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Applications of the Coefficient of

Isothermal Compressibility to Various


Reservoir Situations With New Correlations
for Each Situation
John P. Spivey, SPE, Phoenix Reservoir Engineering, and Peter P. Valkó, SPE, and
William D. McCain, SPE, Texas A&M U.

Summary • The defining equation, for which the oil compressibility


The coefficient of isothermal compressibility (oil compressibility) should be calculated as a single value at the pressure of interest,
is defined as the fractional change of oil volume per unit change in often used in pressure-transient analysis.
pressure. Though the oil compressibility so defined frequently ap- • The extension of fluid properties from correlations starting at
pears in the partial-differential equations describing fluid flow in the bubblepoint pressure to pressures above the bubblepoint pres-
porous media, it is rarely used in this form in practical engineering sure. This application is also used in black-oil reservoir simulation.
calculations. Instead, oil compressibility is usually assumed to be • The use of oil compressibility in black-oil material-balance
constant, allowing the defining equation to be integrated over some equations in which the starting point is the initial reservoir pressure.
pressure range of interest. Thus, the oil compressibility in the Values of oil compressibility should be calculated from labo-
resulting equations should be regarded as a weighted average value ratory data with these applications in mind. Most published cor-
over the pressure range of integration. relations for oil compressibility do not indicate the particular situ-
The three distinct applications for oil compressibility in reser- ation to which the correlation applies, although values calculated
voir engineering are (1) instantaneous or tangent values from the for these three applications can differ significantly. For example,
defining equation, (2) extension of fluid properties from values at Fig. 1 gives values of oil compressibility calculated with the con-
the bubblepoint pressure to higher pressures of interest, and (3) stant-composition-expansion data from a widely available black-
material-balance calculations that require values starting at initial oil laboratory report (Reservoir Fluid Study 1988). Two things are
reservoir pressure. Each of these three applications requires a dif- readily apparent. First, coefficients of isothermal compressibility
ferent approach to calculating oil compressibility from laboratory are not constant as pressure changes. Second, the three applica-
data and in developing correlations. tions require values that differ by up to 25%.
The differences among the values required in these three ap- Using more than 3,500 data points measured in constant-
plications can be as great as 25%. Most published correlations do composition-expansion experiments from 369 laboratory studies
not indicate the particular application to which the proposed cor- of worldwide origins, we have developed a correlation equation for
relation applies. oil compressibility calculated as a chord from bubblepoint pressure
A correlation equation for oil compressibility has been devel- to a pressure of interest. We propose two equations to adjust values
oped using more than 3,500 lines of data from 369 laboratory from this correlation either to chord values starting at initial res-
studies. This correlation equation gives the average compressibil- ervoir pressure or to instantaneous values. These equations allow
ity between the bubblepoint pressure and some higher pressure of estimation of oil-compressibility values for the correct application.
interest. Equations to calculate appropriate values of compressibil-
ity for the other two applications are presented. Applications of Compressibility
In this section, we discuss the three applications of the coefficient
Introduction of isothermal compressibility.
The equation defining the coefficient of isothermal compressibility
Extension of Fluid Properties From Correlations Starting at
at pressures above the bubblepoint pressure is rather simple:
the Bubblepoint Pressure. When correlations are used to deter-

co = − 冉 冊
1 ⭸V
V ⭸p T
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)
mine values of fluid properties, values of oil compressibility are
used to extend values of some fluid properties from the bubble-
point pressure of the oil to higher pressures. One example is oil
However, in application the situation becomes somewhat complex. formation volume factor.
Usually the equation is integrated by separating variables:
co = − 冉 冊
1 ⭸Bo
Bo ⭸p
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
兰 兰
p2 V2 dV T
co dp = − . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2)
兰 兰
p1 V1 V p Bo dBo
co dp = − . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4)
Moving oil compressibility outside the integral sign requires the pb Bob Bo
assumption that it is constant. Because it is not constant, the use of Bo = Bob exp关−co共p − pb兲兴. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5)
this equation requires a value of oil compressibility that is a pressure-
weighted average across the pressure range used in the calculations. Placing oil compressibility, co, outside of the integral sign in Eq.
There are three applications for oil compressibility in reser- 4 implies that it is constant. Oil compressibility certainly is not
voir engineering: constant as pressure changes (as seen in Fig. 1). Eq. 5 can be used
to calculate the oil formation volume factor at pressures above
bubblepoint pressure using the value of Bob calculated at the
bubblepoint with a correlation. However, the value of co to be used
Copyright © 2007 Society of Petroleum Engineers
in Eq. 5 must be a pressure-weighted average of oil compressibility
This paper (SPE 96415) was first presented at the 2005 SPE Annual Technical Conference from the bubblepoint pressure to the pressure of interest. In this
and Exhibition, Dallas, 9–12 October, and revised for publication. Original manuscript re-
ceived for review 1 July 2005. Revised manuscript received 5 September 2006. Paper peer
case, the derivative in Eq. 3 is approximated by the slope of a
approved 10 October 2006. chord from the bubblepoint pressure to the pressure of interest. We

