PVT Designer - User Guide

19.
PVT Designer
User Guide
Rock Flow Dynamics
March 2019
19.1
Copyright Notice
Rock Flow Dynamics r (RFD), 2004–2019. All rights reserved. This document is the intel-
lectual property of RFD. It is not allowed to copy this document, to store it in an information
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written consent of the RFD. A graphical design, icons and other elements of design may be
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Security Notice
The software’s specifications suggested by RFD are recommendations and do not limit the
configurations that may be used to operate the software. It is recommended to operate the
software in a secure environment whether such software is operated on a single system or
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The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice and should
not be construed as a commitment by RFD. RFD assumes no responsibility for any error that
may appear in this manual. Some states or jurisdictions do not allow disclaimer of expressed
or implied warranties in certain transactions; therefore, this statement may not apply to you.
Since the software, which is described in the present document is constantly improved, you
may find descriptions based on previous versions of the software.
2
19.1
Contents
1. Introduction 6
2. Starting project 8
2.1. Common interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2. Unit systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.3. Default options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.4. Project structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.5. Loading experimental data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3. Compositional variants 13
3.1. Defining compositional variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1.1. Import compositional variant from file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1.2. Add library components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.1.3. Add user components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2. Common interface and properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.3. Lumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.3.1. Grouping components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.3.2. Autolumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.3.3. Lumping interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.3.4. Properties of lumped components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.3.5. Matching of lumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.4. Splitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.5. Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.6. Decontamination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.7. Compositional Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.8. EOS blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.9. Empirical correlations for component properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.9.1. Riazi and Daubert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.9.2. Kesler and Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3.9.3. Cavett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3.9.4. Twu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
4. Black oil variants 40

4.1. Defining black oil variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
4.1.1. Import of Black Oil variant from file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
4.1.2. Creation of Black Oil variant from correlations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.1.3. Defining Black Oil via compositional variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.2. Common interface and properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.3. Empirical correlations for PVT properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.3.1. Rs correlation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4.3.2. Correlation for the formation volume factor (saturated system) . . . . . 53
4.3.3. Correlation for the formation volume factor (unsaturated system) . . . . 54
CONTENTS 3
19.1
4.3.4. Dead oil viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

4.3.5. Saturated oil viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4.3.6. Unsaturated oil viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
4.3.7. Gas compressibility factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4.3.8. Gas formation volume factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.3.9. Gas viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
5. Thermal variants 65
6. Saturation pressure 66
7. Phase envelope 67
7.1. Gas hydrates formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
8. K-values 73
9. Fingerprint plot 75
10. Separators 76
11. PVT experiments 78

11.1. Common interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
11.1.1. Creating an experiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
11.1.2. Working with experiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
11.2. Differential Liberation Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
11.2.1. Experiment options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
11.2.2. Available graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
11.2.3. Experiment description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
11.2.4. Whitson and Torp method 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
11.2.6. Coats method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
11.3. Constant Composition Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
11.4. Constant Volume Depletion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
11.4.5. Coats method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
11.5. Separator Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
CONTENTS 4
19.1
11.6. Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

11.7. Gas dissolution in oil (Swelling Test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
11.8. Non-equilibrium Constant Composition Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
11.9. Non-equilibrium Constant Volume Depletion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
11.10.Non-equilibrium Relaxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
12. Matching (Regression) 113

12.1. Matching of compositional variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
12.1.1. Setting variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
12.1.2. Running matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
12.1.3. Matching results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
12.2. Matching of black oil variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
12.2.1. PVT Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
12.2.2. Running matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
13. PVT tables 121

13.1. PVDO table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
13.2. PVTO table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
13.3. PVDG table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
13.4. PVTG table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
14. Exporting data 127

14.1. Exporting compositional variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
14.2. Exporting PVT tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
14.3. Exporting EOS or PVT regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
14.4. Exporting lumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
14.5. Exporting depth-dependent composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
14.6. Exporting K-values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
14.7. Exporting separators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
15. References 131
CONTENTS 5
19.1
1. Introduction
tNavigator is a software package, offered as a single executable, which allows to build static
and dynamic reservoir models, run dynamic simulations, perform extended uncertainty anal-
ysis and build surface network as a part of one integrated workflow. All the parts of the
workflow share common proprietary internal data storage system, super-scalable parallel nu-
merical engine, data input/output mechanism and graphical user interface. tNavigator supports
METRIC, LAB, FIELD units systems.
tNavigator is a multi-platform software application written in C++ and can be installed on
Linux, Windows 64-bit OS and run on systems with shared and distributed memory layout
as a console or GUI (local or remote) based application. tNavigator runs on workstations and
clusters. Cloud based solution with full GUI capabilities via remote desktop is also available.
tNavigator contains the following 8 functional modules licensed separately:
• Geology Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);
• Model Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);
• Network Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);
• Black Oil simulator;
• Compositional simulator;
• Thermal simulator;
• Assisted History Matching (AHM, optimization and uncertainty analysis);
• Graphical User Interface.
The list of tNavigator documentation is available in tNavigator Library.
In this document there is a description of PVT Designer which is available from tNav-
igator main window and also from the following modules:
• Geology Designer – building static model from scratch.
• Model Designer – pre-processor to build dynamic model.
• Network Designer – surface network modeling.
PVT Designer lets the user to:

• Choose components from library, enter user components and set their properties;
• Build the saturation pressure curve and phase envelope;
• Model PVT Experiments: CCE, DLE, CVD, Swelling test, Grading test, Separator test,
Blend;
1. Introduction 6
19.1
• Enter Samples (experimental data);
• Model lumping (create pseudo-components). Use Matching for lumping;
• Model splitting of the unresolved heavy fraction into pseudocomponents;
• Run Regression (Matching) – Match points of experiments data (samples). Set weights
for sample points and for experiments independently;
• Create and export PVT tables;
• Model water properties, possibly dependent on temperature and/or salinity;
• Export keywords for temperature option in black oil models;
• Export keywords for compositional model;
• Export COMPVD keyword (Grading test: composition with respect to depth);
• Export data to Geology Designer, Model Designer and Network Designer.
tNavigator User Manual contains the description of physical model, mathematical model
and the keywords that can be used in dynamic model.
1. Introduction 7
19.1
2. Starting project
Examples of how to use PVT Designer are shown in training tutorials:
• PVT1.1. How To Use PVTDesigner;
• PVT1.2. How To Use Blackoil Variants;
• PVT1.3. How To Create Condensate Model.
To start a PVT project, go for PVT Designer → New in the tNavigator main window.
When prompted, enter the name of the new project.
The typical workflow goes as follows:
1. Start a PVT project (see above).
2. Enter the experimental data (see 2.5. Loading experimental data).
3. Define composition for a mixture (see 3. Compositional variants).
4. Calculate the phase envelope and other physical properties for the mixture, so as to have
a rough estimate of its state and possible phase transitions.
5. Simulate the PVT experiments for which you have experimental measurements (see
11. PVT experiments).
6. Run matching (see 12. Matching (Regression)), i.e. let tNavigator adjust the selected
components’ properties so as to match the simulated experiments against the measured
data.
7. Optionally, redefine the composition and/or some other details, and repeat matching
again until the result is satisfactory.
8. Export the properties required for the fluid dynamic calculations (PVT tables for Black
Oil model or component properties for compositional model, see 14. Exporting data).
2.1. Common interface

The common toolbar at the top includes the following interface elements:
• Open
(Equivalent to Ctrl + O or Document → Open) Opens a PVT Designer project.
• Save
(Equivalent to Ctrl + S or Document → Save) Saves the current project.
2. Starting project 8
19.1
• Import from File

(Equivalent to Document → Import from File) Imports fluid properties from a file
(see Import compositional variant from file, Import of Black Oil variant from file).
• Export to File
(Equivalent to Document → Export to File) Export fluid properties to a file, possibly
in multiple variants for different regions (see Exporting EOS or PVT regions).
2.2. Unit systems

To set up unit system, select Settings → Unit systems from the top menu.
PVT designer (as well as other modules of
tNavigator) supports the following unit systems:
• METRIC (default)
• FIELD
• LAB Figure 1. Setting the unit system

The unit system may be changed at any point
afterwards. All calculated and entered data would be converted to the new unit system auto-
matically.
2.3. Default options

To specify the default options, select Settings → Options → Default Experiment Options
from the top menu.
Figure 2. Setting the default options
The options include:
• Pressure range (minimum, maximum, number of stages)
2.2. Unit systems 9

19.1
• Temperature range (minimum, maximum, number of stages)

• Standard conditions (pressure, temperature)
• Reservoir temperature
These options will be applied by default to all PVT experiments, and can be changed at
any point afterwards.
2.4. Project structure

PVT designer may work with multiple composition variants at once. The variants are displayed
under Compositional variants on the left panel. Each variant might contain multiple com-
positions within it. Variants and compositions can be copied, manually edited, or deleted. All
compositions within one variant share the same list of components and their properties, so that
a component added in one composition immediately appears in all other compositions within
the same variant. Fractions of components may differ, though. The properties are displayed to
the right. They may come from a library, or be calculated by correlations, or entered manually.
As you try different compositions derived from each
other with the use of matching, lumping, and other ways,
the whole history of variants is stored in a tree. The new
variants are introduced as child nodes to their predecessors,
and given names derived by the addition of standard prefixes
(Matching, Lumping, etc.) and numbers. The name may be
changed during the creation of a variant or afterwards.
To change the name of a variant, double-click it
i in the tree. To change the standard prefixes, go to
Settings → Options → General → Prefixes of De-
fault Names.
Figure 3. Tree of variants
You may return to any of the previous variants at any mo-
ment. All simulated experiments, phase envelopes, and other
feature tabs are instantly updated so as to display the results for the selected variant.
Thermal variants and the corresponding compositions are arranged in a similar tree under
Thermal variants on the left panel. The list of properties for these variants is extended with
thermal properties (heat capacity, etc.)
Black Oil variants are organized in a tree under Black Oil variants on the left panel. Due
to the nature of the model, they have different kind of properties, and don’t have compositions.
The variants may be created or deleted with the buttons Create and Remove
located below the list. Note that you can’t remove all variants; at least one must remain.
2.5. Loading experimental data

To enter the experimental measurements, unfold Samples on the left panel and add a sample
in one of the following ways:
2.4. Project structure 10

19.1
• Click the button Create below and select the experiment type you need from the
dropdown list.
• Right-click the experiment type you need, and select Create in the context menu.
For more details on available experiments and their parameters, see 11.
Select the measured value from the variety of available
values (the complete list depends on the type of experiment)
and enter the measured data into the table. As you type in new
experimental points, they become visible on the graph to the
right.
The data can be copied and pasted from a spreadsheet
application (like Excel), rather than entered manually.
Every data point has a weight (1 by default) for use in
Figure 4. Creating a sample
matching. Weight represents the degree of reliability of the
data. If the data points were measured with different precision and hence not equally trust-
worthy, you might want to reflect that by assigning them different weights.
Data series for multiple different parameters can be entered within one experiment. All
series share the same pressure steps. Each series is assigned an overall weight (1 by default)
for use in matching.
For the non-equilibrium experiments (see 11) another column of data must be entered,
namely the time allocated for each stage.
Most experiments are intended for matching against compositional variants (see
12.1. Matching of compositional variant). PVT Calculator is used for matching the prop-
erties of black oil (see 12.2. Matching of black oil variant).
Figure 5. Entering experimental data
The folowing interface elements are available:
2.5. Loading experimental data 11

19.1
Below the table

• Adds a data point (typing in the empty line has the same effect);
• Removes the selected data point;
• Sorts the entered data points by first column.
Right panel
• Toggles graph on/off;
• Toggles table on/off.
2.5. Loading experimental data 12

19.1
3. Compositional variants
3.1. Defining compositional variants
The approaches used to define the composition of a fluid are listed below.
• Import composition from a file (see Import compositional variant from file);
• Create a variant manually and define its composition in the following ways:
– Add components (see Add library components and/or Add user components);
– If needed, adjust fractions and component properties (see Common interface and
properties);
• If needed, alter the composition in the following ways:
– Lumping;
– Splitting;
– Blend;
– Decontamination;
– Compositional Blend.
To use the created variant in a model, export the composition (see Exporting compositional
variant) or the PVT tables (see Exporting PVT tables).
3.1.1. Import compositional variant from file

To import composition variant from a file, do the following:
1. Press Import from File in the top toolbar and select one of the following items:
• Compositional Variant (for E3 format);

• Compositional Variant from NE (for NE format).
A popup window will show up.
2. Press ... and browse to the file you intend to import. The file should contain composi-
tion specified with the use of standard keywords:
• For E3 format, STCOND (see 12.14.11), CNAMES (see 12.14.3), VCRIT

(see 12.14.24), TCRIT (see 12.14.20), etc.
• For NE format, COMPONENTS, TEMP, PROPS, EOS, EOSOPTIONS, LBC1..LBC5,
BINA, etc.
3. If needed, adjust the following settings in the popup window:
3. Compositional variants 13
19.1
Figure 6. Importing composition from a file
• File Units System

