculate what will happen but not when.

MB Quotation Muskatt 1947

The material balance equation method is by no means a

universal tool for estimating reserves. In some cases it is
excellent. In others it may be grossly misleading. It is always
instructive to try it, if only to find out that it does not work,
and why. It should be a part of the stock in trade of all
reservoir engineers. It will boomerang if applied blindly as a
mystic hocus- pocus to evade the admission of ignorance.
The algebraic symbolism may impress the old timer and help
convince a Corporation Commission, BUT it will not fool the
reservoir. Reservoirs pay little heed to either wishful
thinking or libellous misinterpretation. Reservoirs always do
what they aught to do. They continually unfold a past which
inevitably defies all man-made laws. To predict this past
while it is still the futures is the business of the reservoir
Zhengmengengineer. But whether the engineer is clever or
stupid, honest or dishonest, right or wrong, the reservoir is
always right.