February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering 43


1 ⭸␳o ⭸p
= co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (9)
␳o ⭸t ⭸t
Eq. 10 is the equation describing single-phase-fluid flow of a
slightly compressible liquid in porous media (Lee et al. 2003).

1 ⭸
r ⭸r
r 冉 冊
⭸p
⭸r
=
␾␮co ⭸p
k ⭸t
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (10)

This is oil compressibility by definition; we will use the symbol co.


An equation for determining values of co at any pressure of interest
with the correlation for cofb will be presented later.
For multiphase flow at pressures below the bubblepoint pressure,
a term must be added to account for gas coming out of solution:

co = −
1 ⭸Bo
Bo ⭸p冉 冊 T
+
1 Bg ⭸Rso
1,000 Bo ⭸p 冉 冊 T
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (11)

We prefer taking derivatives of the correlation equations for Bo


Fig. 1—Coefficients of isothermal compressibility for Good Oil and Rs to calculate co directly from Eq. 11, rather than using a
Co., Oil Well No. 4 (Reservoir Fluid Study 1988).
separate correlation for co.

will call this the coefficient of isothermal compressibility from the Development of New Correlations
bubblepoint, cofb. Values of cofb can be determined easily from the We have developed new correlations for the coefficient of isother-
constant-composition-expansion experiment of a routine black-oil mal compressibility and equations for calculating values for each
fluid property report (McCain 1990) and used to create a correla- of the three applications for oil compressibility. Because of the
tion for cofb as a function of various properties, including reservoir way fluid-property data are reported in standard laboratory reports,
pressure, that are readily available from field data. it is more convenient to develop a correlation for cofb than for cofi
or co. Thus, our correlation gives cofb. Equations for calculating
The Material-Balance Equation for Undersaturated Oil Res- values for cofi and co with the cofb correlation have been developed.
ervoirs. Another use of oil compressibility is in the material-
balance equation for undersaturated oil reservoirs (i.e., reservoirs Correlation for Coefficients of Isothermal Compressibility
in which the pressure is higher than the bubblepoint pressure). Eqs. From the Bubblepoint to a Pressure of Interest. A correlation
6 and 7 show this application (Craft and Hawkins 1959). for cofb has been developed using a technique to reveal the under-
lying statistical relationships between variables corrupted by ran-
Bo − Boi dom error. The method of alternating conditional expectations
co ≡ , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6a)
Boi共pi − p兲 (ACE) is intended to alleviate the main drawback of parametric
regression: the mismatch of the assumed model structure and the
where underlying relationship of the actual data (Breiman and Friedman
Soco + Swcw + cf 1985). Thus, an a priori knowledge of the functional relationship
ce ≡ , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6b) between the dependent variable and the independent variables is
So not required. The program GRACE, a user-friendly implemention
of the ACE algorithm, was used for this work. GRACE first cre-
giving the material-balance equation
ates individual transformations for each variable in an optimum
NBoice共pi − p兲 = NpBo − We + BwWp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) way. Then, these single-variable transformations may usually be
approximated by curve fitting in a commercial spreadsheet pro-
Eq. 7 demonstrates that this application starts at initial reservoir gram using low-order polynomials (Xue et al. 1997).
pressure, pi, and goes to a lower pressure, p, which occurs after A database was assembled comprising 3,537 lines of constant-
some oil production. Thus, the oil-compressibility value should be composition-expansion data at pressures above bubblepoint pres-
a pressure-weighted average starting at the initial reservoir pres- sures from 369 service-company reservoir-fluid studies of black
sure. In this case, the derivative is approximated by the slope of a oils. The statistics of these assembled data, which cover the ranges
chord from initial pressure to the pressure of interest. We will call of the independent variables to be expected in black-oil reservoirs,
this the coefficient of isothermal compressibility from initial pres- are given in Table 1. Extreme caution should be used in dealing
sure, cofi. This definition of compressibility is analogous to the with oils with properties outside the ranges in this table; extrapo-
cumulative compressibility terms defined by Fetkovich et al. lation of the equations presented is risky.
(1998). Values of this property can be obtained using the correla- Applying the GRACE technique produced the following equa-
tion for cofb with initial reservoir pressure and the lower pressure. tions for estimating values of cofb with the independent variables
listed in Table 2.
Tangent Compressibility for Pressure-Transient Analysis. The
partial-differential equations describing single-phase fluid flow in ln cofb = 2.434 + 0.475z + 0.048z2, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12a)
porous media do not require that the equation be integrated. In-
6
stead, oil compressibility is calculated at the pressure of interest
with the value of the derivative of Eq. 1 determined by measuring z= 兺z ,
n=1
n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12b)
the slope of the tangent line to the volume-vs.-pressure curve at the
pressure of interest. In other words, the value of oil compressibility
zn = C0n + C1n xn + C2n xn2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12c)
is not a weighted average but an “instantaneous” value at the
pressure of interest. For instance, for single-phase flow, Eqs. 8 and To apply these equations, use the natural logarithm of each vari-
9 apply. able and the coefficients listed in Table 2 to calculate a value of zn