Unit system used by the file.
• Number of Regions
(E3 only). Number of EOS regions to read from the file. Extra regions, if any, are
ignored.
4. See the Preview field to make sure that you are reading the correct file. See the Log
field to make sure that the file is parsed and understood properly.
5. Press Add Compositional Variant. The new variant will be added to the root level in
the tree of compositional variants.
If there were multiple regions, they will be added as separate variants.
If the component composition was specified as depth-dependent by the keywords COM-
PVD (see 12.14.14) or ZMFVD (see 12.14.17), then multiple compositions will be added
within one variant.
The name assigned to the new variant is the name of the imported file
with region’s number attached as a postfix. The name assigned to the
i new composition is the keyword used to specify the composition, possi-
bly with depth value attached as a postfix (for the keywords COMPVD
(see 12.14.14) and ZMFVD, see 12.14.17).
3.1.2. Add library components

tNavigator uses a standard PVT properties library containing the following compounds com-
monly found in oil and/or used in enhanced oil recovery treatment: alkanes up to C45, benzene,
3.1.2. Add library components 14

19.1
toluene, methanol, ethylene glycol, H2 , He, air, N2 , O2 , H2 S, and CO2 . Properties of pure
compounds are taken from the reference book [4].
To add library components to your composition variant, do the following:
1. Press Add Library Components. A popup window will appear.
Figure 7. Components tab
2. Select the components you need.
3. Press OK. The selected library components will be added to the current composition
variant.
Once a library component is added to the project, its properties may be edited by double-
clicking on the corresponding cell.
3.1.3. Add user components

To add user components to your composition variant, do the following:
1. Press Add User Components. A popup window will appear.
The button that adds components is customizable. It

i may be set to Add Library Components (default) or
Add User Components, and acts accordingly.
2. Add the components you need in one of the following two ways:
3.1.3. Add user components 15

19.1
• Select Custom and enter all main properties of your compound, namely critical
temperature Tc , critical pressure Pc , acentric factor ω , molecular weight M , and
critical volume Vc .
!
Critical volume is optional. If not specified, it will be calculated as
follows:
ZRTc
Z = 0.2905 − 0.085ω, and Vc =
Pc
• Select From Correlation, select the correlation from a dropdown list, enter the
molecular weight and specific gravity (relative to water), and let tNavigator esti-
mate the rest of the properties using the empirical correlation (see below).
!
Specific gravity is optional. If not specified, it will be also calculated
from molecular weight by correlation (see Empirical correlations for
component properties).
3. Press OK. The specified user components will be added to the current composition
variant.
Figure 8. Adding a user component
In compositional simulation, equations of state (EOS) are widely used for phase behavior
calculations. Correct description of components contained in a mixture is crucial for proper
EOS predictions. For each component it is required to define the critical temperature Tc , the
critical pressure pc , and the acentric factor ω . In addition, the binary interaction coefficient
ki j is needed for each pair of components. Undefined component properties can be calculated
using different correlations based on specific gravity γ and molecular weight M (or boiling
point Tb ) [9].
Thus, using specific gravity γ and molecular weight M defined by user, Tc , pc , Vc , ω
and Tb (used only for internal calculations) are derived using correlations.
The following correlations are available:
• Riazi and Daubert;
3.1.3. Add user components 16

19.1
• Kesler and Lee;
• Cavett;
• Twu.
For more details see Empirical correlations for component properties. Note that the cor-
relations are intended to be used on hydrocarbon components only, and the input molecular
weight values is limited by 30 6 Mw 6 600.
Once added, user components are treated in the same way as library components. You
may change all their properties manually, including those used to calculate other properties
via correlations. At that, the correlations are not reapplied, that is, the calculated properties are
never updated automatically. To update them manually, use the Compute Selected Properties
button.
3.2. Common interface and properties

When a compositional variant is selected on the left panel, the main panel of the PVT Designer
window displays tabs related to it. The Components tab contains properties of the selected
composition (see the details below). The + button to the right of the tab headers, when
pressed, prompts the user to create more tabs which may include:
• Simulated PVT experiments;
• PVT tables;
• Phase envelopes;
• Separators.
The following common interface elements are available on the right panel:
• Matching
Initiates matching (see Matching (Regression));
• Lumping
Initiates creation of pseudocomponents (see Lumping);
• Splitting
Initiates splitting of components (see Splitting);
• Blend
Initiates mixing of compositions (see Blend);
• Decontaminate
Initiates subtraction of an admixture from the composition (see Decontamination);
3.2. Common interface and properties 17

19.1
• Multi Blend
Initiates mixing of variants, probably consisting of different components (see Composi-
tional Blend).
• Export to File
Exports compositional variant to a file;
• Comment
Opens a popup for viewing or editing comments to this variant.
The properties related to components and their interactions are split into four groups. Any
value in any group may be modified manually by double-clicking in the corresponding cell,
regardless of the way it was obtained before (loaded from library, loaded from file, calcu-
lated from correlations, or entered manually). The values for which correlations are available
(namely critical properties, acentric factors, and boiling temperatures) may be recalculated,
also regardless of their origin. To do that, select the values you want to recalculate, press
Compute Selected Properties, and select the correlation you want to use. The available cor-
relations are the same as those used when adding user components, see 3.1.3. Also, any value
may be marked as a variable for matching (see Matching (Regression)).
Main component properties
Each component has the following main properties:
• Name (CNAMES, see 12.14.3);
• Fraction in the fluid in one of the following units: molar fraction, molar percentage,
mass fraction, or mass percentage. The current setting is specified in the column header.
Upon switching to the other option, fractions are recalculated automatically. Exported
as ZI (see 12.14.13) or COMPVD (see 12.14.14).
• Critical temperature (TCRIT, see 12.14.20).
• Critical pressure (PCRIT, see 12.14.22).
• Critical volume (VCRIT, see 12.14.24).
• Acentric factor (ACF, see 12.14.38).
• Molecular weight (MW, see 12.14.30).
• Shift for volume (SSHIFT, see 12.14.50).
• Parachor (PARACHOR, see 12.6.80).
• Specific gravity.
• Boiling point.

19.1
Heat capacity characteristics are only needed for thermal models. When creating a com-
ponent by correlations, they are not calculated and instead show as 0.
The Reset Fractions button assigns equal fractions to all components, keeping the sum at
1.
The Normalize Fractions button scales proportionally the fractions of selected compo-
nents so as to bring the total sum of all fractions to 1. If that’s impossible, it does nothing.
i It does not matter if the fractions do not add up to 1. They will be normalized
internally before any calculations.
Viscosity
To specify the viscosity calculation model, select it from the dropdown menu under Vis-
cosity in the lower left part of the window.
PVT designer supports the following viscosity models:
• LBC (Lohrenz-Bray-Clark, default)
• Pedersen
For more details, see Viscosity in tNavigator User Manual.

Figure 9. Setting the viscos-
EOS properties ity model
To specify the type of equation of state (EOS), select it from the dropdown menu under
EOS properties in the lower right part of the window.
PVT designer supports the following EOS types:
• Peng-Robinson (default)
• Peng-Robinson modified
• Redlich-Kwong
• Soave-Redlich-Kwong Figure 10. Setting the EOS type
For more details, see Equations of state in tNavigator User Manual.

Binary Interaction Coefficients
Binary interaction coefficients (BIC) of the components are displayed on a separate tab.
If the components were defined via Add Library Components, then their binary interac-
tion coefficients are taken from the library as well. If Add user components was used, then
the binary interaction coefficients of light components are calculated using semi-empirical
correlation formula by Chueh – Prausnitz [12]:
q
1/3 1/3 !n
2 Vci Vc j
ki j = 1 − 1/3 1/3
Vci +Vc j

19.1
where n is a power and equal to 1.2 by default, Vci and Vc j are critical volumes of ith and
jth components, respectively. For heavier components (those with Mw > 100) the BICs are
assumed to be 0.
In addition, the following possibilities are supported to define binary interaction coeffi-
cients:
• Compute selected BICs (computes according to the correlation formula above; n may
be chosen arbitrary);
• Reset selected BICs to Library (restores to library values where available, otherwise
0).
Non-equlibrium Flash
In this block you may choose a model of non-equilibrium flash algorihtm (see the section
3.13. Simulation of nonequilibrium thermodynamics in tNavigator User Manual) and specify
the parameter α , which describes the rate of equilibration. Non-equilibrium flash is used in
modeling non-equilibrium experiments (see PVT experiments). Like all other parameters from
the main page, α may be used as a variable in matching (see Setting variables).
3.3. Lumping
Lumping is a creation of a pseudocomponent with calculated effective properties based on
multiple actual components. It serves to decrease the number of variables during the calcula-
tion.
3.3.1. Grouping components

To create pseudocomponents, follow these steps:
1. Click the Lumping button on the right panel. The Lumping window with the list
of components will pop up.
Figure 11. Lumping window
2. Group the components in one of the following ways:
3.3. Lumping 20
19.1
• Press Autolumping on the right panel and specify autolumping parameters

(see 3.3.2 below).
• Select the components you intend to merge into a pseudocomponent and press the
Group Components button on the right panel. Alternatively, right-click on
the selection and choose Group Components in the context menu.
3. Optionally, run the optimization of lumped component properties (see 3.3.5 below).
4. Save the lumping result in one of the following ways:
• To save the created composition variant with pseudocomponents within the project,
press the button Add Variant on the right panel. The new variant is assigned
a name derived from that of the parent variant with added "Lumping" as a prefix
and attempt number as a postfix. The name may be changed during the creation
of a variant or afterwards. If Add as Subvariant option is chosen, then the new
composition variant will be added as a child node to the parent variant.
• To export the pseudocomponent description specified by the keyword LUMPING
(see 12.14.9), press Export to File on the right panel. See Exporting lumping
for more details.
If the Lumping window is closed without saving, its present state is still
retained and is automatically restored when the window is called again
i
by the Lumping button. The state of lumping is associated with the
current composition and is kept if the composition is copied.
3.3.2. Autolumping
Upon pressing Autolumping , the Autolumping settings window shows up. There you
may specify the following parameters:
• Lumping light components (use or not);
• Number of light pseudocomponents after the lumping;
• Lumping heavy components (use or not);
• Number of heavy pseudocomponents after the lumping;
• First heavy component (by default C7, if it is present, otherwise the next closest by
molecular weight);
• K-values method (for the details see section 8. K-values).
Autolumping algorithm works as follows (see [13]):
3.3.2. Autolumping 21
19.1
Figure 12. Autolumping settings
1. K-values for all components are calculated using the specified method.
2. All components with K-values below 10−6 are grouped into one pseudocomponent.
3. The remaining components are split by molecular mass into two fractions, namely the
heavy one (starting with the specified first heavy component) and the light one (the
components which are lighter than that).
4. The decimal logarithms of K-values for the heavy fraction components are calculated,
and their range is divided into as many equal intervals as there should be heavy pseudo-
components minus one (since one heavy pseudocomponent is already obtained at step
2).
5. Components of the heavy fraction are grouped into pseudocomponents by interval.
6. The decimal logarithms of K-values for the light fraction components are calculated,
and their range is divided into as many equal intervals as there should be light pseudo-
components.
7. Components of the light fraction are grouped into pseudocomponents by interval.
If some intervals turn out empty, the procedure will end up producing fewer pseudocom-
ponents than requested.
Inorganic components, if any, are included in the procedure on the common terms based
on their K-values.
3.3.3. Lumping interface

The Lumping window has the following interface elements:
• Right panel buttons
3.3.3. Lumping interface 22

19.1
– Group components
If multiple original components are selected, groups them into a pseudocomponent.
Otherwise has no effect.
– Ungroup components
If one or more pseudocomponents are selected, ungroups them. Otherwise has no
effect.
– Matching
Initiates matching of the pseudocomponent properties (see Matching of lumping).
– Add Variant
Adds the lumped composition variant to the tree of variants.
– Export to File
Exports the current composition variant to a file.
Figure 13. Quality control for lumping
• Context menu
– Group components (appears on a selection of multiple original components). Groups

the selection into a pseudocomponent.
– Ungroup components (appears on a selection of one or more pseudocomponents).
Ungroups the selected pseudocomponents.
– Matching (appears upon selection of one or more pseudocomponents). Provides a
way to add the pseudocomponent(s) properties as variables to the matching of
lumping. By default, all newly created pseudocomponents are included in match-
ing.
3.3.3. Lumping interface 23

19.1
• Quality Control tab

This tab (see figure 13) contains graphs of the most essential parameters before and
after lumping. Use it to quickly check the viability of the approximation.
• Fingerprint plot tab

This tab contains the fingerprint plot before and after lumping. It displays the distribu-
tion of components by molecular mass, and also serves for quality control.
• Grading Test tab

This tab (see figure 14) contains the interface similar to that of Grading Test experiment,
see Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test). Use it to export the depth-
dependent composition of pseudocomponents (see Exporting lumping and the keyword
DETAILMF, see 12.14.4).
Figure 14. Grading Test for lumping
3.3.4. Properties of lumped components

When components are grouped, the properties of obtained pseudocomponents are calculated
according to the following equations, as specified in [2] (critical properties) and [3] (BICs):
• Component Properties
Let us define the normalized mole fraction of ith component in the set of the lumped
fraction L , i.e. i ∈ L , as ,
z∗i = zi ∑ zi
i∈L
Then we have:
3.3.4. Properties of lumped components 24

19.1
1. Critical volume Vc :
1 1/3 3

∗ ∗ 1/3
Vc = z z
∑ i j ci V +Vcj
8 i∈L
j∈L
2. Critical temperature Tc :
1 1/3 3 p

