Reservoir-Fluid Property
Correlations—State of the Art
W.D. McCain Jr.,* SPE, Cawley, Gillespie & Assocs, Inc.
‘Suramar, Tis pper press corenons wo Gormioe reservoir Dai properties from Geld daa, The best valle correlations
‘rere selected by comparizon with database of hundreds of eervolr- Dui sds of samples represcating all areas of the ree world
involved inactive petroleum exploitation from 1980 to 1986, Also, coreltons of formaton-water properties ae ive.
Introduction
‘Values of reservoir igi and gus properties ae often needed when
Inboretory PVT data ae ot svaable. This oper shows bow to
‘he normally avalabe ld data to estinate uid properties.
"While at Texas ABM U., Thad accesso a database of hundreds
ot reel snes red by Ge Lars i. Te
feoprptical and geological orpiat of the reservoir samples bad
‘Ehcareilly removed fom the daa bo be samples were know
to represent all reas ofthe re word in which petleam expoi-
tation was ative during the ist 6 years ofthe 1980's
"All eservoit-id property correlations avalable i the pewoe-
tum enpncering Hterature were compared wit this database. Ths
paper gives the best comets.
Mdentifieation of Reservolr-Fiuld Type
‘Surprisingly accurate “le of thant’ aze avaiable! to identify
‘scrofa pe from eld dan. When inal proucing GOR
{5°23,300 scSTB, the fii uid at reservoir condions
‘Poostie exceptions eccr ifthe stock-tank lil is eoloess or
thea gravy higher an about SO-APL.
Reservoir igude ae iter lack ols or volatile ols the peee-
1 mera balance equstions? work only for back os. The be-
favor of volatile ols does tft the assumpons inbereat in the
derivation of the materia balance equations Back os are ident
Sd a ving inital prodocing GOR's below 2,000 stSTB and
deeply colored stock tank oll with graves below 45°APL
Reservoir pass ae lasiied as reuograde paces fen called
condcaste pies of fa condense), Wet gases, and ry ese.
Retrograde gee have inital producing GOR's > 3,300 scUSTB.
‘The few exceptions of oleh have ran higher han this re ide
‘Ueda ving deeply colored sock tank liquids with graves <
{40°API. Retrograde behavior occurs for gases with inal roduc
ing GOR’s of 150,000 sc STB or higher however, aw practical
‘ater, gate with inka producing GOR's = 30,000 sfSTB can
te reed as wet gases.
“Te term wet gas sued for a gas that doesnot release condea-
sate in the reservoir Bt does form hydrocarbon iui tthe sur-
ee. Te term dy eu sed for 4 gat tat does ot form any
Fyaroarbon li tthe surface. ln ths coset, be terms "Wwet™
hi"dry" do ao efero water or water vapor, which i always
present fo some eet.
Properties of Reservolr Liquids
‘The physical properties discused next apply oly to black ls. Ea-
_Boeerng a volatlell reervoir requires special laboratory study
ot clacsred here.
Solution GOR st Bubblepoint, Ry. The inal prodocing GOR
roves good esnate of elon GOR for use at pressures equal
{band above bubblepoint pressure. This wil ot etre i fee pas
from gecap or aohe formations prodaced with the ol Field
(uta fen exit a great deal of scater; however, end of con-
‘tat GOR usualy cn be cera before reservoir pressre drops
below he babblepoint
“Often the reported ales of producing GOR dont include tock
tank vet gas Ins case, the use of inital producing GOR for
rt ty Prange
6
‘solution GOR results in values that are low by 10% or more. The
‘Mocktnk GOR can be estimated with?
log Rr Ay 4a Jog 164s 18 150+ S08 Pe
+s 08 Toes —
where Ay=0.3818, y= 5.506, Ay=2.902, 4¢=1327, and
As=~0.7385, Eq, 1 should not be sed if the Sepertoe tempers
tate is > M40"F.
‘Addition ofthe estimate of stocktnk GOR from Eq. 1 w the
separator GOR results in an estimate of soluion GOR accurate to
ania 3
blepont Presure, py. The bubblepoat pressure ofthe oil at
reservoir condions abe ested With!
Po=182AG p14),
where Cal) x10 00817-20025ran) o
to an accuracy of 15%. The specific gravity f he Separator gas
fan be used for 743 however, Ry should lacude soek-tank eat
{5 The equations are valid to 525°F,
"A more ascurte etme of bobble pressure cn be obtained
Solution GOR, Ry. Bas. 2 and 3 can be used wo estimate solution
‘GOR for pressures below te ubblepis. Enter any pressure be-
low bubblepoint in place of pin Bq. 2 and calculate the corre.
‘sponding Yale of tol GOR with Eq. 3. The results should
‘be wide 15% of measured values.
a feld-lerived bubblepoint presure bas been obtained from
pressure measurements as describ above, he accuracy ofthe er-
{mates of solation GOR can be improved. Stat by cresting a ta
be of presures aad solution GOR's. Subtract the feld-derved
‘bubblpoint pressure from the babblepoin pressure calculated with
Egg, 2 end 3 to obain a "dla presse.” Surat this “dela pres-
fue” from all pressures in the R, Ys p uble. Tis
‘works very well for pressures near the bublepoat Its less ac
(ur at low pressures.
