Integrated

Reservoir Management
(Diagnostics by Material Balance Analysis)
2022

Hesham Mokhtar Ali

Senior Reservoir Engineer
in/heshammokhtarali/
 What is Material Balance?
 Relationship between (concept):
 Reservoir pore volume (PV)
 Reservoir pressure
 Cumulative production/injection
 Requirements:
 The production data (Np, Rp, Wp, Gp)
 Average reservoir pressures (p-dependent PVT data)
 PVT data (oil, gas & water) + rock compressibility
 The most UNCERTAIN values in MB calculations
may be:
 The size of the initial gas cap (m),
 The influx of the aquifer (We)
 STOIIP (N)
Producing reservoir with gas and water injection

 Applications:
 Estimating STOIIP (N) or GIIP (G)
 Estimating the water influx (We), gas-cap volume (m)
 Identify the active production mechanisms (DI)
 Identifying water influx model parameters
 Black Oil MBE
 Principles: Schilthuis (1936) MBE is one of the fundamental relations in RE.

Production of oil & gas = Expansion of oil & gas initially in place + Water influx

 Assuming an initial gas cap & ignoring compressibility of PV and interstitial water;

The reservoir volume of oil, gas, = The expansion of the oil and free
and water production gas initially in place

 
N p Bo  R p  Rsoi  Bg  W p Bw 
 Bg   cw S wi  c f 
 
N Bo  Boi   Rsoi  Rs Bg  mNBoi 
B
 1  1  m NBoi 


p
 gi   1  S wi 

Gp
R p & Bw  1
Np
 Generalized Black Oil MBE
 Withdrawal (RB)=  
N p Bo  R p  Rsoi  Bg  W p Bw 

 Oil Expansion (RB) 

N Bo  Boi   Rsoi  Rs Bg 

 Bg 
 Gas cap expansion (RB) mNBoi   1
B 
 gi 

 Water expansion & PV compressibility (RB)  cw S wi  c f 
1  m NBoi  p p  pi p
 1  S wi 
 Water influx (RB) 
We Bw

The reservoir volume of oil, gas, and The expansion of the oil and free gas
=
water production initially in place
 Derivation Of The Material Balance
Expansion of the oil + liberated gas

1. Expansion of oil:
Initial Oil = N (STB)
Initial oil at reservoir conditions = N Boi (RB)
Volume of oil at reduced pressure p = N Bo (RB)
Net oil expansion = N(Bo-Boi) (RB)

2. Expansion of liberated gas:

Gas dissolved at initial condition = NRsi (scf)
Gas dissolved at reduced pressure p = NRs (scf)
Liberated gas = N(Rsi-Rs) (scf)
Volume of gas at reservoir conditions = N(Rsi-Rs)Bg (RB)

Volume change due to expansion of oil and liberated gas:

= N(Bo-Boi) + N(Rsi-Rs)Bg (RB)
 Derivation Of The Material Balance
Total Withdrawal
Amount of oil produced = Np (STB)
Oil produced at reservoir conditions = NpBo (RB)
Volume of gas produced = N pR p (scf)

Let us look at this quantity of gas at the reduced pressure p

Volume of gas dissolved in Np vol. of oil at p = N pR s (scf)

Remainder gas is the subsurface gas withdrawal in the form of

expanding liberated gas & free gas

Subsurface withdrawal of gas = Np(Rp-Rs) (scf)

Subsurface withdrawal of gas in reservoir = Np(Rp-Rs)Bg (RB)

Therefore, the total subsurface fluid withdrawal :

= NpBo + Np(Rp-Rs)Bg (RB)
 General Material Balance Equation

Net withdrawal (withdrawal - injection)

=
expansion of the hydrocarbon fluids in the system
+
cumulative water influx.

 
N p Bo  R p  Rsoi  Bg  W p Bw 
 Bg   cw S wi  c f 
 
N Bo  Boi   Rsoi  Rs Bg  mNBoi 
B
 1  1  m NBoi 


p  We
 gi   1  S wi 
 Modifications to General MBE
 All of the parameters not significant over the life of a reservoir?

 Above Pb, Rs is constant (Rp=Rs=Rsi), Gp-NpRs =0.

 Only solution gas produced.