1/3
Tc =
8Vc ∑ z∗i z∗j Vci +Vc j Tci Tc j
i∈L
j∈L
3. Acentric factor:
ω = ∑ z∗i ωi
i∈L
4. Critical pressure pc :
(0.2905 − 0.085ω)RTc
pc =
Vc
5. Molecular weight M :
M = ∑ z∗i Mi
i∈L
6. Fraction γ : ,
γ = ML ∑ [z∗i Mi/γi]
i∈L
• Binary Interaction Coefficients

Defining the normalized weight fraction of ith component in the set of the lumped
fraction L , i.e. i ∈ L , as: ,
w∗i = zi Mi ∑ ziMi
i∈L
Binary interaction coefficients are given by:
kkL = 1 − ∑ w∗i w∗j (1 − ki j )

i∈L
j∈L
3.3.5. Matching of lumping

Matching of lumping refers to the process when the weights of original components are
adjusted so as to reproduce the properties of the mixture with the best possible precision. This
is not to be confused with matching of PVT experiments (see Matching (Regression)). Unlike
in the latter, here the only parameters that can vary are the weights of original components in
the pseudocomponent, and those belonging to one pseudocomponent are included or excluded
all together, rather than one by one.
Upon pressing Matching in the Lumping window, the Matching options window
pops up with the following options:
3.3.5. Matching of lumping 25

19.1
Figure 15. Options for matching of lumping
• Control Parameters
These are the parameters of the reservoir fluid which are calculated in two ways: from
the properties of original components and from the properties of pseudocomponents.
Matching will seek to change the latter in order to make the two results as close to each
other as possible. The parameters include:
• Molar Fraction of Oil

• Molar Fraction of Gas
• Oil Viscosity
• Gas Viscosity
• Oil Density
• Gas Density
• Critical point
• Points
Pressure values for which the control parameters are calculated. Can be specified as
uniformly distributed in a range (From Range option) or manually entered one by one
(Custom option).
The rest of the options in this window are the same as in matching of experiments (see
Matching (Regression)).
Once the matching of lumping is performed, its results (i.e., new weights of the original
components in the pseudocomponents) appear in the Lumping window and can be saved in
the project or exported to a file.
3.3.5. Matching of lumping 26

19.1
3.4. Splitting
Splitting is commonly employed in case of an incomplete component analysis, where the
fraction of heavy hydrocarbons falls beyond the instrument resolution and is reported as a
joint pseudocomponent. This pseudocomponent may be split into individual components with
properties and fractions suggested according to certain correlations.
Press the button Splitting on the right panel. The Splitting popup window will show
up. Define the following parameters:
Figure 16. Splitting options
• Variant Name is the name of the new compositional variant to create.
• Component is the name of the component to split (normally the heaviest component).
• Specific Gravity of the heavy fraction (relative to water).
• First SCN Group in Plus Fraction: first single carbon number group (that is, number of
carbon atoms per molecule in the lightest component appearing as a result of the split).
• Last SCN Group in Plus Fraction: last single carbon number group.
• Splitting Method: correlation that reproduces the fractions of the new components.
• Whitson
3.4. Splitting 27
19.1
• Pedersen
• Specific Gravity, α, η (for Whitson method): correlation parameters.
• Critical Correlation Method (for Whitson method): correlation that reproduces the prop-
erties of the new components.
• Riazi and Daubert
• Kesler and Lee
• Cavett
• Twu
• Lumping Same Components: lump new components with old components having the
same properties, if any.
In the right part of the window the fingerprint plot before and after splitting is shown. It
displays the distribution of components by molecular mass, and serves for quality control. The
natural distribution for hydrocarbon components is typically smooth and eventually monotonic
towards greater values of molecular mass. If the check box Only for Resulting Components
is checked, the graph shows only the original and resulting components, otherwise it shows
all components both before and after the splitting.
Once the parameters are specified, press OK. The new variant will be added to the tree
of variants. It will contain all components of the original variants except the one that was
split, plus the new components created via correlations, according to the specified range of
SCNs. New components are named like PSEUDO C10, so as not to confuse them with library
components.
Fractions and properties of the new components are calculated as follows.
In Whitson model [10] the density of probability distribution of components by molar
mass in the heavy fraction is approximated by the following continuous function:
(MW − η)α−1 e−(MW −η)/β
p(MW ) = ,
β α Γ(α)
where MW is the molar mass, Γ is the Gamma function, and α, β , η are the distribution
parameters which are determined as follows:
• η can be specified by the user. Otherwise it is chosen equal to the molar mass of the
first (lightest) component of the heavy fraction.
• α is specified by the user (by default 1).
• β = (MWN+ − η)/α .
Molar fraction of ith component in the reservoir fluid is
MW
Z i
γi = γN+ · p(MW )dMW,
MWi−1
3.4. Splitting 28
19.1
that is, the content of heavy fraction multiplied by the integral of p(x) from MWi−1 to MWi .
Component densities are calculated as follows: for all components produced by splitting
except the last (heaviest) one
−1.1507
ρi = 6.05 · Kw,N+ · MWi0.161 .
Here ρi is the relative density of the ith component, and

0.14
Kw,N+ = 4.78 · MWN+ · SG−0.869
N+ .
For the last component:

γL MWL
ρL = MWN+ γN+ MW j γ j
.
SGN+ − ∑L−1
j=1 ρj
Critical properties of the components are then calculated from their densities and molar
masses according to the selected correlation.
In Pedersen model [11] it is assumed that
ln γi = A + B · MWi ,
where γi is the molar fraction of ith component in the reservoir fluid (here N < i 6 N + L )
and MWi is its molar mass (assumed equal to that of the corresponding library component).
The coefficients A and B are found by solving numerically the following equations:

N+L
 ∑ γi = γN+


i=N+1
N+L
1
∑ γi MWi = MWN+ ,


 γN+
i=N+1
where γN+ is the molar content of the heavy fraction in the reservoir fluid and MWN+ is its
molar mass.
The components are assumed to have the same properties as the library components with
the same carbon number.
3.5. Blend
This option allows to create a blend, in which composition is altered by adding a second
stream consisting of the same components, but in different fractions. On the tab Variants
located on the left select the composition for blending. Press the button Blend on the
right panel. The Blend popup window will show up. Define the following parameters:
• Composition Name. Name of the new composition to create.
• Molar Fraction | Mass Fraction (a button with a dropdown list). A fraction of the second
stream relative to the original composition in the created blend.
3.5. Blend 29
19.1
• Second Stream Fraction:
◦ Fraction. Composition of the second stream for blending, defined as a table of

molar fractions of the components.
◦ Normalize Fractions. Scale proportionally the fractions of selected components
in the second stream so as to bring the total sum of all fractions to 1. If that’s
impossible, do nothing.
Once the parameters are specified, press Blend. The new composition will be added to the
tree of variants as a sibling of the original composition (that is, as a child node of the same
variant).
Figure 17. Blend options
Fractions of components of the obtained blend are calculated using the following formula:
γi1 + zγi2
γ∗i = ,
∑ γi1 + zγi2
i∈L
where γi∗ is the fraction of ith component of the blend, γi1 and γi2 are the fractions of ith
component of the original variant and the second stream, respectively, and z is the molar
fraction of the second stream in the created blend.
3.6. Decontamination
This option allows to decontaminate a composition by substracting a stream consisting of the
same components, but in different fractions. On the tab Variants located on the left select
the composition for decontamination. Press the button Decontaminate on the right panel.
The Decontaminate popup window will show up. Define the following parameters:
• Composition Name. Name of the new composition to create.
3.6. Decontamination 30
19.1
• Molar Fraction | Mass Fraction (a button with a dropdown list). A fraction of the second
stream relative that has to be subtracted from the original composition.
• Second Stream Fraction:
◦ Fraction. Composition of the subtracted stream for decontamination, defined as a
table of molar fractions of the components.
◦ Normalize Fractions. Scale proportionally the fractions of selected components in
the subtracted stream so as to bring the total sum of all fractions to 1. If that’s
impossible, do nothing.
Once the parameters are specified, press Decontaminate. The calculations are the same as
for Blend, except that the fraction of second stream is considered negative. The concentrations
of specified components in the composition will be lowered compared to the original. The
fraction of the second stream is limited so as not to make any concentrations negative.
The new composition will be added to the tree of variants as a sibling of the original
composition (that is, as a child node of the same variant).
Figure 18. Decontamination options
3.7. Compositional Blend

This option allows to create a blend of multiple existing compositions, probably coming from
different variants and containing different components. The resulting blend includes all com-
ponents from all original compositions. It might so happen that different compositions contain
some common components that are nominally similar (that is, have the same name), but their
properties differ as a consequence of their custom modification, matching, or having come
from different sources. A special matching mechanism is involved to adjust their properties in
the resulting mixture, see below.
1. Press the button Compositional Blend on the right panel. The Compositional
Blend popup window will appear.
3.7. Compositional Blend 31

19.1
2. On the left panel, add the variants you need by pressing Add below.
3. For each variant, specify the composition you need by selecting it from a dropdown list.
4. Specify the fractions (mass or molar) in which the selected compositions will be mixed.
5. Observe the joint list of components and their properties. If needed, press Matching
on the right panel to run matching (see below).
6. Press Create Variant on the right panel to add the new variant to the project.
The new variant is added to the project tree at the root level with the name "Blend
<number>", and contains several compositions. The first of them is called "Composition
1" and is the result of the blending. The rest correspond to the original compositions
before the blending.
Figure 19. Compositional blend options
The Component Properties table contains the joint list of the components and their prop-
erties. As you select one of the original variants on the left panel, the components that appear
in that variant are highlighted green.
The tables Binary Interaction Coefficients, Viscosity, and EOS properties have the
same meaning as on the Components tab, see section 3.2.
Fractions of components of the obtained blend are calculated using the following formula:
j
∑ ω j γi
j∈C
γ∗i = ,
j
∑ ω j ∑ γi
j∈C i∈L

19.1
j
where γi∗ is the molar fraction of ith component in the blend, γi is its molar fraction in
the jth original composition, ω j is the molar fraction of the jth original composition in the
blend, j ∈ C implies summation over all compositions, and i ∈ L implies summation over all
components of a particular composition.
Derivation of component properties
If a component is common to multiple original compositions and some of its properties in
these compositions differ, then the resulting property is defined as a weighted average:
j
∑ ω j αi
j∈C
α∗i = ,
∑ ωj
j∈C
j
where αi∗ is any property of ith component in the blend, αi is the same property in the
jth original composition, and ω j is the molar fraction of the jth original composition in the
blend.
These resulting properties are shown next to the given component in the Multi Blend
window and assigned to this component when creating the blended compositional variant.
Before the export, they may be adjusted by matching.
Matching seeks to alter the resulting properties of the components in the blend (not neces-
sarily limited to those that differ between the original variants) so that the properties of each
original variant calculated using the resulting properties of the components will be as close
as possible to the properties of the same variant calculated using the original properties of the
components. The variables to change may be selected arbitrarily among all the parameters, as
described in Setting variables.
!
If the common components are absent, or if they all have identical properties
in all compositions where they are present, then matching is not needed.
Though technically possible, it will not change anything, since the mismatch
is already zero at the beginning (within machine precision).
Upon pressing Matching in the Lumping window, the Matching window pops up
with the following options:
• Control Parameters
These are the parameters of the original compositions which are used for matching,
including:
• Molar Fraction of Oil

• Molar Fraction of Gas
• Oil Viscosity
• Gas Viscosity
• Oil Density

19.1
Figure 20. Options for matching of blend parameters
• Gas Density
• Points
Pressure values for which the control parameters are calculated. Can be specified as
uniformly distributed in a range (From Range option) or manually entered one by one
(Custom option).
• Blend Objects
Original compositions participating in the blend. Note that the weights correspond to
their relative importance in the matching, and are unrelated to their fractions in the
blend.
The rest of the options in this window are the same as in matching of experiments (see
Matching (Regression)).
3.8. EOS blend

This option allows to create a common compositional model for multiple different variants
using the adaptive splitting of the original components into standard ones. In such a way
the total number of components in the resulting model is kept bounded, unlike the case of
compositional blend. The splitting does not depend on the ratios in which the variants are
mixed, nor on the compositions within the variants. Each original component is split into
standard components, while attempting to maintain its properties.
Light and heavy components (with those heavier than C6 being classified as the latter)
are considered separately. Light components are split over the whole set of standard light
components, including hydrocarbons and inorganic compounds alike.
3.8. EOS blend 34

19.1
Heavy components are split over a selected subset of standard heavy components. The
subset is selected so that the molecular weights of its components approximate a geometric
progression, in accordance with [10].
Figure 21. EOS blend options
1. Press the button EOS Blend on the right panel. The EOS Blend popup window
will appear.
2. On the left panel, add the variants you need by pressing Add below. Compositions do
not have to be specified, since the resulting common model is equally applicable to all
compositions.
3. If needed, change the following blend parameters:
◦ Critical Temperature, Critical Pressure, Acentric Factor, Critical Volume: the

splitting of the original components will attempt to reproduce their checked prop-
erties as good as possible.
◦ Property Threshold, % is the precision to which the selected properties or the
original components must be reproduced. If the splitting fails to reach the desired
precision, then the component will be included in the resulting model as is, rather
than split.
◦ Add Equal Components means that the original components will be included into
the resulting model, if they were included in all input variants.
◦ Use Matching means that the splitting of heavy components is done using general-
purpose matching algorithm, the same way it is done for the light fraction.
◦ Use Splitting means that every heavy component is split with the same algorithm
as the heavy fraction (see 3.4. Splitting), only using a limited subset of standard
components instead of the complete set.
3.8. EOS blend 35

