PETR 5320

Advanced Reservoir Engineering

GL_8
STREAMLINE MODELING

2
Streamlines and stream tubes

Streamlines

Streamtubes
Stream Tube

4
Stream Tube

Stream Line

5
FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Two phase flow system

6
In the case of two phase flow , we will have:
ko  ∂Po 
Uo = −  + gρ sin θ  1
µo  ∂x
o

k w  ∂Pw 
U w = −  + gρ w sin θ 
µ w  ∂x  2

Rearranging

µo  ∂Po 
Uo = − + gρ o sin θ  3
ko  ∂x 
µ w  ∂Pw 
Uw = − + gρ w sin θ  4
k w  ∂x 

* See “The Reservoir Engineering Aspects of Waterflooding”

By Forrest F. Craig Jr. SPE Monograph Vol. 3
After subtracting

µw µ  ∂P ∂P 
Uw − U o o = − w − o  − g (ρ w − ρ o )sin θ
kw ko  ∂x ∂x  5
Also, since

Pc = Po − Pw 6

And

∆ρ = ρ w − ρ o 7

Replacing in eq. 5, we obtain:

µw µ ∂P
Uw − U o o = c − g∆ρ sin θ 8
kw ko ∂x
We obtain:

µw µ ∂P
Uw − U o o = c − g∆ρ sin θ 8
kw ko ∂x

We can also define a total velocity

Ut = Uo +U w 9

After replacing, we obtain:

µw µ ∂P
Uw − (U t − U w ) o = c − g∆ρ sin θ 10
kw ko ∂x

Or:

µ w µo µ ∂P
Uw( + ) − U t o = c − g∆ρ sin θ 11
k w ko ko ∂x
After dividing by the total velocity Ut, we obtain:

U w µ w µo µo 1 ∂Pc
[ + ] − = [ − g∆ρ sin θ ] 12
U t k w ko ko U t ∂x

And after solving, we will have:

µo 1 ∂Pc
+ [ − g∆ρ sin θ ]
U w ko U t ∂x
= 13
Ut µ w µo
+
k w ko

Now let’s define fw as the fraction of water in the total flowing stream

fw = Uw 14
Ut
Recall:

qt
Ut = Uo +U w and Ut =
A

We will have after rearranging:

1 ko ∂Pc
1+ [ − g∆ρ sin θ ]
U t µo ∂x
fw = 15
µ w ko
1+
µo k w
If capillary forces are negligible and gravity forces are non existent, Eq.
15 can be written as:

1
fw =
µ w ko 16
1+
µo k w
 Typical Rel. Perm. Curves
1.0

Oil
kr 0.5

Swi Water

0.0
0 100
Water Saturation (%)
12
 Typical Rel. Perm. Curves
1.0

Oil SwM
kr 0.5

Swi Water

0.0
0 100
Water Saturation (%)
13
Continuity equation
 Continuity equation

kz
Z

kx

ky
X

Y
The continuity equation can be written as:

∆t[(qw ρ w ) x − (qw ρ w ) x + ∆x ] = Aϕ∆x[( S w ρ w )t + ∆t − ( S w ρ w )t ] 17

Or:

(qw ρ w ) x − (qw ρ w ) x + ∆x Aϕ[( S w ρ w ) t + ∆t − ( S w ρ w ) t ]

= 18
∆x ∆t

At the limit for Δx and Δt going to 0, we will have:

∂ (qw ρ w ) ∂(S w ρ w )
− = Aϕ 19
∂x ∂t
Or:

∂(S w ρ w ) 1 ∂ ( qw ρ w ) 20
=
∂t Aϕ ∂x
 Assume we start injecting water at a constant Ut

Swi
Z

Ut

Y
For uncompressible flow, we will have:

∂(S w ) 1 ∂ (qw ) 21
=−
∂t Aϕ ∂x

The total derivative of Sw can be written as :

