Eliminating Negative

Compressibility and PVT

Extrapolation Messages in
ECLIPSE Models
 Negative Compressibility Warnings

Example Warning

@--WARNING AT TIME 0.0 DAYS ( 1-JAN-1990):

@ NEGATIVE COMPRESSIBILITY FOUND IN GAS
@ PRESSURE TABLE 1 AND OIL PRESSURE
@ TABLE 1 AT A SAMPLE PRESSURE VALUE
@ 5911.25172 . ADJUST SATURATED FLUID
@ PROPERTY VALUES AT THIS PRESSURE.
@ NEGATIVE COMPRESSIBILITIES OCCUR
@ FOR GAS SATURATIONS LESS THAN 0.01461
 Compressibility Checks in ECLIPSE

• The total compressibility of the oil-gas mixture is defined as:

Ct = Sg*Ct,g + So*Ct,o --- (1)
where
Ct,g = [-dBg/dP + dRv/dP * (Bo-Rs*Bg) / (1-Rs*Rv)]/Bg --- (2)
Ct,o = [-dBo/dP + dRs/dP * (Bg-Rv*Bo) / (1-Rs*Rv)]/Bo --- (3)

• For each PVT region, ECLIPSE selects a pressure interval which spans the complete
range of the pressure data in the corresponding oil and gas PVT tables. This pressure
range is then subdivided into 30 equally spaced pressure nodes for the evaluation of
the total hydrocarbon compressibility.

• At each pressure node, ECLIPSE checks two limiting total compressibilities:

Ct = Ct,o at Sg = 0, So = 1 --- (4)
Ct = Ct,g at Sg = 1, So = 0 --- (5)

• If either or both limiting values are found to be negative at a pressure node, ECLIPSE will
issue a warning message indicating the offending pressure and the gas saturation range
for which negative total compressibility occurs

• A complete table of total compressibility evaluation can be written to the .DBG file
by activating switch 21 of the DEBUG keyword in the PROPS section.
 How to Eliminate Negative Compressibility
Warnings
• If the range of sample pressures extends above the maximum bubble
point entered in the PVTO table or above the maximum dew point entered
in the PVTG table, then ECLIPSE will be forced to extrapolate above the
highest entered Rs or Rv. This extrapolation is linear in Rs, 1/Bo,
1/(Bo*Visco), Rv, 1/Bg, and 1/(Bg*Viscg). In this case, it is not unlikely that
negative compressibility could occur as a result of extrapolation.

• Construct the highest bubble point node in the PVTO table so as to avoid
extrapolations above the highest entered Rs in the table.

• With vaporized oil present, construct the highest dew point node in the
PVTG table so as to avoid extrapolation above the maximum entered Rv
during the simulation.
Extrapolating the Saturated PVTO With Excel

• Plot the original saturated PVTO data in Excel

– Saturated Oil FVF (Bo) versus Pressure
– Saturated Oil Viscosity (Vo) versus Pressure
– Saturated Gas Oil Ratio (Rs) versus Pressure

• Fit polynomial or other trend lines to the data

• Use “best fit” equations to extrapolate saturated

line at various Pressures
Plot Saturated PVTO data and Fit Polynomial
Trend Lines
 Extrapolating the Undersaturated PVTO
With Excel
• Plot the original undersaturated PVTO data in
Excel for an Rs value that has such data
– Undersaturated Oil FVF (Bo) versus Pressure
– Undersaturated Oil Viscosity (Vo) versus Pressure

• Fit Linear trend lines to the data

• Use only the slopes of the “best fit” equations to

linearly interpolate undersaturated Bo and Vo
with pressure for other Rs values
Plot Undersaturated PVTO data and Fit
Linear Trend Lines
Extrapolated Saturated and Undersaturated
PVTO table
PVTO
-- RS P BO VO
0.0061 14.7 1.1170 0.9940 /
0.0944 264.7 1.1600 0.9530 /
0.1776 514.7 1.2020 0.9130 /
0.3384 1014.7 1.2840 0.8380 /
0.6492 2014.7 1.4350 0.7060 /
0.8014 2514.7 1.5050 0.6480 /
Original PVT data
0.9520 3014.7 1.5710 0.5950 /
1.2497 4014.7 1.6910 0.5020
5014.7 1.6680 0.5490
6014.7 1.6460 0.5970
7014.7 1.6230 0.6450
8014.7 1.6010 0.6920
9014.7 1.5780 0.7400 /
1.5316 5014.7 1.7956 0.4322 /
1.8050 6014.7 1.8846 0.3827 / Extrapolate
2.0681 7014.7 1.9579 0.3540 / saturated PVT data
2.3211 8014.7 2.0157 0.3463
8514.7 2.0045 0.3701 Add under-
9014.7 1.9933 0.3940 / saturated PVT data
/
 Undersaturated Lines Extrapolation
Warnings
Example Warning
@--WARNING AT TIME 2.8 DAYS ( 3-JAN-1990):
@ NEW SOLUTION OBTAINED BY EXTRAPOLATION OF
@ OIL PVT TABLES