19.1
◦ Add Heavy Components with MW greater than means that the original compo-
nents will be included into the resulting model if their molecular weight is above
threshold (might be a viable option on account of the phase diagram’s extreme
sensitivity to the properties of these components).
4. Press Blend at the bottom. The new variant will be added to the project tree at the
root level with the name "EOS Blend <number>", and will contain several compositions.
They correspond to the original compositions of all input variants.
3.9. Empirical correlations for component properties

In case if EOS parameters of a compound are not known, it is possible to reconstruct them
from empirical correlations. This can be done on the preparation stage in PVT Designer, or
(for models in GE format) during the calculaion.
The following correlations are available in PVT Designer:
• Riazi and Daubert;
• Kesler and Lee;
• Cavett;
• Twu.
All correlations are based on specific gravity and molecular weight. If the specific gravity
is not available, it is also calculated by correlation [5]:
ρ = 0.86715 + 3.41434 · 10−3 n − 2.8396 · 10−5 n2 + 2.49433 · 10−8 n3 − 1.1628/n,
where n is the number of carbon atoms in molecule calculated from molecular weight (con-
sidering the compound a saturated alkane). At n > 45, another correlation takes over:
ρ = 0.1129 ln(n) + 0.5203
3.9.1. Riazi and Daubert

Riazi and Daubert (1987) developed a set of equations to calculate properties of components
using specific gravity γ and molecular weight M . Boiling point Tb is used for calculations
and is not recorded. Tb calculation depends on the M value.
If M < 300:
Tb = 3.76587 exp(3.7741 × 10−3 M + 2.98404γ − 4.25288 × 10−3 Mγ)M 0.40167 γ −1.58262 ,
if M ≥ 300:
Tb = 9.3369 exp(1.6514 × 10−4 M + 1.4103γ − 7.5152 × 10−4 Mγ)M 0.5369 γ −0.7276 .
Other properties are calculated using Tb and specific gravity γ .
3.9. Empirical correlations for component properties 36

19.1
• Critical temperature
Tc = 9.5233Tb0.81067 γ 0.53691 exp(−9.314 × 10−4 Tb − 0.544442γ + 6.4791 × 10−4 Tb γ).
• Critical pressure
pc = 3.1958 × 105 Tb−0.4844 γ 4.0846 exp(−8.505 × 10−3 Tb − 4.8014γ + 5.749 × 10−3 Tb γ).
• Critical volume
Vc = 6.2 × 107 Tb1.20493 γ 17.2074 exp(−7.58 × 10−3 Tb − 28.5524γ + 1.172 × 10−2 Tb γ).
• Acentric factor (Edmister’s correlation)

3 pc Tc
ω = ln − 1 − 1.
7 1.01325 Tb
3.9.2. Kesler and Lee

Kesler and Lee (1976) developed a set of equations to calculate properties of components
using specific gravity γ and molecular weight M .
A boiling point Tb is used in internal calculations and is not recorded. Tb is calculated as:
Tb = 1071.28−94170M −0.03522 γ 3.266 exp(−4.922×10−3 M −4.7685γ +3.462×10−3 Mγ).
Other properties are calculated using Tb and specific gravity γ .
(0.1441 − 1.0069γ)105
Tc = 189.8 + 450.6γ + (0.4244 + 0.1174γ)Tb + .
Tb

0.0566 4.1216 0.21343 Tb
pc = exp 5.689 − γ − 0.43639 + γ + γ 2 103
+
1.182 0.15302 Tb2 9.9099 Tb3

+ (0.47579 + + − 2.4505 + .
γ γ2 106 γ2 1010
• Acentric factor

−7.904 + 0.1352K − 0.007465K 2 + 8.359Tbr + (1.408−0.01063K) ,
 Tbr > 0.8
Tbr
ω = − ln( pc )−5.92714+ 6.09648 +1.28862 ln(Tbr )−0.169347T 6
14.696 Tbr br

 15.6875 6 , Tbr ≤ 0.8
15.2518− Tb r −13.4721 ln(Tbr )+0.43577Tbr
Tb 1/3
where Tbr = Tc and K = Tb /γ .
• Critical volume
RTc Zc
Vc =
,
M pc
where Zc = 0.2905 − 0.0850ω is a critical compressibility factor.
3.9.2. Kesler and Lee 37

19.1
3.9.3. Cavett
Cavett (1962) developed a set of equations to calculate properties of components using specific
gravity γ and molecular weight M . Boiling point Tb is used in internal calculations and is
not recorded. Tb is calculated as:
Tb = 1071.28−9.417×104 M −0.03522 γ 3.266 exp(−4.922×10−3 M −4.7685γ +3.462×10−3 Mγ).

Denoting API = 141.5/γ − 131.5 and F = 1.8Tb − 459.67. Then:
Tc = 426.7062278 + 0.95187183F − 6.01889 × 10−4 F 2

− 4.95625 × 10−3 (API)F + 2.160588 × 10−7 F 3
+ 2.949718 × 10−6 (API)F 2 + 1.817311 × 10−8 (API 2 )F 2 .
pc = 10k ,
where
k = 1.6675956 + 9.412011 × 10−4 F − 3.047475 × 10−6 F 2

− 2.087611 × 10−5 (API)F + 1.5184103 × 10−9 F 3
+ 1.1047899 × 10−8 (API)F 2 − 4.8271599 × 10−8 (API 2 )F.
+ 1.3949619 × 10−10 (API 2 )F 2 .

3 pc Tc
ω = ln − 1 − 1.
7 1.01325 Tb
• Critical volume (Reidel’s correlation)

10.732Tc
Vc = .
M pc (3.72 + 0.26(5.811 + 4.919ω − 7))
3.9.4. Twu
Twu (1984) initially calculates critical properties (Tc0 , Pc0 ,Vc0 ), specific gravity γ0 and molecu-
lar weight of n-alkanes to the boiling point Tb . The obtained data are then used as parameters
to correlate undefined critical properties of component with defined specific gravity γ and
molecular weight M .
Boiling point Tb is used in internal calculations and is not recorded.
Tb = 1071.28 − 9.417 × 104 M −0.03522 γ 3.266 exp(−4.922 × 10−3 M

− 4.7685γ + 3.462 × 10−3 Mγ).
3.9.3. Cavett 38
19.1
2
(1 + 2 fT )
Tc = Tc0 ,
(1 − 2 fT )
where
Tc0 = Tb /(0.533272 + 0.34383 × 10−3 Tb + 2.52617 × 10−7 Tb2 − 1.658481 × 10−10 Tb3
+ 4.60773 × 1024 Tb−13 ),
fT = ∆γT (−0.27016/Tb0.5 + (0.0398285 − 0.706691/Tb0.5 )∆γT ),

∆γT = exp(5(γ0 − γ)) − 1,
γ0 = 0.843593 − 0.128624α − 3.36159α 3 − 13749.5α 12 ,
α = 1 − Tb /Tc0 .
• Critical volume 2
(1 + 2 fV )
Vc = Vc0 ,
(1 − 2 fV )
where
∆γV = exp(4(γ02 − γ 2 )) − 1,
fV = ∆γV (0.347776/Tb0.5 + (−0.182421 + 2.248896/Tb0.5 )∆γV ).
2
(1 + 2 f p )
pc = p0c (Tc /Tc0 )(Vc /Vc0 ) ,
(1 − 2 f p )
where
p0c = (1.00661 + 0.31412α 0.5 + 9.16106α + 9.5041α 2 + 27.35886α 4 )2 ,
fP = ∆γP ((2.53262−34.4321/Tb0.5 −2.30193Tb ×10−3 )+(−11.4277+187.934Tb−0.5

+ 4.11963Tb × 10−3 )∆γP ),
∆γP = exp(0.5(γ0 − γ)) − 1.

3 pc Tc
ω = ln − 1 − 1.
7 1.01325 Tb
3.9.4. Twu 39
19.1
4. Black oil variants

4.1. Defining black oil variant
The Black Oil variants can be defined in the following ways:
• Import of Black Oil variant from file;
• Creation of Black Oil variant from correlations;
• Defining Black Oil via compositional variant.
To use the created variant in a model, export the PVT tables (see Exporting PVT tables).
4.1.1. Import of Black Oil variant from file
1. Press Import from File in the top toolbar and select one of the following items:
• Black Oil Variant (for E1 format);
• Black Oil Variant from NE (for NE format).
A popup window will show up.
2. Press ... and browse to the file you intend to import (e.g., <model_name>_props.inc).
The file should contain black oil properties specified using standard keywords:
• For E1 format, PVTO (see 12.5.4), PVTG (see 12.5.8), PVDO (see 12.5.2), PVCDO
(see 12.5.3), etc.
• For NE format, TEMP, BLACKOIL, WATEROIL, GASWATER, SATURATED, OIL,
GAS, UNSATOIL, UNSATGAS, DENW, CW, BW, VISW, PREF, CVW, etc.
3. If needed, adjust the following settings in the popup window:
• File Units System
Unit system used by the file.
• Number of Regions
(E1 only). Number of PVT regions to read from the file. Extra regions, if any, are
ignored.
4. See the Preview field to make sure that you are reading the right file. See the Log field
to make sure that the file is parsed and understood properly.
5. Press Add Black Oil Variant. The new variant will be added to the root level in the
tree of black oil variants. If there were multiple regions, they will be added as separate
variants.
i The name assigned to the new variant is the name of the imported file
with region’s number attached as a postfix.
Values in the imported PVT tables can be edited manually.
4. Black oil variants 40

19.1
Figure 22. Import of a Black Oil variant
Matching PVT Tables

An imported black oil variant can be approximated with correlations. To do so, press
Matching PVT Tables on the right panel. The Matching PVT Tables window will appear.
Specify the following parameters:
• Main Options
Set up the matching algorithm and convergence options (see section 12.1.2 for details).
• PVT Tables
Select the correlations for oil and gas properties (see section 4.1.2 for possible variants).
• Variables Options
Select which parameters of the correlations will be used for matching (see section 4.1.2
for their meaning). Set up the maximum, minimum, and initial values of each parameter.
Press Run Matching. The selected variables will be modified so that the resulting corre-
lation mimics the properties of the imported variant as closely as possible. After the matching
finishes, press Add Matched Variant.
4.1.1. Import of Black Oil variant from file 41

19.1
Figure 23. Matching PVT correlations to imported tables
4.1.2. Creation of Black Oil variant from correlations

PVT Designer allows the calculation of black oil properties using a variety of empirical corre-
lations. The available correlations are described in Empirical correlations for PVT properties.
Properties of correlation-based variant can be matched against the measured experimental
data (see Matching of black oil variant for details).
i Standing correlations for oil and gas can also be invoked during the calcu-
lation with the keywords STANDO (see 12.5.11) and STANDG (see 12.5.12).
Water properties in the black oil model are exported as parameters of the keyword PVTW
(see 12.5.5). Alternatively, they may be defined as a function of salinity and exported as
parameters of the keyword PVTWSALT (see 12.7.8).
To create a Black Oil variant from correlations:
1. Switch to the tab Black Oil Variants.
2. Click Create on the left panel below the tree of variants. Alternatively, right-click
in the left panel and select Create in the context menu. A Water tab containing water
properties will appear in the main panel.
3. If needed, press Correlation Options to specify water properties.