∂(S w ) ∂(S w )
dS w = ( ) t dx + ( ) x dt 22
∂x ∂t
If we consider a slice of constant saturation moving, we will have:

dSw = 0
 Consider a slice of saturation with a constant value

Sw(x) Swi
Z

Qt

Y
 ∂(S w ) ∂(S w )
( ) t dx + ( ) x dt = 0 23
∂x ∂t
This equation can be written as follows:
∂S w
( )x
∂x
= − ∂t 24
∂t ∂S w
( )t
∂x
Also

∂qw ∂qw ∂S w
= 25
∂x ∂S w ∂x

∂qw
∂S w
Or = ∂x 26
∂x ∂qw
∂S w
Recalling Eq. 21:

∂(S w ) 1 ∂ (qw )
=− 21
∂t Aϕ ∂x

We can use the above two equations, Eq. 26 and 21 to rewrite Eq. 24
given below by replacing the derivatives of Sw by their respective values.

∂S w
( )x
∂x
= − ∂t
∂t ∂S 24
( w )t
∂x

We can rewrite Eq. 26 after replacing the derivatives by their respective

values:
Replacing in 25, the numerator and denominator using Eqs.
22 and 27, we obtain:

1 ∂ (qw )
∂x Aϕ ∂x
( )S =
∂t w ∂qw 28
∂x
∂qw
∂S w
∂x 1 ∂qw
Or ( ) Sw = ( )t 29
∂t Aϕ ∂S w

Or also:

∂x qt ∂f w
( ) Sw = ( )t 30
∂t Aϕ ∂S w
In Summary

Two important relations have been derived:

1
1. fw =
µ w ko
1+
µo k w

dx q df
2. ( ) Sw = t ( w )t
dt Aϕ dS w
Meaning of the previous relations
1 2.00
0.9 1.80
0.8 1.60
1 0.7 1.40
fw = 0.6 1.20
µ w ko

f 'w
0.5 1.00

fw
1+ 0.4 0.80
µo k w 0.3 0.60
0.2 0.40
0.1 0.20
0 0.00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Sw (%)

dx q df
( ) Sw = t ( w )t
dt Aϕ dS w
PETR 5320
Advanced Reservoir Engineering

GL_8 ..
 fw =
1 water injection
µ k
1+ w o
µ ok w
dx q df Sw
( ) Sw = t ( w ) Sw
dt Aϕ dS w
Wi df w
x =
Aφ dS w S
w ,x

flood front
xf

oil production
26
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

PERFORMANCE BEFORE BREAK THROUGH

27
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

 Oil recovery in frontal displacement mode depends on

how much So is reduced in the invaded area.
 Larger accumulation of water in invaded area ( larger
Sw ) means smaller So .
 Since Sw in invaded area decreases with distance and
increases with time, variation of Sw with x and t must be
known to estimate volume and rate of oil displacement.
 Buckley & Leverett (1941) proposed a theory for the
frontal advance mode and derived the equation
describing the variation of Sw as discussed earlier.

 The Frontal Advance Equation (FAE) has been proven

to be correct by both lab and field data.
28
 Frontal Displacement: Typical Fractional Flow Curve
1.0
1
fw =
µ k
1+ w o
µ ok w

fw 0.5

Swi

0.0
0 SwM 100
Water Saturation (%)
29
Frontal Displacement: Reservoir Conditions
Water Injection: iw

Sw ≅ Swi

qw ≅ 0
Sw > Swi
qo ≅ iw
qw < iw
Sw qo > 0
fw

uninvaded area invaded area

flood front
30
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Definitions:
 iw Rate of water injection into reservoir (bbls/d)
 t Total time since beginning of injection (days)
 Wi Total volume of water injected (bbls)
Wi = i w t
 Vp Total pore volume of reservoir (bbls)
Vp = A L φ

 Qi Total water injected in reservoir pore volumes

Qi = Wi / Vp
Wi df w LAϕ df w
 Also x =
Aφ dS w S
= ( ) S wf dfw/dsw= 1/Qi
w ,x
Wi dS w
31
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Definitions:
 x Location in reservoir from injection plane (ft)
 fw Water fraction at location x in reservoir
 qt Total flowrate in reservoir (bbls/d)
At steady-state, qt = iw
 qw Water flowrate in reservoir (bbls/d)
At x , qw = qt fw
 qo Oil flowrate in reservoir (bbls/d)
At x , qo = qt (1-fw)
 WOR Water/oil ratio in reservoir (bbls/d)
At x , WOR = qw / qo