冉 冊
for each of the six independent variables. The values of zn are added,
1 ⭸␳o
co = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) and the sum is used in the cofb equation (Eq. 13). A discussion of
␳o ⭸p T the accuracy and precision of this equation will be given later.

44 February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering


Correlation for Coefficients of Isothermal Compressibility Combining Eqs. 15a and 15b yields these results:
From Initial Pressure to a Pressure of Interest. Oil compress-
ibility can be determined from initial pressure to a lower pressure 1 ⭸
co = − 兵B exp关−cofb共p − pb兲兴其
of interest, cofi, by use of Eq. 14 and the cofb correlation equations Bo ⭸p ob
(Eq. 13). Values of cofb at the initial pressure and the pressure of
Bob exp关−cofb共p − pb兲兴 ⭸
interest are calculated and then used to calculate cofi. =− 关−cofb共p − pb兲兴
Eq. 14 was developed as follows: Bo ⭸p


Bo dBo Bo = 关c 共p − pb兲兴
Bob Bo
ln
Bob ln Bob − ln Bo ⭸p ofb
cofb 共p兲 = − =− = , . . . . . . . . (13a)
兰 p − pb p − pb ⭸cofb
p
dp = cofb + 共p − pb兲 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (15c)
pb ⭸p


BoidBo Boi Thus, the correlation for cofb, Eqs. 12a, 12b, and 12c, can be used
ln
Bob Bo Bob ln Bob − ln Boi to develop an equation for calculating co.
cofb 共p 兲 = − =− = , . . . . . . . (13b)
兰 pi − pb pi − pb
i pi
dp ⭸cofb ⭸z
= cofb共0.475 + 0.096z兲 , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (16a)
⭸p ⭸p
pb


Bo dBo Bo where cofb is calculated with Eq. 12a, z is calculated with Eq. 12b,
ln
Boi Bo Boi ln Boi − ln Bo and ⭸z/⭸p is given by
cofi =− =− = . . . . . . . . . . . . . (13c)
兰 p − pi p − pi
p
dp p
pi −0.608 + 0.1822 ln
⭸z pb
The difference between Eqs. 13a and 13b can be used to determine = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (16b)
⭸p p
an equation for cofi.
共p − pb兲cofb共p兲 − 共pi − pb兲cofb共pi兲 = ln Boi − ln Bo. . . . . . . . . (13d) Calculating the Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility for
Saturated Oils. For consistency, the tangent compressibility for
Thus, pressure-transient analysis should be calculated from correlation
equations for Bo, Rso, and Bg by differentiating the equations for Bo
共p − pb兲cofb共p兲 − 共pi − pb兲cofb共pi兲 ln Boi − ln Bo and Rso:
= = cofi. . . . (13e)
p − pi p − pi
1 ⭸Bo 1 Bg ⭸Rso
co = − + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (17)
Finally, rearrange to obtain the equation for calculating cofi with Bo ⭸p 1,000 Bo ⭸p
the correlation equations for cofb.
共p − pb兲cofb共p兲 − 共pi − pb兲cofb共pi兲
cofi = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (14)
p − pi