4. Press + to the right of the Water tab header to add the tab(s) Oil and/or Gas.
5. In the Correlation Options window (appears upon creating a tab, also can be opened
later by pressing ) enter the correlation options for oil and/or gas. Tables of properties
will be created based on the correlations.
4.1.2. Creation of Black Oil variant from correlations 42

19.1
6. Specify the density for oil and/or gas.
7. If necessary, edit the tables of pressure-dependent properties of water, oil, and gas by
double-clicking in the corresponding cells.
Figure 24. Correlation parameters for oil
Correlation parameters for oil include:

• Pressure (number of stages, minimum, maximum);

19.1
• Table type: Live Oil (PVTO, see 12.5.4) or Dead Oil (PVDO, see 12.5.2);
• Correlation types for the following parameters (see the available options below):
• Rs
• Oil FVF Sat.
• Oil FVF Undersat.
• Dead Oil visc.
• Live Oil Visc. Sat.
• Live Oil Visc. Undersat.
• Correlation options (the list may depend on the selected correlation types)
• Temperature
• Oil density (may be specified in various forms):
– Specific Gravity Oil (density of oil relative to water, dimensionless quantity);
– Oil API (dimensionless);
– Oil Density (mass density, METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 );
• Gas density (may be specified in various forms):
– Specific Gravity Gas (density of gas relative to air, dimensionless quantity);
– Gas Density (mass density, METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 );
• Pbub (bubble pressure) or Rs (gas solubility in oil) – either of the two parameters
should be specified;
• Rs calibration coefficient;
• Isothermal compressibility.
• Temperature option parameters (to use option TEMP (see 12.1.64) in the model):
• Reference pressure (exported as VISCREF, see 12.15.52);

• Reference Rs (exported as VISCREF, see 12.15.52);
• Viscosity vs Temperature (a table of values; exported as OILVISCT, see 12.15.54).
The following correlations for various parameters are supported:
• RS (solubility of gas in oil):
– Standing
– Lasater
– Vasquez and Beggs
– Kartoatmodjo and Schmidt

19.1
– Glaso
– de Ghetto et al
– Petrosky and Farshad
– GOM (Dindoruk and Christman correlation, which is said to be particularly well
suited for oils from the Gulf of Mexico region [6])
• Oil formation volume factor for saturated oil:
– Standing
– GOM (Dindoruk and Christman)
• Oil formation volume factor for undersaturated oil:
– Standing
• Viscosity for dead oil:
– Standing
– Beggs and Robinson
– Glaso
– de Ghetto
– Hossain
– Elsharkawy and Alikhan
• Viscosity for saturated live oil (PVTO tables):
– Standing
– Chew and Connaly
– Khan
– de Ghetto

19.1
– Hossain
– Beggs and Robinson
• Viscosity for undersaturated live oil (PVTO tables):
– Standing
– Kouzel
– Khan
– de Ghetto
– Hossain
– Bergman and Sutton
Figure 25. Correlation parameters for gas

19.1
Correlation parameters for gas include:

• Table type: currently supports only one option, Dry Gas (PVDG, see 12.5.7);
• Correlation types for the following parameters (see the available options below):
• Viscosity
• Gas FVF
• Correlation options, including:
• Gas Density (may be specified in various forms)

• Temperature
• Z factor
Parameters that can be specified for water include:

• Salinity option:
◦ Water – PVTW (see 12.5.5) keyword is exported;

◦ Salt water – dissolved salt is considered (see below), PVTWSALT (see 12.7.8) key-
word is exported;
• Water temperature;
• Reference temperature;
• Reference pressure;
• Parameters that may depend on salt concentration:
– Water FVF;
– Compressibility;
– Viscosity;
– Viscosibility;
– Density;
• Viscosity vs Temperature (a table of values; exported as WATVISCT, see 12.15.53).
If the salt water option is checked, then certain parameters are specified as functions of salt
concentration. The salt might be selected from the library (including NaCl, MgSO4 and other
common variants) or entered manually. In the latter case all parameters have to be specified
by the user.

19.1
Figure 26. Setting up water parameters
4.1.3. Defining Black Oil via compositional variant

To define Black Oil via compositional variant, do the following:
1. Define a compositional variant (see Compositional variants).
2. Create PVT tables for the resulting compositional variant (see PVT tables).
3. Press Add Black Oil Variant on the right panel. A new Black Oil variant will be
created and added to the tree of variants.
If you only need the PVT tables, then consider a faster route: export them
i directly from compositional variant (see PVT tables). Creating a Black Oil
variant is justified if you intend to examine and/or modify the data beforehand.
4.2. Common interface and properties

When a black oil variant is selected on the left panel, the main panel of the PVT Designer
window displays tabs related to it. The tabs are named Oil, Gas, and Water, and contain the
properties of the corresponding phases.
4.1.3. Defining Black Oil via compositional variant 48

19.1
Mass densities of oil, gas, and water, intended for use in the fluid dynamic
model (DENSITY, see 12.5.33), are shown on the left panel in view-only
i mode. If the PVT tables were created from correlations, they can be recal-
culated with changed parameters (including density). To do so, press
Correlations Options.
Oil properties are shown in dependence of dissolved gas content. That is, each graph con-
sists of the saturated branch and multiple unsaturated branches, each with particular constant
value of Rs (see figure 27). The branches are listed in a special field on the left. By pressing
Ctrl, they may be selected for display individually or in any combination.
Figure 27. Selecting branches on the graphs of oil properties
The following common interface elements are available on the right panel:
• Show Default View

Switches graph to default view (position and scaling);
• Show/Hide Graphs
Toggles graph on/off;
• Show/Hide Table
Toggles table on/off;

19.1
• Comment
Opens a popup for viewing or editing comments to this variant;
• Screenshot
Initiates the creation of a screenshot, which can be printed or saved in a variety of
formats;
• Correlations Options
Opens the Correlation Options window where the parameters of PVT correlations are
defined (see 4.1.2);
!
When any parameters are changed in the Correlation Options window,
new PVT tables are calculated, overwriting the existing data in the
current black oil variant, regardless of whether it was obtained from
correlations or otherwise (loaded from file, loaded from compositional
variant, or modified manually).
• Matching PVT Tables

Initiates adaptation to PVT tables (see Matching PVT Tables);
• Matching Samples
Initiates adaptation to experimental samples (see Matching of black oil variant);
• Export to File
Exports PVT tables to a file;
• Import Table from File

Imports PVT tables from a file.
!
The tables are imported into the existing black oil variant, overwriting
the existing data in it. To import a new variant as a whole, use Import
of Black Oil variant from file.
4.3. Empirical correlations for PVT properties

PVT Designer supports the following empirical correlations for calculations of PVT properties
(see Creation of Black Oil variant from correlations for more details on their usage).
The following notation is used:
• pb is the bubble point pressure (barsa);
• p is the system pressure (barsa);
• Rs is the gas solubility (sm3 /sm3 );
4.3. Empirical correlations for PVT properties 50

19.1
• Rsb is the gas solubility at bubble point (sm3 /sm3 );
• T is the system temperature ( ◦ C);
• T(F) is the system temperature ( ◦ F);
• γG is the specific gravity of gas;
• γO is the specific gravity of oil;
• API = 141.5
γO − 131.5;
• Cc is the calibration coefficient for Rs .
4.3.1. Rs correlation
Description
Rs is specified as a function of pressure, temperature, and empirical parameters:
Rs = Rs (P, T, γG , γO )
Bubble pressure Pbub is found as a root of the equation:
Rsb = Rs (Pbub , T, γG , γO )
Standing
1.2048
Rs = Cc · 0.1781 · γG (0.7971 · p + 1.4) · 100.0125API−0.00091T(F) (4.1)
De Ghetto et al.
The correlation is defined differently on 4 intervals depending on the API value:
• API < 10 (superheavy oil)

1.1128
P
Rs = Cc · γG · (4.2)
10.7025 · A(T )
where
log10 A = 0.002 · T − 0.0142 · API,
• 10 < API < 22.3 (heavy oil)

1
P 0.7885
Rs = Cc · γG · , (4.3)
15.7286 · A(T )
where
log10 A = 0.002 · T − 0.0142 · API,
4.3.1. Rs correlation 51
19.1
• 22.3 < API < 31.1 (medium oil)

Rs = Cc ·C1 · γGC2 · A(T ) · PC4 , (4.4)
where
API
log10 A = C3 · ,
T + 460
C1 = 0.10084,
C2 = 0.2556,
C3 = 7.4576,
C4 = 0.9868.
• 31.1 < API (light oil)
1
P 0.7885
Rs = Cc · γG · , (4.5)
31.7648 · A(T )
where
log10 A = 0.0009 · T − 0.0148 · API.
Glaso
Rs = γG · f (P)1.22549 · API 1.212009 · T −0.210784 , (4.6)

where q
log10 f (P) = 2.887 · 1 − 1 − 0.397 · (log10 P −Cc ) .
Kartoatmodjo and Schmidt
Rs = Cc ·C1 γGC2 · A(T ) · PC4 , (4.7)

Depending on the API value, the constants are:
API C1 C2 C3 C4
API < 30 0.05958 0.7972 13.1405 1.0014
API > 30 0.0315 0.7587 11.2895 1.0937
Lasater
YG γO
Rs = Cc · 132755 ·· , (4.8)
1 −YG MWO
where
P · γg
YG = 0.08729793 + 0.37912718 · ln + 0.769066
T + 460
Molecular weight of oil:
MWO = 677.3893 − 13.2161 · API + 0.024775 · API 2 + 0.00067851 · API 3
4.3.1. Rs correlation 52
19.1
Petrosky and Farshad
1
0.8439 ! 0.5774
P γG
Rs = Cc · + 12.34 · , (4.9)
112.727 A(T )
where
A(T ) = 4.561 · 10−5 · T 1.3911 − 7.916 · 10−4 · API 1.541 .
Vasquez and Beggs
Cc
Rs = · γG · (P − 14.7)C2 · A(T ), (4.10)
C1
where
C3 · API
log10 A = ,
T + 460
Depending on the API value, the constants are:
API C1 C2 C3
API < 30 11.172 1.0937 11.172
API > 30 10.393 1.187 10.393
Dindoruk and Christman (GOM)

p 0.928131344
Rs = + 28.10133245 γG1.579050160 10A , (4.11)
3.359754970
where
4.86996 · 10−6 API5.730982539 + 0.00992510T(F)
1.776179364
A= 2
44.25002680 + 2API2.702889206 p0.744335673

4.3.2. Correlation for the formation volume factor (saturated system)

Description
Formation volume factor of saturated system BOb is specified as a function of Rs , tem-
perature, and empirical parameters:
BOb = BOb (Rs ) = BOb (Rs (P)) = BOb (Rs , T, γO , γG )
Standing
0.5 !1.2
γG
BOb = 0.9759 + 0.000120 · 5.614583 · Rs + 1.25 · T(F) (4.12)
γO
4.3.2. Correlation for the formation volume factor (saturated system) 53

19.1
Vasquez and Beggs
API API
BOb = 1 +C1 · RS +C2 · (T − 60) +C3 · Rs · (T − 60) · , (4.13)
γG γG
where the constants depend on the API value:
API C1 C2 C3
API < 30 4.677 · 10−4 1.751 · 10−5 −1.81 · 10−8
API > 30 4.67 · 10−4 1.100 · 10−5 1.337 · 10−9
BOb = 0.98496 + 0.0001 · F 1.50 , (4.14)

where
F = R0.755
s · γG0.25 · γO−1.5 + 0.45 · T .
BOb = (0.9871766 + 0.0007865146 · A + 2.689173 · 10−6 · A2 +

API
+ 1.100001 · 10−5 (T(F) − 60) , (4.15)
γG
where
0.4450849
Rs2.510755 γG−4.852538
γO11.83500
+ 136542.8(T(F) − 60)2.252880 + 10.07190 · Rs
A= 2
−0.6309052

5.352624 + 2Rγ 0.9000749
s
(T(F) − 60)
G
4.3.3. Correlation for the formation volume factor (unsaturated system)

Description
Formation volume factor of unsaturated system BO is specified as a function:
BO = BO (P) = BO (BOb (Rsb ), Rsb , Pbub , P, T, γO , γG )
since BOb (Rsb ) for given Rsb is a constant.

The general formula for the formation volume factor in the unsaturated branch is:
BO = BOb (Rsb ) · exp (co · (Pbub − P)) .
4.3.3. Correlation for the formation volume factor (unsaturated system) 54

19.1
Standing
BO = BOb exp [−A · 14.50377 · (p0.4094 − p0.4094

b )] (4.16)
where
A = 4.1646 · 10−7 (5.614583 · Rsb )0.69357 γG0.1885 · (API)0.3272 T(F)

0.6729
Vasquez and Beggs
5 · Rsb + 17.2 · T − 1180 · γG + 12.61 · API − 1433

co = 10−5 · . (4.17)
P
Petrosky-Farshad
co = 1.705 · 10−7 · R0.69357

sb · γG1.885 · API 0.3272 · T 0.6729 · P−0.5906 , (4.18)
co must be in the range 2.464 · 10−5 6 co 6 3.507 · 10−5
co = (4.487462368 + 0.005197040 · A + 0.000012580 · A2 ) × 10−6 , (4.19)

where
1.759732076
Rs0.980922372 γG0.021003077

γO0.338486128
+ 20.00006358(T(F) − 60)0.300001059 − 0.876813622 · Rs
A= 2
−1.713572145

2.749114986 + 2Rγ 9.999932841
s
(T(F) − 60)
G
4.3.4. Dead oil viscosity

Description
For dead oil Rs (P) = 0, hence µOd does not depend on pressure.
µOd = µOd (T ) = µOd (γO , T )
Standing
!a
1.8 × 107

360
µOd = 0.32 + (4.20)
API4.53 T(R) − 260
where
• a = 10(0.43+8.33/API)
• T(R) is the system temperature ( ◦ R);
4.3.4. Dead oil viscosity 55

19.1
Beggs and Robinson
µOd = 10X − 1, (4.21)

where
X = Y · T −1.163 ,
Y = 10Z ,
Z = 3.0324 − 0.02023 · API .
Glaso
µOd = c (log10 (API))d , (4.22)

where
c = 3.141 · 1010 · T −3.444 ,
d = 10.313 · log10 (T ) − 36.447.
µOd = c (log10 (API))d (4.23)

where
c = 16 · 108 · T −2.8177 ,
d = 5.7526 · log10 (T ) − 26.9718.
De Ghetto et al.
µOd = 10X − 1, (4.24)
where
X = 10Y ,
Y = 1.90296 − 0.012619 · API − 0.61748 · log10 (T ),
• 10 < API < 22.3 (heavy oil)
µOd = 10X − 1, (4.25)
where
X = 10Y ,
Y = 2.06492 − 0.0179 · API − 0.70226 · log10 (T ),
• 22.3 < API < 31.1 (medium oil)
µOd = c · (log10 (API))d , (4.26)
where
c = 220.15 · 109 · T −3.556 ,
d = 12.5428 · log10 (T ) − 45.7874,
4.3.4. Dead oil viscosity 56

