Analytical methods Practice of Reservoir Engineering

Nowadays people tend to draw a distinction between "classical7' and "modern"

methods in reservoir engineering. By the former is meant using the analytical
solutions of linear differential equations, whereas the latter refers to the use of
finite difference, multi-cell, numerical simulation models. As pointed out previously,
however, no special status should be awarded to simulation, it's simply another tool
for attempting to solve the same old problems.
Of the two approaches, the use of analytical methods must be regarded as the
more specialised and difficult to apply, since it requires considerable knowledge
and judgement in the subject to use a particular equation to describe a physical
situation in a meaningful fashion. On the other hand, provided the engineer gets
the input to a simulator correct and assigned to the right boxes then, applying
the finite difference analogue for solving the basic differential equations for mass
conservation, volume change and inter-grid block flow, in principle the simulator
should be able to provide a solution to any problem irrespective of its complexity.
Because of this, simulation would appear to be the obvious way forward in this
subject and, indeed, today it is used to tackle just about every reservoir engineering
problem in the business. The unfortunate aspect of this trend is that using simulators
exclusively is the worst means of ever learning and coming to a more mature
understanding of the subject. Data are fed in at one end, results emerge at the other,
and in-between the black box does little to reveal what is actually occurring that
would broaden the engineer's physical understanding of the reservoir mechanics.
This state of affairs is revealed in modern reservoir engineering reports which
merely describe the input and what the computer produced as output. Gone are the
equations that used to be an integral part of reporting and there is a distinct lack

of any conclusions concerning the physical occurrences that produce a particular

result. Therefore, there is a concentration on the application of simple analytical
techniques in the text (lest we forget) to increase the engineers awareness of the
subject. On so many occasions, practising reservoir engineers are obliged to think
on their feet, there is not always time for simulation to solve all problems.