32
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

From Material Balance:

Within the invaded area, if water saturation at x is Sw,x ,
then x is related to Sw,x by:
dx q df Or Wi df w
( ) Sw = t ( w ) Sw x =
dt Aϕ dS w Aφ dS w S
w ,x

df w
where is the derivative of fw w.r.t. Sw at Sw,x
dS w S
w ,x

Therefore, for a given Wi , the Sw profile in the invaded

area is controlled by the fractional-flow curve for the
reservoir.
By computing fw for a given Sw , the location x of this Sw
can be estimated thus the saturation profile.
33
 Frontal Displacement: fw versus Sw
1.0

Wi df w
x =
fw 0.5 Aφ dS w S
w ,x

f w

Swi
0.0
0 100
Water Saturation (%)
34
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Graph of fw vs Sw shows that fw can have the same value
at two different saturations.

The frontal advance equation would give the same

location
for two different saturations contradiction !

Buckley & Leverett worked around this problem by

modifying fw curve.

A tangent is drawn from Swi to the fw curve. The point of

tangent ( Sw*, fw* ) becomes a pivot point.
Between Swi and Sw* , all fw values are assumed constant
and equal to fw at Sw* .

35
Frontal Advance Theory: Theoretical Saturation Profile
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf
Sw

Swi

uninvaded area invaded area

flood front
36
 Frontal Displacement: Modified fw Curve
1.0

fw *

f w
fw 0.5

Sw *
Swi
Swf
0.0
0 100
Water Saturation (%)
37
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

The modified fw curve shows that the largest x corresponds

to Sw* and all saturations in the range Sw* < Sw < 1-Sor
correspond to decreasing x.

This means that when water enters the reservoir, water

saturation in the invaded area builds up to Sw* before
moving forward. In essence, water moves as a bank whose
front is always maintained at Sw*. This saturation is called
the front saturation Swf .

In the invaded area, water saturation is equal to 1-Sor at

the injection point and decreases in the direction of flow to
Swf at the front .

The average water saturation in the invaded area (Swf ) is

equal to the intercept of the tangent in the previous figure.
38
Frontal Advance Theory: Saturation Profile
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf
Sw

Swi

uninvaded area invaded area

flood front
39
Frontal Advance Theory: Saturation Profile
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf
Sw

Swi

uninvaded area invaded area

flood front
40
 water injection
Sw

flood front

xf

oil production
41
 Frontal Advance Theory: Saturation Variation with Time

1-Sor
Swf
Swf
Sw

Swi

uninvaded area
flood front positions

42
 Frontal Advance Theory: Saturation Variation with Time

1-Sor
Swf
Swf
Sw

Swi

uninvaded area
flood front positions

43
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Example 1
A linear reservoir with the properties given below is
flooded by injecting water at 100,000 bpd. Compute the
amount of oil displaced after 100, 1000, and 5000 days of
injection.
Cross-sectional area = 845,000 ft2
Length = 7 miles =36960 ft
Porosity = 17%
Initial Sw = 40%
SOr = 5% i.e. Swm = 95%

Fractional flow curve is attached

44
 Fractional-Flow Curve for Example 4.1
1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7
Swi = 40% SwM = 95%
0.6

0.5
fw
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Sw
45
 Frontal Displacement: Modified fw Curve
Swf =0.837
1.0
Sw *
fw *

f w
fw 0.5

Swi
0.0
0 Swi=0.4 Sw*=0.75 Swf 100
Water Saturation (%)
46
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Solution
Compute reservoir pore volume
Vp = 7x5280x845000x0.17/5.616
= 945.6 x 106 bbls