19.1
• API > 31.1 (light oil)

µOd = 10X − 1, (4.27)
where
X = 10Y ,
Y = 1.67083 − 0.017628 · API − 0.61304 · log10 (T ).
µOd = c (log10 (API))d , (4.28)

where
c = 2.3511 · 107 · T −2.10255 ,
d = 4.59388 · log10 (T ) − 22.82792.
Hossain et al.
µOd = 10A · T B , (4.29)

where
A = −0.71523 · API + 22.13766,
B = 0.269024 · API − 8.268047.
Elsharkawy and Alikhan
µOd = 10X − 1, (4.30)

where
X = 10Y ,
Y = 2.16924 − 0.02525 · API − 0.68875 · log10 (T ).
−4.194017808
9.36579 · 109 T(F) (log API)A
µOd = 1.517652716 + 0.010433654R−0.000776880
, (4.31)
−3.1461171 · 10−9 Pbub sb
where A = 14.505357625 log T(F) − 44.868655416.
4.3.5. Saturated oil viscosity

Description
In a saturated system, oil viscosity µOb is a function of the corresponding dead oil viscosity
and Rs :
µOb = µOb (µOd , Rs )
A number of correlations (see below) uses the following formula
B
µOb = A · µOd (4.32)
with various expressions for A and B.
4.3.5. Saturated oil viscosity 57

19.1
Standing
µOb = 10a (µOd )b (4.33)

where
a = 5.614583 · Rs · [2.2 × 10−7 · 5.614583 · Rs − 7.4 × 10−4 ]

0.68 0.25 0.062
b= + d +
10c 10 10e
c = 8.62 × 10−5 · 5.614583 · Rs
d = 1.1 × 10−3 · 5.614583 · Rs
e = 3.74 × 10−3 · 5.614583 · Rs
Chew and Connally

The dependence is set according to the equation 4.32, and the constants are defined as
0.8
A = 0.2 + ,
100.000852·Rs
0.518
B = 0.482 + ,
100.000777·Rs
Beggs and Robinson
A = 10.715 · (Rs + 100)−0.515 ,
B = 5.44 · (Rs + 150)−0.338 ,

A = 1241.932 · (Rs + 641.026)−1.12410 ,
B = 1768.841 · (Rs + 1180.335)−1.06622 ,

Hossain et al
A = 1 − 1.7188311 · 10−3 · Rs + 1.58031 · 10−6 · R2s ,
B = 1 − 2.052461 · 10−3 · Rs + 3.47559 · 10−6 · R2s ,

19.1

A = 0.1651 + 0.6165 · 0.9886 · 10−4Rs ,
B = 0.5131 + 0.5109 · 0.9973 · 10−3Rs .
µOb = −0.06821 + 0.9824 · F + 0.0004034 · F 2 , (4.34)

where
0.43+0.5165·B
F = A · µOd ,
A = 0.2001 + 0.8428 · 10−0.000845·Rs ,
B = 10−0.00081·Rs .
Khan
µOb = A · exp(Y ), (4.35)

where
1 T
Y = ln(0.09) + 0.5 · ln(γG ) − · ln(Rs ) − 4.5 · ln − 3 ln(1 − γO ),
3 460
P −0.14

A= · exp(−2.5 · 10−4 (P − Pbub )).
Pbub
De Ghetto et al.
µOb = 2.3945 + 0.8927 · F + 0.01567 · F 2 , (4.36)
where
0.5798+0.3432·B
F = A · µOd ,
A = −0.0335 + 1.0875 10−0.000845·Rs ,

B = 10−0.00081·Rs ,
• 10 < API < 22.3 (heavy oil)

µOb = −0.6311 + 1.078 · F − 0.003653 · F 2 , (4.37)
where
0.4731+0.5664·B
F = A · µOd ,
A = 0.2478 + 0.6114 10−0.000845·Rs ,

B = 10−0.00081·Rs ,

19.1
• 22.3 < API < 31.1 (medium oil)
µOb = 0.0132 + 0.9821 · F − 0.005215 · F 2 , (4.38)
where
0.3855+0.5664·B
F = A · µOd ,
A = 0.2038 + 0.8591 10−0.000845·Rs ,

B = 10−0.00081·Rs ,
• API > 31.1 (light oil)

B
µOb = A · µOd , (4.39)
A = 25.1921 · (Rs + 100)−0.6487 ,
B = 2.7516 · (Rs + 150)−0.2135 .

1 0.01023451R0.6600358
s
A = − ,
exp(4.740729 · 10−4 Rs ) exp(1.075080 · 10−3 Rs )
(4.40)
1 0.01660981R0.4233179
s
B = −
exp(−2.191172 · 10 Rs ) exp(−2.273945 · 10−4 Rs )
−5
4.3.6. Unsaturated oil viscosity

Description
In an unsaturated system, oil viscosity µOu is a function of µOb and P:
µOu = µOu (µOb (Rsb ), P)
Standing
1.6 0.56
µOu = µOb + 0.001 · 14.50377 · (p − pb ) · [0.024µOb + 0.038µOb ] (4.41)
Vasquez and Beggs
A
P
µOu = µOb , (4.42)
Pbub
where
A = 2.6 · P1.187 · exp(−8.98 · 10−5 · P − 11.513).
4.3.6. Unsaturated oil viscosity 60

19.1
Kouzel
10F(P)
µOu = µOb · , (4.43)
10F(Pbub )
where
P−14.7
F(P) = 0.278 ,
1000(A+B·µOd )
here A and B are specified by the user (by default A = 0.0239, B = 0.01638).
µOu = 1.00081 · µOb + 0.001127 · A · (P − Pbub ) , (4.44)

where
1.8148 + 0.038 · µ 1.59 .
A = −0.006517 · µOb Ob
Khan
µOu = µOb · exp(9.65 · 10−5 · (P − Pbub )) (4.45)

De Ghetto et al
• API < 10
P A
µOu = µOb − 1 − , (4.46)
Pbub B
where
A = 10−2.19 · µOd
1.055 · P0.3132 ,
bub
B = 100.0099·API ,
• 10 < API < 22.3
µOu = 0.9886 · µOb + 0.002763 · A · (P − Pbub ), (4.47)
where
1.7933 + 0.03610 · µ 1.5939 ,
A = −0.01153 · µOb Ob
• API > 22.3

P A
µOu = µOb − 1 − , (4.48)
Pbub B
where
A = 10−2.19 · µOd
1.055 · P0.3132 ,
bub
B = 10−0.00288·API .
4.3.6. Unsaturated oil viscosity 61

19.1
Hossain et al.
µOu = µOb + 0.004481 · (P − Pbub ) · (A − B), (4.49)

where
1.068099 ,
A = 0.555955 · µOb
1.063547 .
B = 0.527737 · µOb
µOu = µOb + 1.3449 · 10−3 · (P − Pbub ) · 10A , (4.50)

where
A = −1.0146 + 1.3322 · X − 0.4876 · X 2 − 1.15036 · X 3 ,
X = log10 (µOb ).
µOu = µOb + A · 10−2.0771 · (P − Pbub ), (4.51)

where
1.19279 · µ −0.40712 · P−0.7941 .
A = µOd Ob bub
Bergman and Sutton
µOu = µOb exp A(P − Pbub )B ,

(4.52)
where
A = 2.278877 · 10−4 − 1.48211 · 10−5 · X + 6.5698 · 10−7 · X 2 ,
B = 0.873204 + 2.24623 · 10−2 · X ,
X = log10 (µOb ).
µOu = µOb + 0.000063340 (P − Pbub ) · 10A , (4.53)

where
A = 0.776644115 + 0.987658646 log µOb − 0.190564677 log Rs + 0.009147711µOb log Rs −
0.000019111 (P − Pbub )
4.3.7. Gas compressibility factor

Description
T P
Gas compressibility factor Z is specified as a function of TR = Tc and PR = Pc .
The critical temperature Tc is specified as follows.
4.3.7. Gas compressibility factor 62

19.1
• For gas systems:

Tc = 168 + 325 · γG − 12.5 · γG2 ,
• For gas/condensate systems
Tc = 187 + 330 · γG − 71.5 · γG2
Critical pressure Pc is specified as:
Pc = 706 − 51.7 · γG − 11.1 · γG2
Hall-Yarborough
0.06125 · PR TR
Z= · exp(−1.2(1 − TR )2 ), (4.54)
ρR
where ρR is found as a root of the following equation:
ρR + ρR2 + ρR3 − ρR4

F(ρR ) = − 0.06125 · PR · TR exp −1.2(1 − TR )2 +

−
(1 − ρR )3
− (14.67 · TR − 9.76 · TR2 + 4.85 · TR3 ) · ρR2 +
+ (90.7 · TR − 242.2 · TR2 + 42.4 · TR3 ) · ρR2.18+2.82·TR = 0
Robinson et al.
0.27PR
Z= , (4.55)
ρR · TR
where ρR is found as a root of the following equation:
A5 · A6 · ρR5

A2 A3 A5
F(ρR ) =1 + A1 + + 3 ρR + A4 + · ρR2 + +
TR TR TR TR
A7 0.27 · PR
+ 3 ρR2 1 + A8 · ρR2 · exp(−A8 ρR2 ) −

= 0,
TR ρR TR
where
A1 = 0.310506237,
A2 = −1.4067099,
A3 = −0.57832729,
A4 = 0.53530771,
A5 = −0.61232032,
A6 = −0.10488813,
A7 = 0.68157001,
A8 = 0.68446549.
4.3.7. Gas compressibility factor 63

19.1
4.3.8. Gas formation volume factor

Standing
Standing’s correlation accepts Z factor of the gas as a parameter. The formation volume
factor is then calculated from it according to the definition:
z · T(R)
BG = 0.02827 (4.56)
14.50377 · p
4.3.9. Gas viscosity

Gas viscosity µG is found as follows:
Lee et al.
µG = K · exp X · ρGY ,

(4.57)
where
(7.77 + 0.183 · γG )(T + 460)1.5

K= · 10−4 ,
(122.4 + 373.6 · γG + T + 460)
1914.5
X = 2.57 + + 0.275 · γG ,
T
Y = 1.11 + 0.04 · X.
4.3.8. Gas formation volume factor 64

19.1
5. Thermal variants
The tree of thermal variants is functionally similar to that of compositional variants (see
Common interface and properties). You may add library components, add user components by
correlation, and edit any of the component properties manually.
When a thermal variant is selected on the left panel, the main panel of the PVT Designer
window displays tabs related to it. The Component Properties tab contains properties of the
selected composition, including:
• Name (CNAMES, see 12.14.3);
• Fraction in the fluid in one of the following units: molar fraction, molar percentage,
mass fraction, or mass percentage. The current setting is specified in the column header.
Upon switching to the other option, fractions are recalculated automatically. Exported
as ZI (see 12.14.13) or COMPVD (see 12.14.14).
• Critical temperature (TCRIT, see 12.14.20).
• Critical pressure (PCRIT, see 12.14.22).
• Critical volume (VCRIT, see 12.14.24).
• Acentric factor (ACF, see 12.14.38).
• Molecular weight (MW, see 12.14.30).
• Heat capacities in gas (SPECHG, see 12.15.77) and oil phase (SPECHA, see 12.15.73),
and their temperature derivatives (SPECHH (see 12.15.78) and SPECHB, see 12.15.74).
• Volatility type for the component (CVTYPE, see 12.15.5).
Other properties are listed on separate tabs, namely:
• Water includes water viscosity (WATVISCT, see 12.15.53) and density (WATDENT,
see 12.15.9).
• K-values includes K-values of components (KVTABTn, see 12.15.14).
• Gas Density includes Z-factors (ZFACTOR (see 12.15.50), ZFACT1, see 12.15.51) and gas
density types (CGDTYPE, see 12.15.1) for components.
• Oil Density includes oil density types (CODTYPE, see 12.15.3) for components.
• Gas Viscosity includes gas viscosity types (CGVTYPE, see 12.15.2) for components.
• Oil Viscosity includes oil viscosity types (COVTYPE, see 12.15.4) for components.
5. Thermal variants 65
19.1
6. Saturation pressure
To add a simulated saturation pressure graph:
1. Press + to the right of the Components tab header.
2. Select Experiments → Saturation Pressure. The Experiment Settings popup window

will appear.
3. Specify the simulation settings:
– Tab Name which is the name of the simulation, also used as the tab header.
– Temperature which is the group of parameters describing the temperature range:
◦ From Range: enter the minimum and maximum pressure and the number of
points.
◦ From Sample: specify the previously entered experimental sample to use the
same temperature points.
– Calculate critical temperature — if checked, the critical temperature will be present
in the table even if it does not fall within the specified temperature range.
i All simulation settings can be changed afterwards.
4. Press OK. A new tab will appear, containing the saturation pressure in the graph and
table forms.
The graph displays dew and bubble points as functions of temperature, i.e., the curves
bordering the two-phase area on the phase envelope. Upon hovering a mouse over the graph,
a popup message would display the current coordinates of the pointer.
The appearance of the simulation can be tuned with the interface elements located on the
left: list of parameters, tree of variants, and list of samples, in the same manner as with other
simulated experiments, see PVT experiments. Multiple curves can be displayed simultaneously
by checking multiple variants in the tree. The list of parameters is limited to:
• Bubble Point Pressure;
• Dew Point Pressure.
The following buttons are available on the right panel:

Switches the graph to default view (position and scaling);
6. Saturation pressure 66
19.1
Figure 28. Saturation pressure
• Show/Hide Table
• Experiment Options
Opens the Experiment Options window to redefine the simulation options of the ex-
periment; once they are redefined, the graph and table update instantly.
7. Phase envelope
Phase envelope serves to estimate the phase state of the fluid in the reservoir and possible
phase transitions as pressure is lowered during production.
The description of phase diagram and possible phase states of oil and gas makes use of
the following terms:
• Two-phase area is the area of temperatures and pressures where the fluid becomes sepa-
rated in two phases (oil and gas). For individual compounds, this area degenerates into
a line.
• Critical point is a point on the diagram where all contour lines of constant gas fraction
meet. Beyond this point (at greater temperatures and pressures) the gas/liquid phase
transition does not exist, and so the border between the gas and the liquid becomes
arbitrary.
• Critical pressure is the pressure at the critical point.
19.1
• Critical temperature is the temperature at the critical point.

