Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

Material Balance Equations

To illustrate the simplest possible model we can have for analysis of reservoir behavior, we will start with
derivation of so-called Material Balance Equations. This type of model excludes fluid flow inside the reservoir,
and considers fluid and rock expansion/compression effects only, in addition, of course, to fluid injection and
production. First, let us define the symbols used in the material balance equations:
Symbols used in material balance equations

Bg

Formation volume factor for gas (res.vol./st.vol.)

Bo

Formation volume factor for oil (res.vol./st.vol.)

Bw

Formation volume factor for water (res.vol./st.vol.)

Cr

Pore compressibility (pressure-1)

Water compressibility (pressure-1)

Cw
P
Gi
Gp

P2 P1
Cumulative gas injected (st.vol.)
Cumulative gas produced (st.vol.)

m
N
Np

Initial gas cap size (res.vol. of gas cap)/(res.vol. of oil zone)

Original oil in place (st.vol.)
Cumulative oil produced (st.vol.)

P
Rp

Pressure
Cumulative producing gas-oil ratio (st.vol./st.vol) = G p / N p

Rso

Solution gas-oil ratio (st.vol. gas/st.vol. oil)

Sg

Gas saturation

So
Sw
T
Vb

Oil saturation

Vp

Pore volume (res.vol.)

We

Cumulative aquifer influx (st.vol.)

Wi

Cumulative water injected (st.vol.)

Wp

Cumulative water produced (st.vol.)

Water saturation
Temperature
Bulk volume (res.vol.)

Density (mass/vol.)
Porosity

Then, the Black Oil fluid phase behavior is illustrated by the following figures:
Fluid phase behavior parameters (Black Oil)
Bo

R so

Bw

Bg

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010

Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

o S + g SR s o

Oil density:

o =

Water compressibility:

1 V
C w = ( )( w ) T
V w P

Water volume change:

B w 2 = Bw 1 e cw P Bw 1 (1 c w P)

Bo

Finally, we need to quantify the behavior of the pores during pressure change in the reservoir. The rock
compressibility used in the following is the pore compressibility, and assumes that the bulk volume of the rock
itself does not change.
Pore volume behavior
Rock compressibility:

1
Cr = ( )( ) T
P

Porosity change:

w 2 = w 1 e cr P w 1 (1 + cr P)

The material balance equations are based on simple mass balances of the fluids in the reservoir, and may in
words be formulated as follows:
Principle of material conservation

Amount of fluids present Amount of Amount of fluids remaining

in the reservoir initially fluids produced = in the reservoir finally

(st. vol.)

(st. vol.)
(st. vol.)

We will define our reservoir system in terms of a simple block diagram, with an initial reservoir stage before
production/injection starts, and a final stage at which time we would like to determine pressure and/or
production.
Block diagram of reservoir
oil production: Np
gas production: RpNp
water production: Wp
Final stage (2)

Initial stage (1)

Gas

Gas

Oil

Oil

Water

Water

gas injection: Gi
water injection: Wi
aquifer influx: We

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010

Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

The two stages on the block diagram are reflected in the fluid phase behavior plots as follows:
Initial and final fluid conditions
Bg

Bw

2
|

2
|
1
|

1
|

Bo

R so

2
|

1
|

2
|

1
|

Note: If a gas cap is present initially, then the initial pressure is

equal to the bubble point pressure
Now, we will apply the above material balance equation to the three fluids involved, oil, gas and water:
Equation 1: Oil material balance

Oil present
Oil
in the reservoir

produced =

initially

(st. vol.)
(st. vol.)

Oil remaining
in the reservoir

finally

(st. vol.)

or

N - Np = V p2 S o 2 /Bo 2
yielding

So 2 =

( N N p ) Bo 2
Vp2

Equation 2: Water material balance

Water present
in the reservoir Water Water Aquifer

produced + injected + influx =

initially

(st. vol.) (st. vol.) (st. vol.)

(st. vol.)

Water remaining
in the reservoir

finally

(st. vol.)

or

V p1 S w 1 /B w1 - Wp + Wi + We = Vp 2 S w 2 /Bw 2
yielding

Bw 2
S
1
S w 2 = (1 + m)NBo 1 w 1
+ Wi + We Wp
1 Sw1 Bw1

V p 2

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010

Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

Equation 3: Gas material balance

Free gas
Solution gas

present in the present in the Gas Gas

+
produced + injected
reservoir
initially
reservoir
initially

(st. vol. ) (st. vol. )

(st. vol.)
(st. vol. )
Free gas
Solution gas

present in the present in the

=
+ reservoir finally
reservoir
finally

(st. vol. )
(st. vol. )
or

NRs o1 + mNBo1 /Bg 2 - R p N p = (N-N p )R s o2 + Vp 2 S g 2 /B g 2

yielding

B
B
g2
)
Sg 2 = N (Rso1 Rso2 ) + m( o1 ) N p (R p Rso2 ) + G i (
Bg 2

V p 2
In addition to these three fluid balances, we have the following relationships for fluid saturations and pore
volume change:
Equation 4: Sum of saturations

S o + S w + S g = 1.0

Equation 5: Pore volume change

V p 2 =Vp 1( 1+cr P)

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010

Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

By combining the 5 equations above, and grouping terms, we obtain the material balance relationships, as shown
below:

THE COMPLETE BLACK OIL MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION:

F = N E o + mE g + E f ,w + (Wi + We )Bw 2 + Gi Bg 2
where
production terms are

) ]

F = N p Bo 2 + R p Rso2 Bg 2 + W p Bw 2

oil and solution gas expansion terms are

E o = (Bo 2 B o 1) + (Rso1 Rso2 )B g 2

gas cap expansion terms are

Bg2
E g = B o 1
1
Bg1

and rock and water compression/expansion terms are

E f ,w = (1 + m)Bo 1

Cr + Cw S w 1
P
1 Sw1

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010

Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2010

Material Balance Equations

MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION FOR A CLOSED GAS RESERVOIR

The material balance equation for a closed gas reservoir is very simple. Applying the mass balance principle to a
closed reservoir with 100% gas, we may derive the general eguation

GBg1 = (G G p )Bg 2
G is gas initially in place, G p is cumulative gas production, and Bg is the formation-volume-factor for
gas. Since Bg is given by the real gas law
Z
Bg = (constant)
(here temperature is assumed to be constant)
P
where

the above material balance equation may be rewritten as

Z
Z
G 1 = (G G p ) 2
P1
P2
or

G p P1
P2
)
= (1
G Z1
Z2
P2
P1
This equation represents a straight line relationship on a vs. G p . plot. The line passes through at
Z2
Z1
P
G p = 0 , and through G at 1 = 0 . By making a best-fit straight line to measured data, and extrapolate, we
Z1
may get an estimate of G .

The straight-line relationship is very useful in estimating the initial volume of gas-in-place ( G ) from limited
production history.

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Professor Jon Kleppe

August 24, 2010