Correlation for Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility Tan-


gent at Some Pressure of Interest. The chord-slope compress-
ibility from the bubblepoint pressure to any pressure above the
bubblepoint, cofb, can be rewritten from Eq. 5 as
Bo = Bob exp关−cofb共p − pb兲兴. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (15a)
The tangent, or instantaneous, compressibility, co, is defined as:
1 ⭸Bo
co = − . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (15b)
Bo ⭸p

February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering 45


Fig. 2—Coefficients of isothermal compressibility calculated Fig. 3—Coefficients of isothermal compressibility calculated
from Eqs. 12a, 12b, and 12c compare well with measured values. from Eq. 15c compare well with measured values.

Evaluation of the Proposed Correlations higher values appears to be caused by data from a few laboratory
Fig. 2 compares the results of calculations of cofb using Eqs. 12a, reports that may have some internal error.
12b, and 12c with the data used in developing the correlation. Fig. 3 A comparison of the calculations and the data in terms of average
compares these data with calculations of co based on Eqs. 15c, 16a, relative error (ARE) and average absolute relative error (AARE)
12a, 12b, and 16b. The bulk of these calculations fit the data very appears in Table 3. Figs. 4 through 7 show that the calculations
closely. In both figures, the scatter of the measured results at hold up well across the ranges of the independent variables.

Comparison of Published Correlations for


Coefficients of Isothermal Compressibility
Table 3 shows ARE and AARE, both in percentages, of compari-
sons of various published correlations (De Ghetto and Villa 1994;
Al-Marhoun 2003; Dindoruk and Christman 2001; Petrosky and
Farshad 1998; Labedi 1990; Whitson and Brule 2000; Almehaideb
1997; Hanafy et al. 1997; Calhoun 1953; Vazquez and Beggs
1980; Kartoatmodjo and Schmidt 1994; Elsharkawy and Alikhan
1997; Ahmed 1989; Farshad et al. 1996) for oil compressibility.
Table 4 gives statistics for the independent variables in the data set
used for these comparisons. The coefficients of isothermal com-
pressibility calculated with data within 200 psi of bubblepoint
pressure were eliminated because the data had only four significant
figures, making the round-off errors near the bubblepoint exces-
sively large.

Fig. 4—ARE as a function of temperature. Each data point rep-


resents an average of approximately 240 calculations.

46 February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering


Fig. 5—AARE as a function of temperature. Each data point Fig. 6—ARE as a function of bubblepoint solution-gas/oil
represents an average of approximately 240 calculations. ratio. Each data point represents an average of approximately
240 calculations.
Many of the publications proposing the correlations listed in
Table 3 did not specify the applications for which they were de- Eq. 6, psi−1
veloped, so we compared them with both cofb and co and reported cf ⳱ formation (pore-volume) compressibility, psi−1
the lowest values of ARE and AARE. co ⳱ coefficient of isothermal compressibility,
Figs. 4 through 7 compare the results of this work with three measured with the slope of the tangent line at
other published correlations. The Vazquez and Beggs (1980) cor- the pressure of interest, psi−1
relation was selected for this comparison for its apparent popular-
cofb ⳱ coefficient of isothermal compressibility,
ity in the petroleum industry, and the other two (Al-Marhoun 2003;
Dindoruk and Christman 2001) were chosen as recently published measured with the slope of the chord from
correlations that have low values of ARE and AARE. The results bubblepoint pressure to pressure of interest,
of this work hold up well across the full range of each of the psi−1
independent variables and generally have values of ARE and cofb(p) ⳱ coefficient of isothermal compressibility
AARE that are closer to zero than the other three correlations. measured with the slope of the chord from
Sorting on stock-tank-oil gravity, °API, and reservoir pressure (not bubblepoint pressure to pressure p, psi−1
shown here), yielded similar results. cofb(pi) ⳱ coefficient of isothermal compressibility
Conclusions measured with the slope of the chord from
The three different applications for the values of the coefficient of bubblepoint pressure to initial reservoir pressure
isothermal compressibility require different calculations from ex- pi, psi−1
perimental data, and the calculated values among the three are cofi ⳱ coefficient of isothermal compressibility
significantly different results. measured with the slope of the chord from
We have presented a correlation for the fluid-property applica- initial reservoir pressure pi to pressure of
tion that gives results approximately as accurate as the experimen- interest, psi−1
tal data. This correlation produces a weighted average of oil com- C0n,C1n,C2n ⳱ coefficients for use in Eq. 12c for the nth
pressibility between the bubblepoint pressure and the reservoir independent variable
pressure of interest, cofb.
k ⳱ absolute permeability
We have presented an equation, based on the cofb correlation, that
N ⳱ original oil in place, STB
can be used to obtain accurate estimates of cofi, the weighted average
oil compressibility from initial reservoir pressure to some lower Np ⳱ cumulative oil production, STB
reservoir pressure, for use in the oil material-balance application. p ⳱ pressure, psia
Finally, we have presented an equation that can be used to
obtain accurate estimates of the tangent compressibility co at a
particular reservoir pressure.
Nomenclature
AARE ⳱ average absolute relative error, %