• Bubble point is a point on the diagram where upon lowering pressure the phases become
separated (gas starts bubbling).
• Dew point is a point on the diagram where upon lowering temperature the phases become
separated (condensate starts forming).
• Cricondentherm is the maximum temperature at which the system may exist as two-phase.
• Cricondenbar is the maximum pressure at which the system may exist as two-phase.
• Dead oil is an oil which does not become two-phase at lower pressure.
• Live oil is an oil which becomes two-phase at lower pressure (that is, some dissolved gas
is released).
• Wet gas is a supercritical fluid which becomes two-phase upon lowering pressure.
• Dry gas is a supercritical fluid which does not become two-phase.
2
1
Figure 29. Phase envelope areas
Depending on the fluid state, different types of PVT tables are used to describe its proper-
ties (see PVT tables). The diagram consists of the following areas:
19.1
1. Undersaturated, or dead oil. Tables used: PVDO (see 12.5.2).
2. Live oil. Tables used: PVTO (see 12.5.4)/PVDG (see 12.5.7).
3. Wet gas. Tables used: PVTO (see 12.5.4)/PVTG (see 12.5.8).
4. Dry gas. Tables used: PVDG (see 12.5.7).
To add a simulated phase envelope:
2. Select Phase Envelope. The Phase Envelope Settings popup window will appear.
3. Specify the phase envelope settings:
– Tab Name which is the name of experiment, also used as the tab header.
– Initial Temperature (essentially, the lower border of the temperature range for the
envelope).
– Temperature Step for calculations.
– Pressure Step for calculations. Smaller step size means higher precision at the cost
of longer calculations.
i All phase envelope settings can be redefined afterwards.
4. Press OK. A new tab containing the phase envelope will appear.
The envelope displays phase composition of oil in dependence of pressure and temperature.
The two-phase area is colored according to the fraction of gas. Upon moving a mouse over the
graph, a popup message would display the current coordinates of the pointer. The appearance
of the diagram can be tuned further with the following advanced settings located to the left
(initially off, press Show/Hide Graph Options to turn on):
• Critical point Info

Specifies the parameters of critical point marker, and also toggles on/off the legend on
the picture which shows its coordinates.
• Dew/Bubble Point Line Settings

Specifies the parameters of the bubble point and dew point lines (those which encompass
the two-phase area of the envelope), including:
• Border Line Color;

• Line style (Dotted/Continuous).
19.1
Figure 30. Phase envelope interface
• Show Hydrates
Toggles on/off the calculation and display of the hydrates curve (see 7.1. Gas hydrates
formation).
• Show Filling
Specifies the parameters of the gradient fill colored according to vapor fraction, includ-
ing:
• Color for Vapor fraction = 0
• Color for Vapor fraction = 1
• Opacity
• Show Contour Lines
Toggles on/off the lines of constant vapor fraction. The following parameters are avail-
able for the lines:
– Show Inscriptions toggles the vapor fraction figures on the lines on/off;
– Contour Lines Color sets the color for the lines;
– Dotted/Continuous sets the line style;
– By Number specifies the number of isolines directly and adjusts the step accordingly;
– By Step specifies the step between the isolines and adjusts their number accordingly.
The advanced settings are not applied automatically; you have to press Apply to see the result.
19.1

• Phase Envelope Settings

Opens the Phase Envelope Settings window to redefine the settings of the phase enve-
lope; once they are redefined, the graph updates instantly;
• Show/Hide Graph Options

Toggles graph settings on/off;
• Screenshot
formats.
7.1. Gas hydrates formation

Gas hydrates are solid supramolecular compounds formed by water and light hydrocarbons.
They present a challenge to the industry, due to their tendency to block pipelines transporting
natural gas in cold climate.
tNavigator calculates the equilibrium curve of hydrate formation. It is shown in the left
part of the phase diagram (see figure 30). To observe the curve, you might want to set the
lower temperature limit to 0 ◦ C, or even below that. The area of hydrate stability is located
to the left of the curve (that is, at lower temperatures and higher pressures).
There are various crystalline modifications of gas hydrates, hence there are two curves,
namely for the so-called structures type I and II. The structures differ in the size and quantity
of cavities in the crystal lattice where the hydrocarbon molecules may fit. The operating
parameters of the equipment should be set so as to avoid both curves, since both types of gas
hydrates are formed independently and cause the same problem.
Being non-stoichiometric compounds, gas hydrates are very sensitive to the composition
of the hydrocarbon phase, especially the contents of light hydrocarbons, mostly methane
and ethane. If the fractions of C1 and C2 are low, the hydrates curve may recede to the
low-temperature area so far as to disappear from the diagram altogether.
The equilibrium curve of hydrate formation is determined via the condition of equal chem-
ical potentials for water in the free state ( µw ) and in the hydrate ( µH ). Their difference is
calculated as follows [7]:
µH − µw = ∆µlatt + ∆µads (7.1)
where the term ∆µlatt represents the formation of hydrate crystal lattice and ∆µads stands for
the interaction with hydrocarbon molecules located in the lattice cavities.
The values of ∆µlatt in the standard conditions are tabulated. In other conditions they are
found by integration:
0 Z T
∆µlatt ∆µlatt ∆H0 + ∆cP · (T − T0 ) P∆V
= − dT + (7.2)
RT RT T0 RT 2 RT
7.1. Gas hydrates formation 71

19.1
where ∆H, ∆cP and ∆V are the changes in enthalpy, heat capacity, and volume corresponding
to hydrate lattice formation. They are tabulated as well.
The Gibbs energy gain due to the filling of the lattice cavities with hydrocarbon molecules
is defined as follows: !
Ncavs N comps
∆µads = RT ∑ νi ln 1 − ∑ Yki (7.3)
i=1 k=1
where νi is the number of type i cavities per one water molecule, Ncavs is the number of
cavity types, and Yki is the fraction of type i cavities occupied with molecules type k . The
latter parameter is calculated in a way similar to concurrent Langmuir adsorption of several
species:
Cki fk
Yki = Ncomps
(7.4)
1 + ∑ C ji f j
j=1
Here fi is the fugacity of the component i and Cki is the measure of affinity between the
molecule k and the cavity i, similar to an adsorption coefficient. It is determined as follows:

Aki Bki
Cki = exp (7.5)
T T
where Aki and Bki are the constants specific to each molecule and each cavity type.
Formation of gas hydrates may be prevented or at least postponed by addition of water-
soluble compounds, commonly referred to as inhibitors. They lower the chemical potential of
liquid water and thus favor the decomposition of hydrates. Phase envelope settings offers inter-
face controls to specify the molar fractions of several common inhibitors. Lowering of hydrate
formation temperature due to inhibitors is considered according to one of the correlations [8]
below, which are also chosen in GUI.
• Hammerschmidt:
K ·W
∆T =
M(100 −W )
where K is a universal constant with a value of 1297 (METRIC) or 2355 (FIELD), M
is the molar mass of the inhibitor, and W is its mass concentration in water in weight
percent.
• Nielsen–Bucklin:
∆T = −72 ln(1 − xinh )
where xinh is the molar fraction of the inhibitor in water, and the constant 72 applies for
METRIC units.
• Carroll:
2
∆T = −72 Axinh + ln(1 − xinh )
where A is a constant specific to the particular inhibitor, and the rest is as above.
7.1. Gas hydrates formation 72

19.1
8. K-values
K-value of a component is its partition coefficient between the gas and liquid phases. It is
used in thermal models. K-values can be calculated based on the components’ properties.
To add a K-values calculation:
Figure 31. K-values calculation
2. Select K-values. The Experiment Settings popup window will appear.
3. Specify the calculation settings:
– Tab Name which is the name of experiment, also used as the tab header.
– Pressure: a group of parameters describing the pressure stages
◦ From Range: enter the minimum and maximum pressure (METRIC: bars,
FIELD: psi) and the number of steps.
same pressure stages.
– Temperature: one or more temperature values for which the K-values should be
calculated.
– K-values Generation Method is to be chosen from the following:
8. K-values 73
19.1
◦ Flash: common technique for calculating vapor/liquid equilibrium, limited to

the two-phase area on the phase diagram.
◦ Negative flash: extended flash algorithm, applicable for a broader domain. It
uses the same set of formal equations as ordinary flash, but applies them in
the area where the calculation proceeds via physically meaningless interme-
diate results (negative values of vapor fraction, etc.); this, however, ends up
in a physically realistic K-values. For details see Negative flash method in
tNavigator User Manual.
◦ Wilson: a simple correlation only considering the properties of one component,
akin to the action of the keyword KVWI (see 12.15.16).
i All K-values calculation settings can be redefined afterwards.
4. Press OK. A new tab containing the K-values calculation will appear.
Graphs of K-values for different temperatures and different components can be toggled
on/off individually in the tree to the left.
The pressure range of the graph is limited to the range where the K-values could be
calculated. If the specified pressure range does not intersect with that range, the graph does
not appear at all, and a warning message shows up in the log.

• Show/Hide Table
• Experiment Settings
Opens the Experiment Settings window to redefine the settings of the calculation; once
they are redefined, the graph updates instantly;
• Screenshot
formats;
• Export K-values to File

Exports the K-values for all components and all temperatures to a file in the form of
keywords KVTEMP (see 12.15.13) and KVTABTn (see 12.15.14).
8. K-values 74
19.1
9. Fingerprint plot
A fingerprint plot is essentially a histogram of molar quantity of components plotted against
molecular mass. To add this graph:
Figure 32. Fingerprint plot

2. Select Fingerprint plot. A new tab will appear containing the fingerprint plot and the
corresponding data table.
This graph has no settings.
Like with any other graph, the scale can be made logarithmic via the context menu (ac-
cessible by right-clicking in the area of the axis).

• Show/Hide Table
• Screenshot
formats.
Similar graphs are also available during Splitting and Lumping where they serve for quality
control.
9. Fingerprint plot 75
19.1
10. Separators
To add a simulated separator:
2. Select Separators. The Separators tab will appear.
Figure 33. Separator description
3. Specify the separator properties:

– Top line is a dropdown list of separator names. There may be multiple separators in
a project.
– Add Separator/Remove Separator allows to create or remove separators.
– Add Stage/Remove Selected Stages allows to add or remove separator stages. For
each stage the following parameters need to be specified:
• Stage Temperature;
• Stage Pressure;
• Stage Destination Liquid Output (it can be either Stock Tank under standard
surface conditions, or a number of another separator stage);
• Stage Destination Vapor Output.
If the reservoir conditions are known, it is recommended to start by

creating a separator stage at reservoir temperature and correspond-
i ing bubble point pressure, so as to have the correct oil formation
volume factor and other relevant parameters for the entire process
calculated afterwards, see 11.5. Separator Test.
10. Separators 76
19.1
– SC Density Calculation (way to determine density at surface conditions) is speci-

fied for oil and gas separately and selected between EOS (equation of state) and
GASLAW (ideal gas law).
On the right panel there is a button Export to File. Upon pressing it, the selected
separator is saved to a file (keyword FIELDSEP, see 12.16.24).
i All separator settings can be changed afterwards. The created separators are
retained in the project even if the Separators tab gets closed.
10. Separators 77
19.1
11. PVT experiments

PVT Designer is capable of simulating the following experiments:
• Differential Liberation Expansion
• Constant Composition Expansion
• Constant Volume Depletion
• Separator Test
• Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test)
• Gas dissolution in oil (Swelling Test)
• Non-equilibrium experiments:
– Non-equilibrium Constant Composition Expansion

– Non-equilibrium Constant Volume Depletion
– Non-equilibrium Relaxation
Non-equilibrium experiments are special in that they consider the finite rate at which phase
equilibrium is established (see 3.13. Simulation of nonequilibrium thermodynamics in the
tNavigator User Manual). All other experiments assume that the system reaches equilibrium
at each stage of the process.
11.1. Common interface

11.1.1. Creating an experiment
To add a simulated PVT experiment:
Figure 34. Adding an experiment
11. PVT experiments 78

19.1
2. Select Experiments, then select the experiment type you need. The Experiment Op-
tions popup window will appear.
3. Set up the experiment options. The list of options depends on the experiment type.
i All experiment options can be altered later.
4. Press OK. A new tab containing the simulated experiment will appear.
Figure 35. Simulated experiment
11.1.2. Working with experiment

While on the experiment tab, you may select different compositions in the tree on the left.
The graphs and tables are updated instantly according to the selected composition.
An experiment may fail to display for certain compositions in case if the phase
behavior of the composition is incompatible with this experiment type, or if
! the composition is underdefined, i.e., some parameters of the components are
missing (which may happen as a result of importing an incomplete model), or
if the fractions for all components are set to 0.
The appearance of an experiment can be tuned with the following interface elements
located on the left:
• Tree of variants
In the context of PVT experiments, the tree of variants contains check boxes at each
composition. By default, the simulated experiment displays only the composition which
11.1.2. Working with experiment 79

19.1
is selected in the tree of variants. Use the check boxes to display an arbitrary number of
other compositions, possibly from different variants. As you do so, both the graph and
the table update instantly.
• List of parameters
This field contains the list of all available physical parameters that could be modeled
in the experiment. The complete list depends on the experiment type. Check the param-
eter(s) you want to display, and both the graph and the table to the right will update
instantly. Colors used for the parameter names match those used for the graphs, unless
more than one variant is selected for display (see above).
• List of samples
This field contains the list of measured experiments of the same type. Check Additional
Samples to be able to select them. As you select samples, once the displayed parameters
include those which were measured for the sample, the measurements appear as dots on
the graph and as an additional column in the table.

