TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 1

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)
Cw Water compressibility (pressure-1)
ΔP P2 − P1
Gi Cumulative gas injected (st.vol.)
Gp Cumulative gas produced (st.vol.)
m Initial gas cap size (res.vol. of gas cap)/(res.vol. of oil zone)
N Original oil in place (st.vol.)
Np Cumulative oil produced (st.vol.)
P Pressure
Rp 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 Oil saturation
Sw Water saturation
T Temperature
Vb Bulk volume (res.vol.)
Vp Pore volume (res.vol.)
We Cumulative aquifer influx (st.vol.)
Wi Cumulative water injected (st.vol.)
Wp Cumulative water produced (st.vol.)
ρ Density (mass/vol.)
φ Porosity

Then, the Black Oil fluid phase behavior is illustrated by the following figures:

Fluid phase behavior parameters (Black Oil)

Bo R so Bg Bw

P P P P

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012
TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 2
Material Balance Equations

ρo S + ρ g SR s o
Oil density: ρo =
Bo
1 ∂V
Water compressibility: C w = −( )( w ) T
V w ∂P
Water volume change: B w 2 = Bw 1 e −cw ΔP ≈ Bw 1 (1 − c w Δ P)

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

1 ∂φ
Rock compressibility: Cr = ( )( ) T
φ ∂P
Porosity change: φ w 2 = φw 1 e cr ΔP ≈ φw 1 (1 + cr ΔP)

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

Initial stage (1) Final stage (2)

Gas Gas

Oil Oil

Water Water

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

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012
TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 3
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
|
P P

Bo R so

1 1
| |
2
2
| |

P P

Note: If a gas cap is present ini-

tially, 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 remaining ⎫

⎪in the reservoir ⎪ ⎧ Oil ⎫ ⎪in the reservoir ⎪
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎨ ⎬ − ⎨ produced ⎬ = ⎨ ⎬
⎪ initially ⎪ ⎪ finally
(st. vol. ) ⎪⎭ ⎪ ⎪
⎪⎩ (st. vol. ) ⎪⎭ ⎩ ⎪⎩ (st. vol. ) ⎪⎭
or
N - Np = V p2 S o 2 /Bo 2
yielding
( N − N p ) Bo 2
So 2 =
Vp2

Equation 2: Water material balance

⎧ Water present ⎫ ⎧Water remaining ⎫

⎪in the reservoir ⎪ ⎧ Water ⎫ ⎧ Water ⎫ ⎧ Aquifer ⎫ ⎪ in the reservoir ⎪
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎨ initially ⎬ − ⎨ produced ⎬ + ⎨injected ⎬ + ⎨ influx ⎬ = ⎨ finally ⎬
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ (st. vol.) ⎪ ⎪(st. vol.)⎪ ⎪(st. vol.)⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎪⎩ (st. vol.) ⎪⎭ ⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭ ⎪⎩ (st. vol.) ⎪⎭
or
V p1 S w 1 /B w1 - Wp + Wi + We = Vp 2 S w 2 /Bw 2
yielding
⎡ ⎛ S ⎞⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎤B
S w 2 = ⎢(1 + m)NBo 1⎜ w 1 ⎟ ⎜
⎢⎣
(
⎟ + Wi + We − Wp ⎥ w 2
⎝ 1− Sw1⎠ ⎝ Bw1⎠ ⎥⎦ V p 2
)

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012
TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 4
Material Balance Equations

Equation 3: Gas material balance

⎧ Solution gas ⎫ ⎧ Free gas ⎫

⎪ present in the ⎪ ⎪ present in the ⎪ ⎧ Gas ⎫ ⎧ Gas ⎫
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎨reservoir initially⎬ + ⎨reservoir initially⎬ − ⎨ produced ⎬ + ⎨injected ⎬
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ (st. vol. ) ⎪ ⎪(st. vol. )⎪
⎪⎩ (st. vol.) ⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ (st. vol. ) ⎪⎭ ⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭

⎧ Solution gas ⎫ ⎧ Free gas ⎫

⎪ present in the ⎪ ⎪ present in the ⎪
⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
=⎨ ⎬ + ⎨reservoir finally⎬
⎪ reservoir finally ⎪ ⎪ ⎪
⎪⎩ (st. vol. ) ⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ (st. vol. ) ⎪⎭
or
Bo1 Vp 2
NRso1 + mN( ) − N p R p + Gi = (N − N p )Rso2 + Sg 2
Bg1 Bg 2
yielding

⎧⎪ ⎡ B ⎤ ⎫⎪ Bg 2
Sg 2 = ⎨N ⎢(Rso1 − Rso2 ) + m( o1 ) ⎥ − N p (R p − Rso2 ) + Gi ⎬( )
⎪⎩ ⎣ Bg1 ⎦ ⎪⎭ 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 ΔP)

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012
TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 5
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

Cr + Cw S w 1
E f ,w = −(1 + m)Bo 1 ΔP
1− Sw1

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012
TPG4150 Reservoir Recovery Techniques 2012 6
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
where 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
the above material balance equation may be rewritten as

⎛Z ⎞ ⎛Z ⎞
G⎜ 1 ⎟ = (G − G p )⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ P1 ⎠ ⎝ P2 ⎠
or
⎛ P2 ⎞ G p ⎛ P1 ⎞
⎜ ⎟ = (1− )⎜ ⎟
⎝ Z2 ⎠ G ⎝ Z1 ⎠
⎛ 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 Professor Jon Kleppe

Norwegian University of Science and Technology August 23, 2012