兺冏 冏
1 calc − meas
100
n meas
ARE ⳱ average relative error, %
calc − meas

1
100
n meas
API ⳱ stock-tank-oil gravity, oAPI
Bg ⳱ gas formation volume factor, RB/Mscf
Bo ⳱ oil formation volume factor, RB/STB
Bob ⳱ oil formation volume factor at bubblepoint
pressure, RB/STB
Boi ⳱ oil formation volume factor at initial reservoir
pressure, RB/STB Fig. 7—AARE as a function of bubblepoint solution-gas/oil
Bw ⳱ water formation volume factor, RB/STB ratio. Each data point represents an average of approximately
ce ⳱ effective fluid compressibility, defined in 240 calculations.

February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering 47


pb ⳱ bubblepoint pressure at reservoir temperature, psia Fetkovich, M.J., Reese, D.E., and Whitson, C.H. 1998. Application of a
pi ⳱ initial reservoir pressure, psia General Material Balance for High-Pressure Gas Reservoirs. SPEJ 3
r ⳱ radial distance (1): 3–13. SPE-22921-PA. DOI: 10.2118/22921-PA.
Rsb ⳱ solution-gas/oil ratio at bubblepoint, scf/STB Farshad, F., LeBlanc, J.L., Garber, J.D., and Osorio, J.G. 1996. Empirical
PVT Correlations for Colombian Crude Oils. Paper SPE 36105 pre-
Rso ⳱ solution-gas/oil ratio, scf/STB
sented at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineer-
So ⳱ oil saturation, fraction
ing Conference, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 23–26 April. DOI: 10.2118/
Sw ⳱ water (brine) saturation, fraction 36105-MS.
t ⳱ time Hanafy, H.H., Macary, S.M., ElNady, Y.M., Bayomi, A.A., and El Ba-
TR ⳱ reservoir temperature, °F tanony, M.H. 1997. Empirical PVT Correlations Applied to Egyptian
V ⳱ volume Crude Oils Exemplify Significance of Using Regional Correlations.
We ⳱ water (brine) encroached into reservoir from Paper SPE 37295 presented at the SPE International Symposium on
aquifer, res bbl Oilfield Chemistry, Houston, 18–21 February. DOI: 10.2118/37295-
Wp ⳱ cumulative water (brine) produced, STB MS.
z⳱ sum of transforms defined by Eq. 12b Kartoatmodjo, T. and Schmidt, Z. 1994. Large data bank improves crude
physical property correlations. Oil & Gas J. 92 (27): 51–55.
zn ⳱ transform for independent variable n defined by
Labedi, R. 1990. Use of production data to estimate volume factor, density
Eq. 12c
and compressibility of reservoir fluids. J. Pet. Sci. & Eng. 4 (4): 375–
␥gSP ⳱ separator-gas specific gravity 390. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0920-4105(90)90034-Z.
␮ ⳱ viscosity Lee, W.J., Rollins, J.B., and Spivey, J.P. 2003. Pressure Transient Testing,
␳o ⳱ oil density, lbm/ft3 Textbook Series, SPE, Richardson, Texas 9.
␾ ⳱ porosity, fraction McCain, W.D. Jr. 1990. The Properties of Petroleum Fluids, second edi-
tion, 289. Tulsa: PennWell Books.
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Ahmed, T.H. 1989. Hydrocarbon Phase Behavior, 164. Houston: Gulf Correlations for Gulf of Mexico Crude Oils. SPEREE 1 (5): 416–420.
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Al-Marhoun, M.A. 2003. The Coefficient of Isothermal Compressibility of
1988. Houston: Core Laboratories.
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Show, Bahrain, 9–12 June. DOI: 10.2118/81432-MS.
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Almehaideb, R.A. 1997. Improved PVT Correlations for UAE Oils. Paper
6719-PA.
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Whitson, C.H. and Brule, M.R. 2000. Phase Behavior, Monograph Series,
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for Multiple Regression and Correlation. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 80 (391): Transformations for Multiple Regression: Application to Permeability
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man, Oklahoma: U. of Oklahoma Press.
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neering, 136. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. SI Metric Conversion Factors
De Ghetto, G. and Villa, M. 1994. Reliability Analysis on PVT Correla-
°API 141.5/(131.5+°API) ⳱ g/cm3
tions. Paper SPE 28904 presented at the 1994 European Petroleum
Conference, London, 25–27 October. DOI: 10.2118/28904-MS. bbl × 1.589 873 E−01 ⳱ m3
Dindoruk, B. and Christman, P.G. 2001. PVT Properties and Viscosity ft3 × 2.831 685 E−02 ⳱ m3
Correlations for Gulf of Mexico Oils. Paper SPE 71633 presented at the °F (°F−32)/1.8 ⳱ °C
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September–3 October. DOI: 10.2118/71633-MS.
Elsharkawy, A.M. and Alikhan, A.A. 1997. Correlations for predicting John P. Spivey has more than 20 years of experience in the
solution gas/oil ratio, oil formation volume factor, and undersaturated petroleum industry, with interests in pressure-transient analysis,
oil compressibility. J. Pet. Sci. & Eng. 17 (3–4): 291–302. DOI: http:// production-data analysis, reservoir engineering, continuing
dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0920-4105(96)00075-7. education, and software development. From 1984 to 1990, he

