University of Zakho

College of Engineering
Petroleum department
Sub. Reservoir

Name:Bahzad Nayef Melko

Supervisor: mr.Alaa

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Contents:
Constant Composition Expansion CCE Test .....3
Objective: ...........................................................3
Introduction ........................................................3
Theory: ...............................................................4
Instruments .........................................................4
Procedure:...........................................................5
Calculations ........................................................9
Example: ......................................................... 13
Discussion and Conclusion: ............................ 14
References: ...................................................... 14

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 Constant Composition Expansion CCE Test

Objective:
❖ To determine the bubble point pressure.
❖ To simulate the pressure/volume relations of hydrocarbon systems.
❖ To determine the relative volume.
❖ Single phase density.
❖ Compressibility of oil.
❖ Deviation factors (Gas).
❖ Liquid saturation or dropout.

Introduction
It is desirable to obtain a fluid sample as early in the life of a field as possible so
that the sample closely approximates the original reservoir fluid. Collection of a
fluid sample early in the life of a field reduces the chances of free gas in the oil
zone of the reservoir. Most of the parameters measured in a reservoir fluid
study can be calculated with some degree of accuracy from the composition. It
is the most complete description of reservoir fluid that can be made.
A constant composition expansion (CCE) is an isothermal test that establishes
the pressure/volume relationship for a fluid system as it may be depleted in a
reservoir. Measurements of this test include saturation pressure, relative
volume, single-phase densities, and other details depending on fluid type, for
example, compressibility (oil), deviation factors (gas), and liquid dropout
(condensates) as a fluid sample is progressively allowed to expand with
decreasing pressure without removing any of the sample.
This test is common with gas condensate and volatile oil. CCE best describes
the reservoir depletion process where both condensate and gas are mobile
and the mixture composition can be assumed to be constant. The term flash
liberation, flash vaporization or flash expansion is used when the fluid sample
is crude oil instead of gas? However, the procedures are the same for both oil
and gas.

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Theory:
Bubble-point pressure is defined as the pressure at which the first bubble of
gas appears at a specific temperature. The phase diagram of typical black oils
shows that the bubble-point pressure could be different at different
temperatures. In the petroleum industry, if bubble-point pressure value
mentioned without reference to a particular temperature, the temperature is
implicitly assumed to be the reservoir temperature.
When the reservoir is depleted and its pressure falls below the bubble-point
pressure, free gas starts to form in the reservoir. Since gas has higher mobility
than oil, the producing GOR is expected to increase when the reservoir
pressure decreases below the bubble-point pressure. Other PVT properties
also undergo significant changes when the reservoir pressure passes through
the bubble-point pressure. Therefore, determining bubble point pressure
accurately has a significant role in simulating reservoir pressure decline and its
performance.

Instruments:
1. PV cell.
2. Mercury Pump.
3. Thermostat.
4. Pressure Gauge.

Fig.1
Constant Composition Expansion Apparatus

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Procedure:
The experimental procedure, shown schematically in Figure 2 which involves
placing a hydrocarbon fluid sample (volatile oil or gas) in a visual PVT cell at
reservoir temperature and at a pressure in excess of the initial reservoir
pressure The pressure is reduced in steps at constant
temperature by removing mercury from the cell, and the change in the total
hydrocarbon volume, VT, is measured for each pressure increment.
The saturation pressure (bubble-point) and the corresponding volume are
observed and recorded and used as a reference volume.

Fig.2
CCE Procedure

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The volume of the hydrocarbon system as a function of the cell pressure is
reported as the ratio of the reference volume. This volume, termed the relative
volume, is expressed mathematically by the following equation:

Eq.1
where
Vrel =
relative
volume
VT =
total
hydrocarbon volume
Vsat = volume at the saturation pressure
The relative volume is equal to 1 at the saturation pressure. This test is
commonly called pressure/volume relations, flash liberation, flash
vaporization, or flash expansion. It should be noted that no hydrocarbon
material is removed from the cell, therefore, the composition of the total
hydrocarbon mixture in the cell remains fixed at the original composition.

Fig. 3 Saturation Pressure determination

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Some of the tests that will be typically carried out during CCE at
different
pressures are shown here:

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In CCE experiments, Sliq can be defined relative to volume at saturation pressure (Vsat) or
original fluid volume in PVT cell (V). In such instance whereSliq is defined relative to original
fluid volume, Sliq becomes:

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

The relative volume data frequently require smoothing to correct forlaboratory inaccuracies in
measuring the total hydrocarbon volume just belowthe saturation pressure and also at lower
pressures. A dimensionlesscompressibility function, commonly called the Y-function, is used
to smooththe values of the relative volume. The function in its mathematical form is
defined only below the saturation pressure and given by the following expression:

Where:
psat = saturation pressure, psia
p = pressure, psia
Vrel = relative volume at pressure p

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Calculations:
The following steps summarize the simple procedure of smoothing andcorrecting the relative
volume data:
➢ Calculate the Y-function for all pressures below the saturation
pressure.
➢ Plot the Y-function versus pressure on a Cartesian scale.

➢ Determine the coefficients of the best straight fit of the data:

Y = ap + b
➢ Recalculate the relative volume at all pressures below thesaturation
pressure from the following expression:

Exercise: Determine relative volume (Vrel ) from the CCE experiment in Tablebelow at a
pressure of 700 psia.

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Example:
The following table illustrates the results of a CCE experiment for an oil sampleobtained by
subsurface sampling. The temperature is maintained constant and equalto 114 °C. The bubble
point pressure for this sample is equal to 424.5 bar. The relative volume in the graph below are
volumes measured in relation to this bubble point volume (Pb, Vrel = 1).

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Discussion and Conclusion:

Describing reservoir pressure depletion and its effect on the reservoir fluid phases and reservoir
performance is a very important key to understand reservoir fluid properties and all other
parameters. Therefore, an experimentcalled constant composition expansion is being done to
determine the reservoir fluid bubble point pressure, relative volume, single-phase densities,and
other details depending on fluid type, for example, compressibility (oil), deviation factor (gas),
and liquid dropout (condensates) as a fluid sample is progressively allowed to expand with
decreasing pressure without removing any of the sample.

References:

❖ Equations of State and PVT Analysis Applications for Improved Reservoir

Modeling. Tarek Ahmed
❖ PVT Property Correlations,1st Edition, Ahmed El-Banbi Ahmed Alzahabi
Ahmed El-Maraghi
❖ Vapor-Liquid Phase Equilibria, Reservoir Engineering Handbook, Tarek
Ahmed.

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