From fw curve:
Swf = 0.837
Swf = 0.750
fwf = 0.790
fwf = 2.288

At 100 days: Wi = 100x100000 = 10x106 bbls

Qi = 10x106 / 945.6x106 = 1.06x10-2 pv

47
 Frontal Advance Theory: Saturation Variation with Time

1-Sor
Swf
Swf

Swi

uninvaded area
flood front positions

48
 PISTON-LIKE ASSUMPTION

Swf 1-Sor

Swf

Swi

uninvaded area
flood front positions

49
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

SATURATION PROFILE AT BREAK THROUGH

50
Frontal Displacement: Average water saturation at BT
1.0
fwf

fw 0.5

Swi
0.0
0 Sw Swf 100
f
Water Saturation (%)
51
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
Summary

At BT:
1. The cum. pore volumes of water injected
Qi = Wi / Vp
2. The tangent to fw curve or the slope is 1/Qi
f’w =1/Qi

3. At the point of tangent:

Sw = Sw2 and fw = fw2
4. The intercept of the tangent with Sw axis is the average
water saturation in the entire reservoir ( Sw2 )

52
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
From frontal advance equation:
Wi
xf = f`wf Wi = tqt
Aφ
10x106 x5.615
xf = x 2.288 = 894.3 ft
845000x0.17

Therefore, at 100 days, flood front has not reached end of

reservoir, i.e., no breakthrough.

Oil displaced = pore volume of invaded area x reduction in So

Reduction in So = buildup in Sw = ( Swf - Swi )
= 0.837 – 0.4 = 0.437
Oil displaced = 894.3x845000x0.17x0.437/5.616
= 10 x 106 bbls

53
 Saturation Profile at BT
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf Sw

t=1000 d t=100 d

Swi

xf=8943’ xf=894.3’
L
invaded area at BT
54
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

The previous result is expected. Since no breakthrough is

achieved, all injected water is retained in reservoir.
Therefore, displaced oil = injected water.
Oil Recovery = displaced oil / initial reservoir oil
= 10x106 / (945.6x106 x (0.95-0.4))
= 1.92%
At 1000 days, xf = 8943 ft (no breakthrough)
Oil displaced = 100,000 x 1000 = 100x106 bbls
At 5000 days, xf = 44715 ft
But the reservoir is only 36960 ft long.
Therefore, flood front would have broken through earlier (at
4133 days). We need after-breakthrough analysis to
complete this problem.

55
 Saturation Profile at BT
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf Sw

Swi

L invaded area at BT

56
SATURATION PROFILE AT BREAK THROUGH

At BT we have: dx q df
( ) S wf = t ( w ) S wf
dt Aϕ dS w
 L − 0  qt  f w ( S wf ) − f w ( S wi ) 
or :  =  
 BT
t − 0  Aϕ  S wf − S wi 

L qt  1− 0 
=  a 
or also: t BT Aϕ  S wf − S wi 

or also: qt t BT = LAϕS a wf − LAϕS wi

Notice:
Because: LAϕS wf = qt t BT − LAϕS wi

We will have: S wf = S a wf

57
Saturation Profile at BT
Water Injection: iw

1-Sor

Swf
Swf Sw

Swi

L invaded area at BT

58
APPLICATION OF FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Summary of the performance at BT

Cumulative Oil Production
Np = qt x tBT
tBT = L/vf

From fw curve:
Estimate also Swf and Swf at BT
Swf = 0.750
fwf = 0.790

At BT qw = qtxfwf
and qo=qtx(1-fwf) Also WOR=qw/qo

59
PETR 5320
Advanced Reservoir Engineering

GL_8 ..
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

PERFORMANCE AFTER BREAK THROUGH

61
FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
PERFORMANCE EALUATION

Sw2

AT BT

Sw2

Sw2

AFTER BT

Sw2

62
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Post-Breakthrough Analysis
Prior to BT, only oil is produced from reservoir.
At production end:
fw2 = 0 fo2 = 1 Sw2 = Swi
qw = fw2 iw = 0 qo = fo2 iw = iw
q fw2
WOR = w = = 0
qo 1 - fw2
At moment of BT, above parameters will jump to:
fw2 = fwf fo2 = 1 – fwf Sw2 = Swf
qw = fwf iw qo = fo2 iw = iw (1-fwf )
fwf
WOR =
1 - fwf
63
 Production Performance

qo WOR
qw

qo

qw
tbt time

64
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
Beyond BT, Sw2 begins to increase causing fw2 to increase as
well. This causes progressive increase in qw associated
with a decrease in qo .