48 February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering


worked for SoftSearch Inc. (later Dwights EnergyData) devel- William D. McCain Jr. has been a visiting professor in the Dept.
oping petroleum economics and engineering software. In of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M U. since 1991. McCain
1990, Spivey joined S.A. Holditch & Assocs. (which was later started his engineering career with Esso (now Exxon) Research
purchased by Schlumberger); while there, he conducted res- Laboratories in 1956, where he assisted in research on surface
ervoir-simulation, gas-storage, and tight-gas-application stud- processing of petroleum fluids. He was Professor and Head of
ies and taught industry short courses in well testing and pro- the Petroleum Engineering Dept. at Mississippi State U. from
duction-data analysis. In 2004, he started his own reservoir- 1965 to 1976 and taught at Texas A&M U. from 1984 through
engineering consulting company, Phoenix Reservoir 1987. McCain was a consulting petroleum engineer with Caw-
Engineering, and software development company, Phoenix ley, Gillespie & Assocs. from 1987 until 1991. He was with the
Reservoir Software LLC. Since 1992, Spivey has served as a vis- petroleum engineering consulting firm S.A. Holditch & Assocs.
iting assistant professor or adjunct assistant professor at Texas from 1991 until 2000, retiring as Executive Vice President, Chief
A&M U., teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in Engineer, and member of the Board of Directors. McCain’s
gas-reservoir engineering and pressure-transient analysis. He engineering specialties within the consulting company were
holds a BS degree in physics from Abilene Christian U., an MS properties of petroleum fluids, surface processing of petro-
degree in physics from the U. of Washington, and a PhD de- leum, and reservoir engineering, especially for gas conden-
gree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M U. Spivey is the sate and volatile oil fields. He has written two editions of the
editor of SPE Reprint Series Vol. 52, Gas Reservoir Engineering, widely used textbook, The Properties of Petroleum Fluids, holds
and Vol. 57, Pressure Transient Testing, and coauthor of the SPE three U.S. patents, and has more than 40 publications in the
textbook Pressure Transient Testing. He has published numerous petroleum engineering literature. Involved in short-course
papers and articles in industry journals and trade publications. teaching for more than 20 years, McCain has taught for sev-
Peter P. Valkó is a professor of petroleum engineering at Texas eral major oil companies, independents, professional societies,
A&M U. Previously, he taught at academic institutions in Austria and educational consulting companies throughout the world.
and Hungary and worked for the Hungarian Oil Co. Valkó He holds a BS degree from Mississippi State U. and MS and
holds BS and MS degrees from Veszprém U., Hungary, and a PhD degrees from the Georgia Inst. of Technology, all in chemi-
PhD degree from the Inst. of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, Russia. cal engineering.

February 2007 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering 49

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