RESERVIOR ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS

1. A petroleum reservoir has an area extent of 20000 sq. ft and a pay zone thickness of 100 ft. The reservoir rock has a
uniform porosity of 35%. What is the pore volume of the reservoir?
Solution:
3 3
Bulk volume of the reservoir = 20,000 X 100 ft = 2 X 106 ft
3 3
Pore volume of the reservoir = 2 X 106 x 0.35 ft = 7 X 105 ft

2. Assuming a sandstone grain density of 2.65 g/cm3, calculate the porosity of a 3 inch long sandstone core sample of 1.5 inch
width and breadth, respectively, if the core weigh 250.0 g?
Solution:
1 inch = 2.54 cm
1 in3 = (2.54)3 cm3
From the dimension of the core sample.
Bulk volume (BV) of the core sample = 3 X 1.5 X 1.5 X (2.54)3 cm3
= 110.612 cm3
Density = mass/volume
Grain volume (GV) = 250/2.65 cm3 = 94.339 cm3
Pore volume (PV) = Bulk volume – Grain volume
= 110.612 – 94.339 cm3 = 16.273 cm3
Porosity = (PV/BV) X100
= (16.273/110.612) X 100 = 14.71 %
 3
3. Calculate the weight of 1 m3 sandstone of 14% porosity, assuming a sand grain density of 2.65 g/cm .
Solution:
3 6 3
Bulk volume of the sandstone cube = 1 m = 10 cm
6 3
Pore volume of the sandstone cube = 0.14 X 10 cm
6 3
Grain volume of the sandstone cube = (1 – 0.14) X 10 cm
6 3
= 0.86 X 10 cm
6
Weight of the sandstone cube = 0.86 X 10 X 2.65 g
6
= 2.279 X 10 g = 2279 kg
4. Calculate the arithmetic average and thickness-weighted average porosity for the following core data:
Sample No. Depth (ft) Porosity (%)
1. 3705.5 40.1
2. 3706.5 35.1
3. 3707.5 39.3
4. 3708.5 36.5
5. 3709.5 29.1
Solution:
Arithmetic average porosity =  Фn/  n = (40.1 + 35.1 + 39.3 + 36.5 + 29.1)/5
= 36.02 %
Thickness weighted average porosity =  hiФi/  hi
= (40.1*3705.5 + 35.1*3706.5 + 39.3*3707.5 + 36.5*3708.5 + 29.1*3709.5)/(3705.5 + 3706.5 + 3707.5 + 3708.5 + 3709.5)
= 36.02 %
 5. Calculate the arithmetic average and thickness-weighted average from the following measurements:
Sample Thickness, ft Porosity, %
1 1.0 10
2 1.5 12
3 1.0 11
4 2.0 13
5 2.1 14
6 1.1 10

Solution:
Arithmetic average porosity =  Фn/  n = (10 + 12 + 11 + 13 + 14 + 10)/6
= 11.67 %
Thickness-weighted average porosity =  hiФi/  hi

=[(1) (10) + (1.5) (12) + (1) (11) + (2) (13) + (2.1) (14) + (1.1) (10)]/[ 1+1.5 +1+ 2 + 2.1+1.1]
= 12.11%
 6. A). Calculate the oil content of one acre-foot of reservoir rock which has a connate water saturation of 25 percent and an
effective porosity of 10 percent. B). Calculate the oil content if the effective porosity is increased to 30 percent.
Conversion factor :
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 acre-feet = 7758.3674259316 barrels

Solution: A = areal extent of reservoir, acres

A). Oil content (bbls/acre-feet) h = average thickness of reservoir, feet
= 7758AhФ (1-Swi) Ф = effective porosity, fraction
= 7758 X 1 X 1 X 0.1 X (1-0.25) Swi = connate water saturation, fraction
= 582 bbls/acre-feet
B). Oil content (bbls/acre-feet)
= 7758AhФ (1-Swi)
= 7758 X 1 X 1 X 0.3 X (1-0.25)
= 1746 bbls/acre-feet
 7. Three beds of equal cross section have permeabilities of 100, 200 and 300 mD and lengths of 50, 15 and 85 ft,
respectively. What is the absolute permeability of the beds placed in series?

8. The beds of 50, 110 and 795 mD, and 7, 7 and 15 ft thick respectively, are conducting fluid in parallel flow. If all are of
equal length and width, what is the average permeability?

9. A petroleum reservoir has an areal extent of 55,000 ft2 and oil pay zone thickness of 100 ft. The reservoir rock has a
uniform porosity of 25% and the connate water saturation is 30%. Calculate the initial oil in place.
Bulk Volume = 55000 X 100 ft3 = 55 X 105 ft3
Initial oil in place = V X Ф x ( 1 – Sw)
= 55 x 105 X 0.25 X 0.7 ft3
= 962500 ft3