@--MESSAGE AT TIME 2.8 DAYS ( 3-JAN-1990):

@ EXTRAPOLATION IN PVTO TABLE NUMBER 1
@ PO-PBUB ABOVE HIGHEST VALUE ON UNDERSATURATED LINE
@ RS = 1.47323 MSCF/STB PO = 5818.520 PSIA
@ PBUB = 4807.655 PSIA
@ CELL (5,5,1) STATE 3
@ SW = 0.11926 SG = 0.00000 SO = 0.88074
 Creating Multiple Undersaturated PVTO
lines with Excel
• Plot the original undersaturated PVTO data in
Excel for an Rs value that has such data
– Undersaturated Oil FVF (Bo) versus Pressure
– Undersaturated Oil Viscosity (Vo) versus Pressure

• Fit Linear trend lines to the data

• Use only the slopes of the “best fit” equations to

linearly interpolate undersaturated Bo and Vo
with pressure for other Rs values
Extrapolated Undersaturated PVTO table
PVTO
-- RS P BO VO
0.0061 14.7 1.1170 0.9940 /
0.0944 264.7 1.1600 0.9530 /
0.1776 514.7 1.2020 0.9130 /
0.3384 1014.7 1.2840 0.8380 /
0.6492 2014.7 1.4350 0.7060
6014.7 1.3454 0.8968
9014.7 1.2782 1.0399 /
0.8014 2514.7 1.5050 0.6480
6014.7 1.4266 0.8150
9014.7 1.3594 0.9581 /
0.9520 3014.7 1.5710 0.5950
6014.7 1.5038 0.7381
9014.7 1.4366 0.8812 /
1.2497 4014.7 1.6910 0.5020
5014.7 1.6680 0.5490
6014.7 1.6460 0.5970
7014.7 1.6230 0.6450
8014.7 1.6010 0.6920
9014.7 1.5780 0.7400 /
1.5316 5014.7 1.7956 0.4322
8014.7 1.7284 0.5753
9014.7 1.7060 0.6230 /
1.8050 6014.7 1.8846 0.3827
8014.7 1.8398 0.4781
9014.7 1.8174 0.5258 /
2.0681 7014.7 1.9579 0.3540
8014.7 1.9355 0.4017
9014.7 1.9131 0.4494 /
2.3211 8014.7 2.0157 0.3463
8514.7 2.0045 0.3701 Original PVTO data
9014.7 1.9933 0.3940 / Extrapolated Saturated Data
/ Extrapolated Undersaturated Data
PVT Data with very few undersaturated
Bo and Vo data
PVT Data with multiple undersaturated
Bo and Vo data
 Sample Data Sets
• PVT1.DATA
– Water Injection
– The saturated data in PVTO does not cover the complete pressure range (14.7 to
8014.7 psi)
– Linear extrapolation by ECLIPSE causes negative total compressibilities
• PVT2.DATA
– Fix of PVT1.DATA
– Extrapolated saturated Rs, Bo and Vo from 4014.7 to 8014.7 pisa
– Negative total compressibilities eliminated
• PVT3.DATA
– Gas Injection
– Rs increasing in the simulation
– Warnings: Extrapolation in PVTO table Po-Pbub above highest value on
undersaturated line
• PVT4.DATA
– Fix of PVT3.DATA
– Extrapolated undersaturated Bo and Vo for several Rs values
– Extrapolation warnings eliminated
 Comments
• If the saturated data in the PVTO does not cover the complete
pressure range, a quick workaround may be that
– the PVTO table is imported to the EXCEL spreadsheet;
– line fitting is performed to match the saturated data with a polynomial or
other suitable formula;
– the matched formula is used to extend the saturated line to cover the
complete pressure range;
– multiple under-saturated lines need to created to finish the new PVTO table.

• This manually-extrapolated PVTO table is usually better than the

linear extrapolation by ECLIPSE. But sometimes, the manually-
extrapolated PVTO table may still result in negative total
compressibilities at some pressure points. Thus some minor
adjustments may be needed to correct Rs or/and Bo curves to
ensure Ct,o in the Equation 3 is positive.
 Summary

• Extrapolating PVT tables shown here is purely a

numerical fix to removing the simulator warnings
associated with the PVT data

• A PVT package should be used to produce the required

data, mimicking the process expected during the
simulation

• To expand the PVT saturated pressure range, a swelling

test mimicking gas injection should be carried out and
the result exported for simulation.