RESERVOIR

MODELING
PVT PROPERTIES OF
COMPOSITIONAL
MODELS
Compositional PVT Formulation
Analytical expressions relating pressure and temperature to
volume are called Equations of State:
Cubic EoS can accurately predict the volumetric and phase
behavior over a wide range of conditions and compositions.

Used to calculate
 Liquid and gas densities
 Liquid and gas fractions of a flashed oil, L and V.
 Fugacities
 Equilibrium K-factors (for estimating mole fraction of
each component in the gas and the liquid phases).
 Viscosity of hydrocarbons phase is estimated from
correlations such as the Lohrenz-Bray-Clark Method.
Ideal Gas Laws
Boyle's law states that for a given mass of gas, at
a given T, the volume varies inversely as the P, or:

Charles' law states that for a given mass of gas, at

a given P, the volume varies directly with the
absolute T:

Avogadro's law states that under the same

conditions of P & T, equal volumes of all ideal gases
contain the same number of molecules.
Ideal Gas Laws
Combining Boyle's, Charles, & Avogadro's laws,
defining R to be a constant, the perfect or ideal gas
law may be written for “n” moles of gas:
Ideal Gas Density
The volume that 1 lb-mole occupies at standard
conditions is 379.4 scf.
The number of moles, n, usually is determined from
the mass of gas and its molecular weight, as

Where: m = mass and M = molecular weight.

Knowing that density, ρ =m/V, then the ideal gas
law can be rewritten in terms of density as follows
Assumptions & Limitations of Ideal Gas
Law
Assumptions:

 Molecules are point-like, i.e. zero volume

 No inter-molecular forces

Limitations:

 Gases are not infinitely compressible

 No account of change of phase

Errors in Ideal Gas Law
The ideal gas law will work reasonably well for modest pressures
and temperatures.
However, for higher pressures and temperatures, error will result
due to:
 Attraction between molecules,
 the actual volume of the molecules, and
 behavior at or above the critical point.
For single component gases, a wide variety of EoS such as:
 van der Waals,
 Beattie-Bridgeman,
 Benedict-Webb-Rubin,
 Redlick-Kwong, etc ..
Real Gas Laws
"Real gas law", is derived by modifying the ideal gas
law with a compressibility factor or deviation factor, Z:

p = Absolute Pressure
v = Total Fluid Volume
n = Number of Fluid Moles
z = Compressibility Factor of Z-Factor
T = Temperature
R= Universal Gas Constant
≈ 8314.472 pa-m3/kmol-K (1998
CODATA)
≈ 0.08314472 bara –m3/kmol-k
≈ 10.73159 psia –ft3/lbmol-R
Determination of Z - Factor
The z factor represents the deviation in the behavior
of a real gas from the theoretical behavior of an
"ideal" gas:

z-factor of a real gas mixture depends on the gas

composition, temperature, and pressure.
It can be measured for any particular gas in the
laboratory as part of a gas analysis:
However, this is not done routinely unless the gas has
an unusual composition or exists at abnormally high P
and T .
Determination of Z - Factor

Normally, the gas specific gravity is determined in the

laboratory, and the Z-factor is estimated from Standing and
Katz Z-factor correlation at appropriate pseudo reduced P
and T.

The Standing and Katz's Z-factor correlation has been

generated from thousands of measurements of Z-factors for
real gases over a wide range of temperatures & pressures.
The chart has proven to be sufficiently accurate and
reliable and is widely used.

The correlation is based on the "theorem of corresponding

Z-Factors Chart

Z-factors as a
Function of Ppc and
Tpc

This chart is best

applies for sweet
hydrocarbon gases
or the paraffin type
of gases.
Determination of Z - Factor
The theory of corresponding states state that all pure
gases have identical properties (or at the same
corresponding state) if they exist at the same
conditions of reduced pressure and reduced
temperature. Reduced pressure and temperature are
defined as:

When properly used, corresponding state theory may

be applied to gaseous mixtures. For a gas mixture:
Determination of Z-Factor
Example: determine the Z-factor of the following
mixture at P=2500 psia, and T=168°F

Form the figure Z=

0.73
Property Trends of Pure
Hydrocarbons
For Hydrocarbon Groups, properties increasing with
increasing mole weight
Tc: Critical Temperature
Tb: Norma Boiling Point
Vc: Critical Volume
ω:Acentric Factor
ρ: Norma Liquid Density
Pa: Parachor
Decreasing with increasing Mole weight
Pc: Critical Pressure
Zc: Critical Z-Factor
Van Der Waals EoS

Van der Waals (1873)

Where:
a: attractive force b: co-volume
Van Der Waals EoS

Z-Factor is defined as:

By comparison with Real Gas Law

Van Der Waals EoS
As a cubic in volume, three roots
Compositional PVT
Formulation
Well known Equations of States include:

 Peng-Robinson: Most commonly used:

 Soave-Redlick -Kwong:

Poor liquid densities and high critical Z-

Factors.
Peng Robinson EoS

 a is the attraction parameter and b is the co-

volume
 Using:

 PR EoS can be written in terms of Z-factor as:

Peng Robinson EoS

a and b are defined by mixing rules for hydrocarbon

mixtures:

and
Peng Robinson EoS

αi depends on the temperature and is defined by

And m is given by modified PR EoS, 1979: