Reservoir Mechanisms
Retrograde Gas and Volatile Oil
Reservoir Drive Mechanisms
Phase Envelopes
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.2
Phase Envelopes for Gradational Fluids
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.3
Gradational Fluid Types
Large Closure, Near Critical Point
Reservoirs Often Grade From
Retrograde Condensate to Volatile Oil
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.4
Compositional Grading
Gravity Segregation of Components Can Give
Gas Condensate at top and Volatile Oil at
Base
Example Anschutz Ranch East Field
C1 + N2 C2
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.5 7.1 - 6
Phase Behavior
Single Phase Fluid for Pressures >
Dewpoint/Bubble Point Pressure
Two Phase Gas and Liquid for Pressures <
Dewpoint/Bubble Point Pressure
Reservoir Fluid Viscosities Gradational
– Gas Viscosity Higher Than for Dry Gas
– Oil Viscosity Lower Than for Black Oil
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.6
Reservoir Fluid Flow
Reservoir Flow
– Single Phase Gas or Liquid Flow Until Dewpoint or
Bubble Point
– Rapid Decline in Oil Flow Below Bubble Point.
Primarily Gas Flow.
– Gas Flow Below Dewpoint. Liquid Flow Minor.
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.7
Rapid Increase in Gas Saturation
Retrograde
Condensate and
Volatile Oils Show
Similar Saturation
Behavior
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.8
Surface Flow Characteristics
Surface Separator Recovery of Oil and Gas
from Both Vapor and Liquid Phase Production
Initial GOR’s
– Retrograde Gas: 6,000 – 15,000 scf/STB
– Volatile Oil: 2000 – 3000 scf/STB
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.9
Fluid Flow Schematic
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.10
Fluid Sampling
Difficult to Obtain Representative Fluid Sample
– Near Wellbore Condensate or Gas Saturation if Rate
High
– Liquid Fallback in Wellbore if Rate Low
– Preferentially Recover Lighter Components
– MDT Sampling Yields Accurate Sample
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.11
Lab Testing
Laboratory Constant Volume Depletion and
Constant Composition Expansion Tests
– Composition of Produced Gas Versus Pressure
– Liquid and Gas Saturation Versus Pressure
Methods Exist to Calculate Fluid Properties of Bg,
Bo, Rs and Rv from CVD Results
Calculate 2 Phase Z Factors for Retrograde Gas
Reservoirs
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.12
Single and Two Phase Z Factors
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.13
Pressure Depletion Performance
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.14
Surface Yield (Oil-Gas-Ratio)
High Permeability
Reservoir
– Condensate Yield
Begins to Decrease
When Reservoir
Pressure Drops
Below Dewpoint
Pressure
– At Low Pressures
Some Re-
vaporization Occurs
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.15
Performance Characteristics (5)
Liquid Dropout
Creates Zone of
Damage
– High Perm
Reservoirs, Zone has
Limited Volume,
Quickly Stabilizes,
Positive Skin
– Low Perm
Reservoirs, Zone has
Large Volume,
Adsorbs Significant
Liquid Dropout
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.16
Anschutz Ranch East Field
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.17 7.1 - 34
Productivity Reduction for Volatile Oil
Relate PI Reduction Compared to PI Above
Bubble Point Pressure. Example Australian Field.
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.18
Recovery Factor Retrograde Gas
typical Values RFgas RFcond
(fraction) fraction)
No Aquifer:
Low (5%) Condensate Drop Out 0.8 0.75
High (20%) Condensate Drop Out 0.7 0.6
Active Aquifer: ≈ 0.7X RFgas values!
Low (5 %) Condensate Drop Out 0.55 0.52
High (20 %) Condensate Drop Out 0.50 .42
Note : For high drop-out percentages, gas recycling may be an attractive
option. This will allow ≈ 20% of the dropped out condensate to be produced.
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.19
Methods of Operation
Retrograde Gas Condensate
– Pressure Depletion / Water Drive
– Gas Cycling (Dry or Inert Gas)
– Vaporization
Volatile Oil
– Pressure Depletion / Water Drive
– Waterflood
– Miscible or Immiscible Gas Injection
Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir Mechanisms 12.3.20