Variation in Sw2 is linked to the cumulative volume of

water injected. At a given time after BT:
1. Compute cum. pore volumes of water injected
Qi = Wi / Vp
2. Draw a tangent to fw curve whose slope is 1/Qi
f’w =1/Qi

3. At the point of tangent:

Sw = Sw2 and fw = fw2
4. The intercept of the tangent with Sw axis is the average
water saturation in the entire reservoir ( Sw2 )
65
FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
Estimating the Sw at the front from Qi
Sw2

1/Qi

Sw2

1. Compute cum. pore volumes of water injected Qi = Wi / Vp

2. Estimate:
f’w =1/Qi
3. From the value of f’w :
Get Sw2 by interpolation
3. Get also Sw2

66
FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY
Estimating the Sw at the front from Qi
Sw2

1/Qi
Sw2

1. Compute cum. pore volumes of water injected Qi = Wi / Vp

2. Estimate:
f’w =1/Qi
3. From the value of f’w :
Get Sw2 by interpolation
1 − f w2
3. Get also Sw2 from fw '
SW 2 − SW 2
 Analysis Beyond Breakthrough
Sw2
1.0

fw2 fw2
Slope = 1/Qi

fw

Sw2 Sw2

0.0

Sw

68
 Analysis Beyond Breakthrough
1.0
1.0

fw2 fw2
Slope = 1/Qi 1 − f w2
fw '
SW 2 − SW 2

fw

Sw2 Sw2

0.0

Sw

69
 FRONTAL ADVANCE THEORY

Example 2
Carry computations of Example 1 to beyond breakthrough
at 5000, 7500 and 10000 days. For each time, compute:
Oil production rate
Water production rate
WOR ratio
Oil recovery

Solution
At t = 5000 days:
Wi = 5000x100000 = 500x106 bbls
Qi = 500x106 / 945.6x106 = 0.529 pv

70
1/Qi = f’w = 1/ 0.529 = 1.89
Draw tangent to fw curve with 1.89 slope.
From figure:
fw2 = 0.865 Sw2 = 0.844
qw = 100000x0.865 = 86,500 bpd
qo = 100,000 – 86,500 = 13,500 bpd
WOR = 86500/13500 = 6.41
Recovered oil = Vp ( Sw2 - Swi )
= 945.6x106 ( 0.844 – 0.4)
= 419.8x106 bbls
Oil recovery = 419.8x106 / [945.6x106 ( 0.95 – 0.4)]
= 0.807
Or,
S w2 − S wi 0.844 − 0.4
Oil recovery = 0.95 - S = = 0.807
wi 0.95 - 0.4
71
 Fractional-Flow Curve for Example 2
1.0

0.9
slope = 0.95
fw
1.26
0.8
1.89

0.7
0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90
Sw
72
At t = 7500 days
Qi = 0.793 fw2 = 0.925 Sw2 = 0.875
qw = 100000x0.925 = 92,500 bpd
qo = 100,000 – 92,500 = 7,500 bpd
WOR = 92500/7500 = 12.3
0.875 − 0.4
Oil recovery = 0.95 - 0.4
= 0.864

At t = 10000 days
Qi = 1.058 fw2 = 0.945 Sw2 = 0.890
qw = 100000x0.945 = 94,500 bpd
qo = 100,000 – 94,500 = 5,500 bpd
WOR = 94500/5500 = 17.2
0.890 − 0.4
Oil recovery = 0.95 - 0.4
= 0.891
73
 Production Performance – Example 2

0.9
 20
0.8 
Oil recovery  
0.7 
15
0.6

0.5  WOR
10
0.4

0.3 
5
0.2

0.1
 0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time, 1000 days
74
 Production Performance – Example 2

0.9
 20
0.8 
Oil recovery  
0.7 
15
0.6

0.5  WOR
10
0.4

0.3 
5
0.2

0.1
 0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time, 1000 days
75