 Above Pb & no gas cap, G or m = 0

 For NO water influx, We=0

 Some consider pore & water compressibility terms can be neglected when compared
to the errors associated with the free gas terms.
 Black Oil MBE: Keep in Mind
 The simplest form of MBE:
 Average reservoir P > Pb (Rp=Rso=Rsoi)

 No gas production (Gp=0)

N p Bo  N Bo  Boi 
 No water production (Wp=0)

 No initial gas cap (m=0)

 No water influx (We=0)

 No pressure maintenance (WI & GI=0)

 The recovery is simply:

Np ( Bo  Boi )
RF  
N Bo
 Linear Form of MBE?
 One reason for perhaps a lack of appreciation of the equation might be the immediate impression of
COMPLEXITY through its MANY terms.

 General MBE originally presented by Schilthuis in 1936.

 In 1963 and 1964, Havlena & Odeh presented a paper aimed at reducing the above problem by various
linear forms.

 Their method consists of Re-arranging MBE to result in an EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE.

 Approach:
 Plotting of a variable group vs. another variable group with the variable group selection based on the
drive mechanism.
 Linear Form of MBE
• Havlena & Odeh simplified MBE as:

F  NEo  NmE g  NEf, w  We  N(Eo  mE g  Ef, w )  We

• LHS represents the production (oil + water + gas), RB
F  Np [Bo  (R p – R s ) Bg ]  Wp Bw
• RHS includes expansion terms (RB/STB):
1. The expansion of the oil & its originally dissolved gas, Eo
2. The expansion of the pores & connate water, Ef,w
3. Expansion of the free gas, Eg

F  N(E o  mE g  E f, w )  We
 Straight-Line Analysis Techniques
 To estimate reserves, one of the predictive forms of MBE must be used.

 In this section, we consider different cases:

 Oil Reservoirs: No Initial Gas Cap, No Water Influx

 Oil Reservoirs: Initial Gas cap of Unknown Size, No Water Influx

 Oil Reservoirs: Water Influx, No Initial Gas Cap

 Oil Reservoirs: Water Influx, Initial Gas Cap

 Gas Reservoirs: Water Influx

 Gas Reservoirs: No Water Influx

 Linear Form of MBE
 General form: F  N(E o  mE g  E f, w )  We

 No initial gas cap (m= 0)

 Water influx (We = 0),
 Negligible formation & water compressibilities

 
F  N Eo  mE g  E f ,w  We

Y= a X +0
F  NEo
 Diagnostic Plot
 In evaluating the performance of a reservoir,
there is need to adequately identify the type of
reservoir in question based on the signature of
pressure history or behavior and the production
trend.
 Campbell and Dake plots are the vital diagnostic
tools employed to identify the reservoir type.
 The plots are established based on the
assumption of a volumetric reservoir, and
deviation from this behavior is used to indicate
the reservoir type.  If a plot of cumulative oil production vs. net
 For volumetric reservoirs, the value of STOIIP withdrawal over the fluid expansions is
(N): created with a volumetric reservoir data, then
the calculated values of STOIIP, N on the
horizontal axis should be constant at all
pressure points.
 Dake & Campbell Plots
 Dake & Campbell plots are used as
diagnostic tools to

 Based on the assumption of a

volumetric reservoir (BASE), and
deviation from this behavior is used to
indicate the reservoir type.

 In Dake plot, the simplest oil case of

depletion drive (NO gas cap, NO water
drive).
 Dake Plot for Reservoir Energy Definition
 L.P. Dake points out that the RHS has two unknowns, N & We

 If horizontal line, LHS=RHS, i.e.. We =0.

 This is a depletion drive where the energy comes from the compressibility of the oil and its
originally dissolved gas.

180
160
140
120
F/Et, MMSTB

100 Weak water drive

80 system
60
40
20
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Np, MSTB
 Dake & Campbell Diagnostic Plots
 Campbell plot is a very similar to Dake,
(can incorporates a gas cap if required).
 Very common in water drive reservoirs
(We)

 More sensitive to the aquifer strength.

 In Campbell plot: F/Et is plotted vs. F

(assuming no We)
 If there is NO water influx, the data will
plot as a horizontal line.
• It’s using only Et & neglect Ef,w term.

