Propiedades de los Gases

Ing. William Navarro

 Introduction

A gas is a homogeneous fluid

No definite volume

Completely fills the vessel in which it is
contained

Behaviour vital to petroleum engineers

Simple gas laws straightforward

Hydrocarbon gases at reservoir conditions are
more complicated.
 Ideal Gases

Assumptions
Volume of molecules are insignificant with
respect to the total volume of the gas.
There are no attractive or repulsive forces
between molecules or molecules and
container walls.
No internal energy loss when molecules
collide
 Ideal Gases

Boyle’s Law

1
Vα or PV = cons tan t
P

T is constant

P = pressure, V = volume, T = temperature

 Ideal Gases

Charles’ Law

V
Vα T or = cons tan t
T

P is constant

Pressure and temperature in both laws are in

absolute units
 Absolute Units

Temperature

Kelvin K = oC + 273

Rankin oR = oF + 460
 Avogadro’s Law

Under the same conditions of temperature and pressure
equal volumes of all ideal gases contain the same number of
molecules.

That is; one molecular weight of any ideal gas occupies the
same volume as the molecular weight of another ideal gas.

2.73 x 1026 molecules/lb.mole of ideal gas

1 lb.mole of any ideal gas at 60oF and 14.7 psia. occupies
379.4 cu.ft.

1 gm.mole at 0oC and atmos. pressure occupies 22.4 litres
 lb.mole

One lb.mol of methane CH4 = 16 lb.

One kg.mole of methane CH4 = 16 kg.
 Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Equation of State

Combining Boyle’s Law and Charles
Law gives an equation relating P,T & V

PV
= cons tan t
T
Constant is termed R when quantity of gas is one mole

R is termed Universal Gas Constant

 Universal Gas Constant

cu.ft.psia
R = 10.73 o
l b.mol. R

cu.ft.psia
R = 10.73
l b.mol.o R

psfta
 The Ideal Equation of State
For n moles equation becomes

PV = nRT

A useful equation to compare conditions at two

conditions 1 & 2

PV P1V1 P2 V2
n= therefore =
RT T1 T2
 Density of an Ideal Gas

m
ρg = weight / volume =
V
ρg is the gas density
For 1 mole m = MW MW= molecular weight
RT
V=
P

MW.P
ρg =
RT
 Standard Conditions

Oil and gas occur under a whole range of temperatures and

pressures

Convenient to express volumes at a reference condition.

Common practice to relate volumes to surface conditions.
14.7 psia and 60oF

Pres Vres PSC VSC res - reservoir conditions

= SC - standard conditions
Tres TSC
This equation assumes ideal behaviour. This is NOT the case
for real reservoir gases
 Mixtures of Ideal Gases

Petroleum gases are mixtures of gases - Dalton’s Law
and Amagat’s Law
Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures
Total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures

P = PA + PB + PC + PD + .........
Therefore
RT RT RT RT
P = nA + nB + nC + ..... i.e. P = ∑ nj
V V V V
Pj nj
Therefore
= = yj
P n
yj =mole fraction of jth component
 Amagat’s Law
States that the volume occupied by an ideal gas mixture is equal
to the sum of the volumes that the pure components would
occupy at the same temperature and pressure.

Law of additive volumes.

V = VA + VB + VC + ....

RT RT RT RT
V = nA + nB + nC + ... i.e. V = ∑ nj
P P P P

Vj nj
= = yj
V n
For ideal gas, volume fraction is equal to mole fraction
 Apparent Molecular Weight

A mixture does not have a molecular weight.

It behaves as though it has a molecular weight.

Called Apparent Molecular Weight. AMW

AMW = ∑ y jMWj

MWj is the molecular weight of component j.

AMW for air = 28.97

 Specific Gravity of a Gas
The specific gravity of a gas is the ratio of the density of the gas
relative to that of dry air at the same conditions.

ρg
γg =
ρair
Assuming that the gas and air are ideal
Mg P
RT Mg Mg
λg = = =
M air P M air 29
RT
Mg = AMW of mixture, Mair = AMW of air