oe Wi Bubble Point Pressure Correlation seactasarer | MAGNOUA PETROLEUM co. DALLAS, TE ABSTRACT tern and Mid-Continental United ny “a Slates, and South America > me w A correlation of the bubble point pressure for black oil systems is de- eI EN’ eloped using the standard physical. CORRELATION DEVELOPMENT The number of mols of tank oil per barrel is a function of the "mo- chemical equations of soiulions. The The basic assumption used in this lecular weight” of the tank oil. Al- correlation is: based on 158 experi- development is the same as employed though the tank oil is a complex mix- ‘mentally measured bubble point pres- by Standing’, ture, it was assumed for the purposes sures. of 137 independent systems p= f(R, yy 61) (1) of this correlation that » unigue mo- land is expressed in terms of the There is a wide variety of ways to leeular weight could be assigned to a usually measured field parameters— combine these parameters; however, given oil. This was designated as the fash separation gavoil ratio, tank oil in this instance the combination was “effective molecular weight”, and was ‘gravity, foal gas gravity, and reser- made on the basis of Henry’s law’. elated to the oil gravity, voir temperature. Accordingly, the relationship prow M. = f(0), > The data were obtained on sys- posed is ‘This empirical relationship was tems. produced in Canada, Western Pe = 3.Ft (2) developed simultaneously with the and Mid-Continental United States, Although Eq. 2 defines an individual correlation by assuming values of M. dand South America. The average er~ system, itis of limited value since H’ and working to obtain a smooth ror (algebraic) in the representation is 2 function of gas-phase composi- curve for both the correlation and is 38 per cent, and the maximum er- tion and the system temperature. _ the effective molecular weight. The vor encountered is 14.7 per cent. Te was observed that for the sys- relationship between the oil gravity tems where the bubble point was and the effective molecular weight INTRODUCTION ‘measured at several temperatures that used in this correlation is shown in the ratio of the bubble point pres- Fig. 1 In the absence of experimentally sures and the ratio of the correspond- The effective molecular weight is ‘measured properties of reservoir ing absolute temperatures (°R) were somewhat higher than the molecular fluids, it is often necessary for the practically identical, Thus, for cor weight of the C,, fraction. The dif- field engineer to make estimates re- relation purposes the bubble point ference between these values is larg- garding the fluid properties based on pressure may he taken as a direct est for the low-gravity systems. It is the usually measured producing pa- function of the absolute temperature. noted that this effective molecular rameters, To aid in these estimations, This relation is valid only for those various correlations have appeared in systems that are not near the critical the literature in recent yeats. Among point. Accordingly, this correlation the pertinent properties of interest is will be inadequate for systems in the the bubble point pressure. A correla- region of the critical point, tion for this parameter has been re- The solubility of the various hy- ported by Standing’. However, this drocarbons found in the gas phase correlation was based essentially on increases with the molecular weight. California produced crudes and this Thus, the saturation pressure should tation was pointed out with its be inversely related 10 the gas grav- presentation. The correlation pre- ity. sented in this paper utilized data on Applying these principles to Fa, 2 i Grade oil stems from Canada, Wese ond rearanging erm Bs ——— (wn) Cece see ee ae ” Gelcetitte seste AS 2 BAC The variables on the left side of von ota ESHER Petcin Stes tine gees Bq, 3 were designated as the “bub- ye, 1 Evescne Mouacosan Water ‘iekeeoce piven at end of paper. ble point pressure factor”. Retarep to Tank Ott Caaviny MAY. 1980 SPE 957-Gweight relationship corresponds closely to that given for crude oil systems with a UOP characterization factor’ of 11.8, ‘The relationship between the bub- ble point pressure factors calculated from the experimental data and the {gas mol fraction is shown graphically in Fig. 2. Representative values of the curve are given in Table 1. Since the representation of Fig. 2 is not a linear function of the variables, is not a constant. Thus, simple analytical expression was not ob tained, and itis necessary to rely on the graphical representation of Fig 2 to obtain p, from 3%. The bubble point pressure for @ agiven gas-oil system may be obtained from the correlation by the utili tion of Figs. 1 and 2. The effective molecular weight is established from the crude oil gravity, Fig. 1, and the ga5 mol fraction is obtained from the following equation, ene vout rn ne = [ tt ccoye Fic, 2Compstarion or Busou Pore ‘Prussune Factor S355585) RID. we 7 co} R793 +5 ‘The value of the gas mol fraction is applied in Fig. 2 to obtain the bubble point pressure factor. The bubble point pressure is calculated by use of the following equation po = PME 859.6) yy w The 158 experimentally deter- ‘mined bubble point pressures of the 137 independent crude oil systems were compared with the values pre- dicted by the correlation. This com- parison showed an algebraic devia tion of 3.8 per cent. Approximately 21 per cent of the data points show 4 deviation of 0.5 per cent, and 80 per cent have a deviation of less than 6.5 per cent, The maximum er- ror encountered was 14,7 per cent. ‘The ranges of the field measured parameters covered in this correla tion were as follows ‘This correlation was based on sys- tems essentially free of non-hydro- carbon material. The presence of Jarge amounts of nitrogen, carbon ionide, hydrogen sulfide, ete., will result in the predicted bubble point being low. The following is given as a guide to the effect of the presence (of non-hydrocarbon materials, earaatt A ealculation chart has been pre- pared based on this correlation that permits rapid graphical evaluation of the predicted bubble point. This cal- culation chart is shown in Fig. 3. ‘The error distribution using the eal- culation chart is essentially the same as found for the correlation. CONCLUSION ‘The correlation is generally appli- cable to a large number of producing areas and provides a rapid method of estimating the bubble point pressure of crude systems with a reasonable degree of accuracy. NOMENCLATURE t ‘ye = total gas gravity (air function 19) ‘yo = tank oil specific gravity Y ‘H = specific Henry's law constant (independent of gas com- position and temperature) reneral Henry’s Jew constant fective molecular weight of tank oil rn, = mols of gas 1, = mols of tank oil ol fraction of gas bubble point pressure, psia ps >; = bubble point pressure, factor R= total flash separation gas-oil ratio, eu F/bbl (measured at 60°F) tank oil gravity, “APL (cor- rected to 60°F) 1 = temperature, °F T= absolute temperature, *R , ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author is indebted to C. A. Connally and L. G. Sharp for their many helpful suggestions pertaining to the phase behavior of fluids, and to the Magnolia Petroleum Co, for permission to publish this work REFERENCES 1 Standing, M. Bs Drill, and Prod, Prac, APL (1987) 25 Hoougen, 0. A, and, Watson, K. M. Chemical Process Principles, John Wiley & Sons, Ine, N.Y. (1943) 1, M6. 3. Watson, KM, and Murphy, 6, F. Ind. Engr. Chem. (1938) 27, 1460 teevisd - aunSS3¥d INIod 31e6ne giid £8 $¢ age Ml T T i q “] Fie. 3—Cuanr ron Catcozatiow oF Busts Pout Pressunr