Finite aquifer or less support from the aquifer

Infinite aquifer, aquifer boundary has still to
feel the pressure.
Depletion drive (oil & dissolved gas)
 Reservoirs With Volumetric Depletion
20
Data: SL but b not 0
• NO initial gas cap or water influx & reservoir 18 N=56.9 MMSTB

P< Pb 16 y = 56.9x + 2E-15

y = 56.905x + 0.4336 R² = 1
14 R² = 0.9943
• If the water influx had not been detected, the 12 y = 50x

F, MMRB
R² = 1
calculated value for N would have been higher 10

than it actually is. 8 Forced at b=0

N=50
6

F  N[Eo  mE g  Efw ]  We 4

F  N[Eo  Ef, w ] 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Eo+Ef,w, RB/STB
Y=a X +0

• Therefore N is ≈56 MMSTB, we still have a small water influx.

 Depletion Drive: Havlena-Odeh Approach
• Depletion drive reservoir, We=0 F vs. Et is NOT available in MBAL
We=0

F  N Eo  E f ,w  NEt  
• Check using Campbell plot:
• Horizontal line: depletion drive
8
Effect of Ef,w
160
Campbell plot 7 y = 218.16x + 0.5131
158
R² = 0.9988
156 6
154
F/Et, MMSTB

MMrb
152
4
150 y = 150.02x - 0.0002
R² = 1
148 3
146 F-We vs. Et
2
144 F-We vs. Eo
1 Most be considered
142 N=150 MMSTB
140 0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05
0 2 4 6 8 Rb/STB
F, MMSTB
 Water Influx: Havlena-Odeh Approach
• If the reservoir has a water influx & NO initial gas cap;

F  N[Eo  mE g  Efw ]  We F  N[Eo  Efw ]  We

F  NEo  We

• The validity of neglecting Efw should be evaluated (AS LAST CASE).

F We
 N We is smaller
[E o  E fw ] [E o  E fw ]
Y = b + aX

Forced to get unit slope

So, We is relatively smaller than actual.

 Reservoirs with Gas Cap
• If the reservoir has initial gas cap & NO water influx;
F  N[Eo  mE g  Efw ]  We

• If you want to determine m & N: 2

1 Check m?
F  N[Eo  mE g ]
F  Eg  Y=a X +0
 N  mN  Slope=N & Intercept=0 (important QC)
Eo  Eo 
Y =b+a X
Y-intercept=N & slope=mN

• If "m" is correct, yields a SL

• If the reservoir has a water influx, the points are going up regardless of value of "m".
 Reservoirs with Gas Cap
• If we neglect We, Ef,w
N=160 MMSTB
m=0.06

 Eg 
F
 N  mN  F  N[Eo  mE g ]
Eo  Eo  2.5

2
N=?
Using m
y = 110.12x - 0.0019

F, MMRB
1.5 R² = 0.9996

0.5

0
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02

Eo+mEg, RB/STB
 Reservoirs with Gas Cap
• Using Solver to identify “m” that gives a zero intercept for F vs. [Eo+mEg] plot.
2.5
F  N[Eo  mE g ]
550

540
2
530
F/Eo, MMSTB

y = 15.155x + 110.16 y = 120.36x - 2E-10

520

F, MMRB
R² = 0.8375 1.5 R² = 0.9997
510
1
Applying regression
500
for N & m as
490
0.5 matching parameters;
480
• N=144.15 MMSTB
470 0
24 25 26 27 28 0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 (initial N≈160
Eg/Eo Eo+mEg, RB/STB
MMSTB)
0.01
F
 E o  mE g • m=0.08 (initial
N m=0.06)

(F/N)-Eo=(F/144.15)-Eo, RB/STB
0.008 y = 0.0953x + 3E-05

Check m, zero R² = 0.999

0.006
intercept?
0.004

0.002

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
Eg, RB/STB
 Field Example
• Analytical plots of the pressure
and the production data as
shown in Fig. have been used
to check for a possible
reservoir communication.
 Reservoir Graphical Diagnostic Plot
• Method : Havlena - Odeh
Reservoir Energy Plot
Reservoir Analytical Plot
 Hesham Mokhtar
Hesham Mokhtar

Hesham Mokhtar
Hesham Mokhtar
Hesham Mokhtar
Hesham Mokhtar