Engineering Near-Critical Reservoirs

PETE 616
Course Outline
Spring 2007
Instructor: Dr. Maria A. Barrufet
maria.barrufet@pe.tamu.edu

Module 1: Overall Scope – Reservoir and Fluid Characterization

Duration: 2 weeks
The big picture: Near Critical Reservoirs Characteristics. Characteristic Phase Diagrams for Hydrocarbon
Fluids: Pressure, Volume, Temperature and Composition Relations. Classification of Reservoir Fluids
Using Phase Diagrams, Compositions, Production, and PVT Data.
Fluid And Rock-Fluid Properties Required For Reservoir Simulation Studies. PVT And Core Analysis Data
and Models In The Oil Industry: Reservoir Fluid Sampling Techniques. PVT Tests for Near Critical Fluids:
Constant Volume Depletion. Constant Composition Expansion. Separator. Swelling. Viscosity and
Interfacial Tension. Quality Control Tests. Oil and Gas viscosity correlations (LBC, Pedersen’s
Corresponding States Method).

References
Class Notes. SPE papers.

Module 2: Material Balance Equation and Introduction to Simulation

Duration: 2 weeks
The Material Balance Equation (Review of Black Oil and Dry Gas systems). Estimation of reserves.
Volatile and Condensate fluids. Evaluation of Oil and Gas in Place from Production Data. Conventional
Approach.
Development of a Semi-Compositional Material Balance Equation for Volatile and Condensate systems.
Uses and limitations.
Modeling Fluid Phase Behavior: Compositional vs. Black Oil Models.

References
Class Notes. SPE papers.

Module 3 : Near Critical Reservoir Simulation – Special Compositional Needs

Duration: 2 weeks
Formulation of the Multiphase Multicomponent Reservoir Simulation Equations. Constitutive Relations.
Fundamentals of VLE (Vapor-Liquid-Equilibria).
VLE modeling approaches for hydrocarbon fluids. Cubic Equations of State (EOS): Peng-Robinson,
Soave-Redlich-Kwong. Volume translation concepts for improved volumetric predictions using EOS.
Characterization of undefined petroleum fractions. Lumping techniques. Criteria for lumping and
characterizing hypothetical components.
The need for splitting the C7+ fraction. Behrens - Sandler and Whitson’s method.

References
Class Notes. SPE papers. Volume Translation. Gravity Gradient.
Whitson. Sandler papers.
Module 4: Compositional Gravitational Gradients - Condensate Banking - Production Strategies

Duration = 2 weeks
Equilibrium conditions under the influence of gravity. Compositional gradients and conditions for
significant compositional variation. Condensate Banking Problems and Solutions. Effects of Reservoir
Heterogeneity. Gas Processing Methods. Liquid Recovery. Separator Design. Dehydration Methods and
Equipment. CO2 Removal. Separation Processes: Distillation, Membranes, Cryogenic Processes. Gas
Sweetening (H2S removal).
References
Class Notes. SPE papers Whitson. Ikoku Chapters. Internet Tutorial.

Module 5: Building a Fluid Model – Calibration of EOS

Duration = 2 weeks
Use of PVTi – Processing Data and Generating a Fluid Model for ECLIPSE 300
Calibration of EOS parameters to constant composition expansion (CCE), Swelling tests, and/or constant
volume depletion data (CVD).
Tuning to viscosity data.
References
Class Notes. SPE papers. PVTi Manual.

Module 6: Compositional Reservoir Simulator – Processing Input and Output Files

Duration = 2 weeks
Introduction to ECLIPSE 300 – Preparation of input files.
Runspec and Grid options. Declaration of properties (PROPS). Solution, Summary, and Schedule
Sections. Input/Output Controls. Pre-processing data. Evaluation of oil and gas in place from production
data. EOS approach (comparison with earlier exercise in course).
Introduction to basic UNIX and VI Commands. Post-processing data (output files).

Module 7: Compositional Simulation – Special Features: Optimizing Oil Production Project

Duration = 3 weeks
Using Eclipse 300.
Local Grid Refining. Relative Permeabilities as function of IFT.
Simulation and evaluation of depletion and gas cycling strategies: Volatile and a Gas Condensate,
examples. (Reservoir Properties from SPE Third Case Comparative Study)
¾ Extended and lumped compositional description
¾ Black oil and compositional model
¾ Evaluation of relative permeability models
¾ Local grid refining options
¾ Horizontal and vertical wells

References
Class Notes. SPE papers. Eclipse 300 manual.
Performance Evaluation

Paper Reviews and Homework 30%

Midterm Exam 30%
Simulation Project- Maximum Oil Recovery Competition
(Max recovery from a condensate field under technical & economic constraints) 40%

Reference Materials

Class notes downloadable from a WEB site TBA .

Selected SPE papers
Thermodynamics of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs – A. Firoozabadi
Hydrocarbon Phase Behavior – Ahmed Tarek
Applied Petroleum Reservoir Engineering Craft and Hawkins
Eclipse 300 and PVTi manuals (Geoquest)