OW FVF, B,. The oil FVF for use at prestures equal oor below
bubblepoin‘can be estimated with
By 0.97594 1200-5)Cpay 2, o
where Coop Ry tg!Y=)°S41.25T. ooo )
‘The equation canbe usd for any pressure eq oor below the
‘bublepont by inserting the ig value of soltion GOR
‘erie a dscseed shove, The reuling FV value wl be with
Si of idoraory-mearured values if accurate valves of solution
‘GOR are wed. if solution GOR’s are obtained with Eqs. 2 and 3,
the accuracy of the rerulting FVF values wil be some unknown,
‘combination of the 15% accuracy of Eqs. 2 and 3 andthe 5% ac
‘ray of Eas. 4 abd 5. Do nt ute a temperstres above 35°F.
‘SP Reservoir Egieting, May 1991‘At pressures above bubblepoit pressure, the ol FVP is eae
tated wih
By=Bas excel PAPI 6
where FV a th beblepoin is etimated as discussed above, Es
Tinton ofthe coe ficient of thermal compresiiy of oc,
fe dscused ler.
‘011 Density at Reservoir Conditions, gx. Bg, 7 may be wed to
‘cle the density of theo in he eval a butlcpla pres
fe (and below) from estimated values of B, and
Pea os10 +0.01357R VB, cesses
where ni the density of the eerol igi atthe pressure and
temperte at which Band , were exinaed. A weighed aver-
ge of separtor and soc-unl-gs specif raves shold be wed
for ygstowever, the tse of separator gas gravity gives adequate
teailf. The accuracy of is clcalton shouldbe sone unknown
‘combination of he accuracy ofthe esinates of , und; bow
‘ver, in practice, the calcalted densy is within 5% of laboratory
‘meatared values,
‘Deny of reservoir ol at pressures shove the bublepoat can
be elite with
Pom Pas exCaP-PO: «
(Coetclent of Isothermal Compressbiy of Ot, The coet-
‘Set of otbermal compress oo, ofen cal 0 compres
Bly, i defined for pressures sbove ihe bublepoint as
®
eee“ UNIGVDI. +00)
18,188.90). >)
oF g™(Ul0006e9)n- 60)
‘A prem elow he tei, ci empress esi
AAG) o
Gap) ae,
po i?
coy tag, tAsT+Aerg tAst Arig Pr ay
‘ales of compressibility calculated with Ea 1 are gencral-
ly low, by as much as 30% at hgh pressares. Accuracy is improved
st prearues near te bobbepoint. Te dataset wed to develop this
xin incoed press a high as 9,500 psig; however, he
Shor didnot give temperature range.
"At pressures below the bublepolat,?
ag) = =7.633-1.497 lop) +1.115 nT) 40.533 Ineyar)
40.186 tal). 12)
“The ress are acute to within 108 at pressures above 500 psa
Below $00 pi, the sour witha 20%. Ibe bubblepoint pres
iris know, the acuracy of estimates of ol compressibility at
‘resures below bubblepoint can be improved by using?
Inte.) =—7.573-1.450 In(p)~0.383 laps) +1402 I(T)
40.256 tnkyan)+0.49 In) 3)
[gs 12 and 13 ae valid to 330°F and 5,30 psa,
(01 Viscosity, xy: Estimation of i viscosity at pressures below
the bbbleolnt sa twostep procedure Fis, the viscosity ofthe
fl without dislved gas (dead oi), pp, estimated at reservoir
texperanrel™:
og logo #1)=1.8653 0.025086, ~0.5644 log T.
as
1st at ith rng oft S8°AP a0 15°F.
SPE Reser Raging, May 1991
‘The, the effect of solution GOR corresponding to the presse of,
fntret i taken ito account wih!
Hema? eee as)
where A=10.715(R,+100)-0515 46)
aod BeS.44R, +150)-239, ay
gu 15hoagh 17 were derived wi am0 295° an 250 pi.
‘Oil vec at pressures above the bobblepoint x estimate by
first calelating viscosity the bubblepoint with Eas. 14 through
17 from the slaion GOR a the bableoint and then adjusting
‘viscosity 0 higher pressures wih”
Hom neal DiPad®, (18)
where B=Cyp expCh+C4p), see)
snd C)=2.6, Cy=1.187, Cy=11.513, and Cy -8.98K10-3.
Es. 18 ant 19'were developed from a data babe wih pressures
10',300 psi: the aplcabletemperatires were no give."
appears that th east oo coat to ober prope
tes ofthe ole too complied tobe explained bythe ited
Sei at orally avaiable. Thos, the values fo viscosity car
‘ulated with Es. 16 trough 19 shold be considered to be “order-
‘otsmagnitade™ exits ony
Properties of Reservoir Gases
oper of iy ue wie conse int Then heel
toms necessary for estimating properties of reervolwet aes wll
te ducused. Retoprade gues wl ot be coniredbeease
‘special abortry report required for these aes.
Compressibility Equation of State The equation of sae most
‘fea used by petroleum eopaers is
pv=onkT. +20)
‘Te Stnding Kats? correlation o factors has stood the test
cof time, Tir graphical conlaton may be represented 8)
ELH dally dally +Aallg +l Wipe
Het Aa et AT Wp? Atha +Aalle p>
+AW( Asie y Opp? EAA pe?)
20 Fp=02P pM : 2)
where Ay =0,3265, Aa — 1,000, dy = ~0.5339, 4 =0.01500,
As==0 0816S, Agm0.S175, Ay= 0.7361, 440-1844, Ap
051056, 4yo=0.6158, and 420.7210. Eq 2 ‘ee
Standing Rite corelston to within 1% for 0.2