Fundamentals of

Petroleum
Engineering

Lecture 1

Dr. Farqad Hadi

Outline

– Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

– Origin of Petroleum
– Structural Formula of Petroleum
– Petroleum Products
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

– Petroleum may defined as a naturally occurring, complex mixture of

hydrocarbons which may be either gas, liquid, or solid, depending upon its own
unique composition, the pressure and temperature at which its confined or
subjected.

– A petroleum engineer is involved in nearly all stages of oil and gas field
evaluation, development and production. The goal of petroleum engineer is to
maximize hydrocarbon recovery at a minimum cost while maintaining a strong
emphasis on reducing all associated environmental problems.
 Introduction to
Petroleum Engineering

– Petroleum engineers are

divided into several groups:

– Petroleum geologists: To find

hydrocarbons by analyzing
subsurface structures using
geological and geophysical
methods.
Introduction to Petroleum
Engineering

– Reservoir engineers: To work to optimize

production of oil and gas via proper well
placement, production levels, and enhanced
oil recovery techniques.
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

– Drilling engineers: To manage the technical aspects of drilling the exploration,

production, and injection wells. It also includes mud engineer who manage the
quality of drilling fluid.
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

– Production engineers: To manage the interface between the reservoir and the
well, including perforations, sand control, downhole flow control, and downhole
monitoring equipment; evaluate artificial lift methods, and also select surface
equipment that separate the produced fluids (oil, gas, and water)
Origin of Petroleum

– Origin of Petroleum: The theories of the petroleum origin may be classified as either
organic or inorganic.
I- Organic Theory [plants, animals, or mixed-They called together Plankton]: It is assumed that
petroleum evolved from decomposition of plants and animals organisms that lived during previous geologic ages. It is widely
accepted theory. Why?
A-Plants Origin Theory: This theory has established to indicate that the origin of petroleum is organic because of the fact that
bacteria and algae were founded in the rocks that contain hydrocarbons.
** There is an evident that the products of the plants distillation in lab may produce hydrocarbons. It is supported by much
geological evidences.

B- Animals Origin Theory: It is based on the fact that the greases of animals may produce hydrocarbon under 400 C. [Engler Theory]
C- Mixed Origin Theory: It is based on the fact that hydrocarbon has been formulated from organic material, either plants or animals.
Then, the oil and gas seeped through porous rock (i.e., accumulated in sedimentary rocks) with the impact of bacteria, pressure, and
temperature. [Gobkin Theory]
Origin of Petroleum

– Origin of Petroleum: The theories of the petroleum origin may be classified as

either organic or inorganic.
II- Inorganic Theory [volcanic, chemical, or cosmic]: The inorganic theories attempt to explain that
the formulation of petroleum is due to the chemical reactions among water, carbon dioxide, and various inorganic
substances in the earth.

** In other words, this theory states that hydrogen and carbon came together under great temperature and pressure,
far below the earth’s surface and formed oil and gas. The oil and gas then seeped through porous rocks to deposit in
various natural underground traps.

**However, scientists have, in general, abandoned the inorganic theory as untenable!

Origin of Petroleum

– Abstract of Petroleum Origin

1- The crude oil has been formulated from organic organisms, either plants or
animals.
2- These organisms deposited with mud, decomposed, buried with sedimentary
rocks, then migrated from source rocks to reservoir rocks through different
geological ages.
3- The organic material has turned up to HC (oil and gas) under the effect of
pressure, temperature, and other influential parameters.
 Structural Formula of Petroleum

– Hydrocarbons can be classified into essentially four categories depending on the

structural formula.
– Two of the categories refer to the structural arrangement of the carbon atoms in
the molecule, which are open chain and ring or cyclic atoms.
– The remaining two categories refer to the bonds between the carbon atoms.
Which are saturated or single bond (the general formula is CnH2n+2. For
example, Methane, Ethane, etc.[Alkane]) and unsaturated or multiple bond
compounds (the general formula is CnH2n, CnHn, or CnH2n-n. For example,
Olefin, Benzene, Alkadiene, etc. [alkene])

– ** The word ending “ane” designates saturated hydrocarbons while “ene”

designates hydrocarbons that have double bonds between carbon atoms.

* Hydrocarbons are often chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen attached.

 Petroleum Fluids Hydrocarbons
– Reservoir fluids typically contains hundreds CnH2n+2
or thousands of hydrocarbon compounds
and a few non-organic compounds. Hydrocarbons

– The physical properties of a reservoir fluid

depends on composition, temperature and Non-aromatic Aromatic
pressure.
– Natural gas is composed of mainly
Alkanes Alkenes Alkynes Cyclo-Alkanes
low-molecular weight alkanes (paraffins),
(Paraffins) (Naphthenes)
CO2, H2S and N2.
– Most crude oils are composed of
higher-molecular weight hydro-carbon
compounds (Aromatic and Naphthenes).
12
 Alkanes (Paraffins)
Structure Formula CnH2n+2H H H
H H H H H C C C H
H C C C C H
H H
H H H H H C H
H

n-C4H10 : normal-butane i-C4H10 : iso-butane

 Alkenes (Olefins)
Structure Formula CnH2n
H
H C C C H

H H H

C3H6 : propene

Alkenes are seldom found in reservoir fluids due to their unstable nature
 Alkynes
Structure Formula CnH2n-2
CH3
HC C C CH3

CH3

C6H10 : Heksyne

Alkynes are seldom found in reservoir fluids due to their unstable nature
Cyclo-alkanes (Naphthenes)
Structure Formula CnH2n
CH2

CH2 CH2

C3H6 : cyclo-butane
Aromatics CH3
CH C
CH CH CH CH

CH CH CH CH
CH CH

Benzene Tuolene
 Petroleum Products

Gas to gasoline
plant Methane

LPG (Butane and Propane)

Oil and Natural gasoline

gas from Plus many other products derived
the well from petroleum
Gasoline
Kerosene
Diesel fuels
Lube oils
Fuel oils
Oil to refinery
Wax