Title On the Validation of PVT Compositional Laboratory Experiments

Authors
F. Samaniego-V., UNAM; B.J.L. Bashbush, Geoquest; G.A. Leon, Pemex; U.C. Mazariegos,
B.A. Corona, P.P.F. Castillo, UNAM
Source SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 September 2004, Houston, Texas
ISBN 978-1-55563-151-2
Copyright 2004. Society of Petroleum Engineers
Preview
Abstract
The validation of compositional PVT results can be understood as a systematic correction of
the inherent errors of these experiments, in a way that the true characteristics of the fluids are
preserved.
When carrying out a compositional simulation study (flow in the reservoir, pipeline flow,
optimization of separation conditions, etc.), five steps must be taken:
1. Collect representative samples;
2. Carry out careful laboratory experiments - the basic procedure for compositional
systems gas condensate and volatile oil, is the constant volume depletion (CVD);
3. Validation of the PVT results from step 2;
4. Perform a regression analysis on the validated results of step 3, to fit the parameters
of an equation of state (EOS);
5. Simulate the process.
This study presents original procedures for the validation (checking of consistency or quality)
of compositional PVT results obtained from the CVD experiment. A review of the literature
indicates that programs for the validation of these experiments have not been presented. This
paper covers this gap.
The present work discusses three programs developed by the authors to validate PVT
compositional CVD laboratory results. The findings of this study clearly indicate that
performing step 4 of the above procedure, without a careful work regarding step 3 can lead in
many cases to very serious errors in the regression analysis of step 4 and consequently, in
the simulation results of step 5.
In general the validation procedure of this study consists of the two main steps as follows; 1.
Correct the main PVT inconsistencies, like negative equilibrium constants, crossing of the
equilibrium constants curves, graphed in terms of log Ki vs. pressure, and kinks or jumps of
these curves. The corrections change the gas phase composition of the components that
show inconsistencies and then, the computer program is run again to check whether the new
Ki values present inconsistencies; 2. The second step consists of checking that the summation
of the gas mole percentages of all components results in a 100 value. The main graph to
adjust these summations is that of log Ki vs. the boiling temperature Tb of each component.
Three different approaches for this process are discussed, with advantages and
disadvantages clearly stated. The first is a conventional manual procedure for the two main
steps of the process. The second is a semi-automated procedure that automatically performs
the first validation step. It was developed to study PVT reports where the detected error level
in the measurements was high, which rendered the first procedure difficult to use, because of
the many hours needed to complete the analysis. The third procedure is an enhanced
program, where a first version for a fully automated validation procedure is presented.
From the many hydrocarbon mixtures analyzed, an example is presented for a gas-
condensate, which clearly that serious errors in the simulation results can occur if a proper
validation study of the PVT compositional results is not carried out.
Introduction
The basic PVT experiment for compositional fluids, gas condensate and volatile oils, is the
constant volume depletion (CVD) experiment, designed to provide volumetric and
compositional data, for reservoirs producing by pressure depletion
1-5
.
As a result of drilling deeper and hotter formations, the number of variable composition
reservoirs has increased considerably during the last few decades
6,7
. These reservoirs are
often found at temperatures near the critical temperature of the hydrocarbon mixture they
contain. Fig. 1 shows a graph of depth vs. temperature for a group of variable composition
reservoirs, including several critical point fluids. These fluids are characterized by having
considerable amounts of intermediate hydrocarbons (C2-C6 ). Table 1 of reference 3 present
the compositional analysis of 10 of these reservoir.
The temperature and composition of these fluids are the reasons for obtaining large
retrograde condensations from the gases and high shrinkage in liquid volumes from the oils.