Reservoir Fluid Properties

Behaviour of Gases:
A gas is a homogenous fluid that has no definite volume but fills completely the vessel in which
it is placed.

Ideal gas:
An ideal gas with the following assumptions:
• Volume of the molecules i.e. insignificant with respect to the total volume of the gas.
• There are no attractive or repulsive forces between molecules or between molecules and
container walls.
• There is no internal energy loss when molecules collide.
Out of these assumptions come the following equations.

Boyle’s Law
At constant temperature the volume of a given weight of a gas is inversely proportional to the
pressure of a gas.
V α 1/P or PV = constant, T is constant

Charles’ Law
At constant pressure, the volume of a given weight of gas varies directly with the temperature:
VαT or V/ T = constant, P is constant
The pressure and temperature in both laws are in absolute units.

Avogadro’s Law
Under the same conditions of temperature and pressure equal volumes of all ideal gases contain
the same number of molecules. That is, one molecular weight of any ideal gas occupies the same
volume as the molecular weight of another ideal gas at a given T and P.
Specifically, these are:
• 2.73 x 1026 molecules/lb mole of ideal gas.
• One molecular weight (in lbs) of any ideal gas at 60°F and 14.7 psia occupies a volume of
379.4 cu ft.
• One mole or gram-mol of a substance contains 6.02x1023 molecules and occupy at the
gas state a volume equal to:
- 22.414 l at 0°C and 1 atm
- 22.645 l at 15°C and 1 atm
- 23.694 l at 60°F and 1 atm
One mole of a material is a quantity of that material whose mass in the unit system selected is
numerically equal to the molecular weight.
One lb mole of methane CH4 = 16 lb
One kg mole of methane CH4 = 16kg

The Equation of State for an Ideal Gas

By combining the above laws an equation of state relating pressure, temperature and volume of
a gas is obtained.

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 Reservoir Fluid Properties
𝑃𝑉
= 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑇
R is the constant when the quantity of gas is equal to one mole. Its value depends on the unit
system used, so that;
R in oilfield units = 10.732 cu ft psia/ lb mole °R

Values of R for different unit systems

For n moles the equation becomes:

PV=nRT
T= absolute temperature oK or oR where ºK = 273 + oC and oR = 460 + oF
To find the volume occupied by a quantity of gas when the conditions of temperature and
pressure are changed from state 1 to state 2 we note that:
𝑃1 𝑉1 𝑃2 𝑉2
=
𝑇1 𝑇2

Exercise1
A gas cylinder contains methane at 1000 psia and 70°F. If the cylinder has a volume of 3 cu.ft
assuming methane is an ideal gas, calculate the mass of methane in the cylinder.

Solution:
P V = n R T, n = m/M
Where n = number of moles, m = mass, M = molecular weight
m = P M V/R T

Mass of methane, m = 8.46 lb

The Density of an Ideal Gas

Gas density, ρg = weight / volume = m / V
For 1 mole m = MW, MW = Molecular weight

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 Reservoir Fluid Properties
V = RT/P
MW . P
ρg =
RT
Exercise 2
Calculate the density of the gas in the cylinder in exercise 1
Solution:

Density of gas, ρg = 2.82 lb/cu ft

Standard Conditions
It is common practice to relate volumes oil and gas at reservoir conditions to conditions at
surface, i.e 14.7 psia and 60°F.

sc - standard conditions res - reservoir conditions

This relationship assumes that reservoir properties behave as ideal. This is NOT the case as will
be discussed later.

Exercise 3
Assuming methane is at the conditions of excercise 1, calculate the volume the gas would occupy
at standard conditions.

Solution:

Mixtures of Ideal Gases:

Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures

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 Reservoir Fluid Properties
The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the pressures exerted by
its components. The partial pressure is the contribution to pressure of the individual component.
P = PA + PB + PC + …………… A, B and C are components, therefore:

where yj = mole fraction of jth component.

The partial pressure of a component, is the total pressure times the mole fraction.

Amagat’s Law
Amagat’s Law states that the volume occupied by an ideal gas mixture is equal to the sum of the
volumes that the pure components would occupy at the same temperature and pressure.
V = VA + VB + VC

For an ideal gas the volume fraction is equal to the mole fraction.

Exercise 4
A gas is made up of the following components; 25lb of methane, 3 lb of ethane and 1.5 lb of
propane. Express the composition of the gas in weight and mole fractions.

Solution:

Apparent Molecular Weight

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 Reservoir Fluid Properties
A mixture does not have a molecular weight although it behaves as though it had a molecular
weight. This is called the apparent molecular weight. AMW
AMW = Σ(Y j × MW j)
AMW for air = 28.97, a value of 29.0 is usually sufficiently accurate.

Exercise 5
What is the apparent molecular weight of the gas in exercise 4

Solution:

Specific Gravity of a Gas

The specific gravity of a gas, g is the ratio of the density of the gas relative to that of dry air at
the same conditions.

Assuming that the gases and air are ideal:

Mg = AMW of gas mixture, Mair = AMW of air.

Exercise 6
What is the gas gravity of the gas in exercise 4?

Solution:

BEHAVIOUR OF REAL GASES:

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 Reservoir Fluid Properties
There are two general methods of correcting the ideal gas law equation:
1. By using a correction factor in the equation P V = n RT
2. By using another equation-of-state

Compressibility Factor for Natural Gases

The correction factor ‘z’ which is a function of the gas composition, pressure and temperature is
used to modify the ideal gas law to:
PV=ZnRT
Z is the compressibility factor and the equation is the compressibility equation-of-state or the
compressibility equation. The compressibility factor is not a constant but varies with changes in
gas composition, temperature and pressure and must be determined experimentally.
To compare two states the law now takes the form:

Law of Corresponding States

The law of corresponding states shows that the properties of many pure liquids and gases have
the same value at the same reduced temperature (Tr) and pressure (Pr):

The Law can be applied to mixtures by defining parameters called pseudo critical temperature,
Tpc and pseudocritical pressure, Ppc

where y is the mole fraction of component j and T cj and Pcj are the critical temperature and
pressure of component j

Exercise 7
Calculate the pseudocritical temperature and pseudocritical pressure of the mixture in exercise 4

Solution:

Pseudocritical pressure = 668.4 psia

Pseudocritical temperature = 362 oR

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Compressibility factors for natural gas (Standing & Katz, Trans AIME, 1942)

Exercise 8
For the gas of exercise 4 determine the compressibility factor at a temperature of 150°F and a
pressure of 3500 psia

Solution:
Ppr = P/Ppc, Tpr = T / Tpc
From exercise 7 Ppc = 668 psia, Tpc = 362.6 oR
P = 3500 psia, and T = 150 oC i.e. 610 oR
Ppr = 5.24, and Tpr = 1.68
From Standing Katz chart
Compressibility factor, z = 0.88

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