Black Oil Properties - Definitions

Instructional Objectives:
- Define oil specific gravity and define oil gravity in oAPI.
- Define oil bubble-point pressure, pb.
- Define oil formation volume factor, Bo, explain the factors that affect Bo, and sketch the
typical shape of Bo versus p.
- Define solution gas/oil ratio, Rs, explain the factors that affect Rs, and sketch the typical
shape of Rs versus p.
- Define the coefficient of isothermal compressibility of oil, co, and sketch the typical
shape of co versus p.
- Define oil density, o, explain the factors which affect o, and sketch the typical shape of
o versus p.
- Define oil viscosity, o, explain the factors which affect o, and sketch the typical shape
of o versus p.

Specific Gravity of Oil:

o
o 
w
- Both densities measured at the same temperature and pressure, usually 60 oF and
atmospheric pressure.
- Sometimes called o (60/60).

Density of pure water at 60oF and atmospheric pressure is 62.368 lb/cu ft.
The conversion factor between lb/cu ft and g/cc is: 62.428 lb/cu ft = 1.0 g/cc.

API Gravity of Oil:

141.5

API   131.5
o

Production Above and Below the Bubble-Point:

1 A. El-Banbi
 scf
scf Rsb =
STB

Separator
scf

Stock
tank

STB
res bbl oil
Bo =
STB
res bbl
Oil p > pb

scf
res bbl gas scf
Bg = Rsb =
Mscf scf
STB

Separator scf

Stock
tank

STB
res bbl oil
Bo =
STB
Gas res bbl
res bbl
Oil p < pb

Oil Formation Volume Factor:

- Definition: volume of reservoir oil at reservoir conditions required to produce one
standard volume of stock tank oil.
- Units - res bbl/STB
- Symbol - Bo

Note: STB are considered to be at 60oF and atmospheric pressure regardless of the actual
temperature of the stock tank.

Three things happen to reservoir oil as it is produced to surface:

1- Loses mass - gas comes out of solution on trip to surface.
2- Contracts - temperature decrease from reservoir temperature to 60oF.
3- Expands - pressure decreases from reservoir pressure to atmospheric pressure.

The most important factor that affects the reservoir oil volume relative to its volume in the
stock tank is losing gas with the pressure decline.

2 A. El-Banbi
 2

Bo, res bbl/STB

1
pb
0 6000
p, psig
Bo = Oil formation volume factor, res bbl/STB
p = Pressure, psig
pb = Bubble-point pressure

Solution Gas-Oil Ratio:

- Definition: volume of gas which comes out of the oil as it moves from reservoir
temperature and pressure to standard temperature and pressure.
- Units: cubic feet of total surface gas at standard conditions per barrel of stock-tank oil at
standard conditions, scf/STB.

2 0 00

0
0 6 00 0

Rs = Solution gas/oil ratio, scf/STB

p = Pressure, psig
pb = Bubble-point pressure

3 A. El-Banbi
Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility of Oil:

Also called oil compressibility.

Above the Bubble-Point:

Oil Oil

Hg Hg

1 V  1   Bo 
Definition: co     , or co    
V   p T Bo   p T

Below the Bubble-Point:

Gas
Oil

Oil

Hg

Hg

1   Bo  B   Rs 
co      g  
Bo p T Bo p T

4 A. El-Banbi
 500

co, psi-1 x 106

0
pb
0 6000
p, psig
co = Coefficient of isothermal compressibility, psi-1 x 10-6
p = Pressure, psig
pb = Bubble-point pressure

Oil Density:

lb / cu ft psi
Units - lb/cu ft or 
144 sq in / sq ft ft

47
o, lb/cu ft

39
pb
0 6000
p, psig
o = Oil density, lb/cu ft
p = Pressure, psig
pb = Bubble-point pressure

5 A. El-Banbi
Oil Viscosity:
- Definition: the resistance to flow exerted by a fluid, i.e., large values = low flow rates
- Units: centipoise = (centistoke)(density g/cc)
g mass
dynamic viscosity,  centipoise
100 sec cm
sq cm
kinematic viscosity,  centistoke
100 sec
 g mass 
centipoise  centistoke   density, 
 cc 

1 .1

0 .3
0 6000

o = Oil viscosity, cp
p = Pressure, psig
pb = Bubblepoint pressure

6 A. El-Banbi