Switches graph to default view (position and scaling);
• Show/Hide Table
• Experiment Options
Opens the Experiment Options window to redefine the options of the experiment; once
they are redefined, the experiment updates instantly;
• Create Composition from Stage

Creates a new compositional variant based on the selected phase (oil or gas) of the
current variant on the selected depressurization stage, and adds it to the tree;
• Export to File
Available only for Grading test. Saves a file with the description of depth-dependent
fluid composition (keyword COMPVD, see 12.14.14), possibly adjusted by matching to
the experimental data.
11.2. Differential Liberation Expansion

11.2.1. Experiment options
DLE experiment uses the following options:
11.2. Differential Liberation Expansion 80

19.1
Figure 36. DLE experiment options
• Tab Name: name of the experiment, also used as the tab header.
• Pressure: a group of parameters describing the stages of depressurization.
◦ From Range: enter the minimum and maximum pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD:
psi) and the number of steps.
◦ From Sample: specify the previously entered experimental sample to use the same
pressure stages.
• SC Pressure: surface pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi).
• SC Temperature: surface temperature (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
• Reservoir Temperature: fluid temperature in the reservoir (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
• Oil FVF/RS calc.method: method of calculating oil properties (see the details below),
chosen from:
• Whitson-Torp 1
• Whitson-Torp 2
• Coats
• Gas FVF calc. options: method of calculating gas properties, chosen from:
• Flash SC Gas
• Gas as Ideal in SC
• Use Separator for Gas
• Use Separator: if checked, consider that fluid is transferred to surface conditions with the
use of the selected separator (must be created beforehand, see Separators) or according
to the selected separator sample.
11.2.1. Experiment options 81

19.1
11.2.2. Available graphs

The graphs available in this experiment include:
• Molar Fraction of Oil (dimensionless);
• Molar Fraction of Gas (dimensionless);
• Oil FVF (formation volume factor; METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);
• Gas FVF (formation volume factor; METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);
• Oil Density (METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 );
• Gas Density (METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 );
• Oil Viscosity (cP);
• Gas Viscosity (cP);
• Oil Molar Density (METRIC: kg-mol/m 3 , FIELD: lb-mol/rb);
• Gas Molar Density (METRIC: kg-mol/m 3 , FIELD: lb-mol/rb);
• Oil Z Factor (EOS) (real gas factor calculated from the equation of state not considering
possible SSHIFT (see 12.14.50); dimensionless quantity);
• Gas Z Factor (EOS) (real gas factor calculated from the equation of state not considering
• RS (solubility of gas in oil; METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: Mscf/stb);
• RV (solubility of oil in gas; METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: stb/Mscf);
• Component Concentration in Gas (by component; dimensionless quantity);
• Component Concentration in Oil (by component; dimensionless quantity).
11.2.3. Experiment description

Differential Liberation Expansion (DLE) is a form of gas separation from the reservoir oil
in which the gas liberated at each infinitesimal interval of pressure reduce is continuously
removed from the system. In practice this experiment is achieved by removing gas from the
system after reaching a predetermined pressure levels (stages).
Here the following designations are used:
• the stage is an equilibrium state;
• NDLE is the number of stages of the DLE experiment;
• k is the number of stage of the DLE experiment, k = 1, . . . , NDLE ;
11.2.2. Available graphs 82

19.1
• Mk is the number of moles of fluid at the stage k ;
• MOk is the number of moles of oil at the stage k ;
• MGk is the number of moles of gas liberated at the stage k of the DLE experiment;
• zki is the fluid composition at the stage k of the DLE experiment; z1i = zi ;
• xik is the oil phase composition at the stage k of the DLE experiment, xi1 = zi ;
• yki is the gas phase composition at the stage k of the DLE experiment k > 1;
• p1bub is the bubble point pressure of fluid with the composition z1i ;
• pkbub is the bubble point pressure of fluid with the composition zki , at the k stage of the
DLE experiment k > 1;
• pk is the pressure at the k stage of the DLE experiment;
• VGsc (M, zi ) is the gas volume at surface conditions calculated via a flash for the given
number of moles of fluid M and a fluid composition zi ;
• VOsc (M, zi ) is the oil volume at surface conditions calculated via a flash for the given
number of moles of fluid M and fluid composition zi ;
• VGideal (M, zi ) is the gas volume translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law;
• VGideal (MGk , yki ) = ξGsc · MGk (ξGsc = RTsc /psc , where R is the gas constant and R =
m3 bar J
0.083143 K·kg-mol = 8.3143 );
K · mol
∑i yki MWi
• ρGideal (yki ) = , where MWi is the molar weight of the component i;
ξGsc
• VO (MO , xi , p) is the oil volume for the given number of moles of oil MO , the oil
composition xi and the pressure p;
• VG (MG , yi , p) is the gas volume for the given number of moles of gas MG , the gas
composition yi and the pressure p;
• ρGsc (zi ) is the gas density at surface conditions calculated via a flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium) for the fluid composition zi ;
• ρOsc (zi ) is the oil density at surface conditions calculated via a flash for the fluid com-
position zi ;
• ρO,k is the oil density at the stage k ;
• ρG,k is the gas density at the stage k ;
11.2.3. Experiment description 83

19.1
• ρOsc is the oil density at surface conditions;
• ρGsc is the gas density at surface conditions.

At the initial state oil is in a single-phase state with the composition z1i = xi1 and the
number of moles M1 = MO1 at the pressure p1bub and the temperature T . At these conditions
the volume (VO (MO1 , xi1 , p1bub )) and the viscosity of the oil phase are calculated. The diagram
of the DLE experiment is shown in the figure 37.
Figure 37. Sketch of the DLE experiment
The description of experiment’s stages:

• Stage 1. Assuming the fluid composition at the next stage is equal to the oil composition
from the previous stage, i.e. z2i = xi1 . The number of moles of fluid at the next stage is
equal to the number of moles of gas from the previous stage, i.e. M2 = MO1 . Along with
this the pressure is reduced to p2 . This pressure is considered as a pressure at the next
stage.
• Stage 2. The pressure at the stage is p2 ; at this pressure the fluid is in two-phase mode:
the oil concentration is xi2 , the gas concentration is y2i , the number of moles of oil

19.1
is MO2 , the number of moles of gas is MG2 = M2 − MO2 . Then, the volume of the oil
phase is (VO (MO2 , xi2 , p2 ) and the volume of the gas phase is VG (MG2 , y2i , p2 ). Before
passing to the next stage of the experiment all the gas liberated at the previous stage is
"removed" and translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law, i.e. VGideal (MG2 , y2i )
is calculated. Thus, only oil is left in PVT cell at the following conditions: the pressure
p2 is considered as bubble point pressure, i.e. p2bub ; the fluid composition for the next
stage is z3i = xi2 , the number of moles of fluid is M3 = MO2 . The pressure is reduced to
p3 .
The next stages and transitions to the stages are analogous to the described above.
...
• Stage NDLE . Fluid composition at the stage zN i
DLE
= xiNDLE −1 , the number of moles
of fluid MNDLE = MONDLE −1 . The stage pressure is pmin , at this pressure fluid is in
the two-phase state: the oil concentration is xiNDLE , the gas concentration is yN i
DLE
, the
NDLE NDLE
number of moles of oil is MO , the number of moles of gas is MG = MNDLE −
NDLE NDLE NDLE NDLE
MO . The volume of each phase is calculated: (VO (MO , xi ,p ) is the oil
NDLE NDLE NDLE
phase volume, VG (MG , yi ,p ) is the gas phase volume. Gas is translated to the
surface conditions via the ideal gas low VGideal (MGNDLE , yN
i
DLE
). The pressure at this stage
is the residual oil bubble point pressure from the stage (i.e., pN DLE
bub ).
The end of the experiment.
To calculate the residual oil volume at surface conditions (to calculate BO and Rs ) the oil
from the last stage of the DLE experiment is translated to surface conditions (psc , Tsc ).
The oil composition at the last stage of the DLE experiment is xiNDLE , the number of moles
of oil is Msc = MONDLE . At this point the concentration of residual oil is xisc , of the liberated
gas is ysc sc
i , the number of moles of residual oil is MO , the number of moles of liberated gas is
MGsc = Msc − MOsc . The volume of the oil phase VO (MOsc , xisc , psc ) = VOsc (MOsc , xisc ) is calculated.
The gas is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas low: VGideal (MGsc , ysc i ).
The sum of volumes of liberated gas during the extraction of fluid zi and translated to
surface conditions via the ideal gas low is calculated as:
NDLE
∑ VGideal (MGk , yki ) +VGideal (MGsc, ysci)
k=1
In addition, in this experiment the "removed" gas can be translated to surface conditions via
a flash (calculation of vapor/liquid-equilibrium); in this case the volume of the gas liberated
during the extraction of fluid zi is equal to
NDLE
∑ VGsc(MGk , yki ) +VGsc(MGsc, ysci)
k=1
The data for oil can be calculated using one of the three methods:
1. Whitson and Torp method 1

19.1
2. Whitson and Torp method 2
3. Coats method.
11.2.4. Whitson and Torp method 1

If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas low, then the oil den-
sity at the surface conditions is calculated as ρOsc = ρOsc (xisc ), and the gas density is calculated
as the ratio of the mass of liberated gas to its volume:
NDLE ideal
∑k=1 VG (MGk , yki )ρGideal (yki ) +VGideal (MGsc , ysc ideal (ysc )
i )ρG i
ρGsc = NDLE ideal k k ideal sc sc
∑k=1 VG (MG , yi ) +VG (MG , yi )
If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via a flash (calculation of

vapor/liquid-equilibrium), then the oil volume is calculated as a sum of the oil volume at
the last stage translated to the surface conditions and the oil volumes condensed from the gas
when the "removed" gas has been translated to the surface conditions:
VOsc (MOsc , xisc )ρOsc (xisc ) + ∑NDLE sc k k sc k

k=1 VO (∆MG , yi )ρO (yi )
ρOsc = ,
VOsc (MOsc , xisc ) + ∑NDLE sc k k
k=1 VO (∆MG , yi )
gas density at the surface conditions is:
N
DLE
∑k=1 VGsc (∆MGk , yki )ρGsc (yki )
ρGsc = NDLE sc k
.
∑k=1 VG (yi )
The gas solubility in oil at a given stage k is calculated as:

NDLE j j
∑ j=k+1 VGideal (MG , yi ) +VGideal (MGsc , ysc
i )
(Rs )k = .
VOsc (MOsc , xisc )
Oil and gas formation volume factors at a given stage k are:

sc + ρ sc (R )
ρOil Gas s k
(BO )k = ,
ρO,k
ρGsc
(BG )k = .
ρG,k
11.2.4. Whitson and Torp method 1 86

19.1

The residual oil at each stage is translated to surface conditions via a flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium). If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via the
ideal gas law, then the oil density at surface conditions is calculated using the oil volume at
surface conditions at the last stage:
NDLE sc
∑k=1 VO (MOk , xik )ρOsc (xik )
ρOsc = NDLE sc
,
∑k=1 VO (MOk , xik )
the gas density is calculated as the ratio of gas weight to its volume:
NDLE ideal ideal (ysc ) + NDLE V sc (M k , xk )ρ ideal (xk )
∑k=1 VG (MGk , yki )ρGideal (yki ) +VGideal (MGsc , ysc
i )ρG i ∑k=1 G O i G i
ρGsc = NDLE ideal k k ideal sc sc NDLE sc k k
.
∑k=1 VG (MG , yi ) +VG (MG , yi ) + ∑k=1 VG (MO , xi )
The gas solubility in oil at a given stage k is calculated as:
VGsc (MGk , xik )

(Rs )k = .
VOsc (MOk , xik )
Oil and gas formation volume factors at a given stage k are:
ρOsc + ρGsc (Rs )k
(BO )k = ,
ρO,k
ρGsc
(BG )k = .
ρG,k
11.2.6. Coats method

In this method:
• Vk = VO (M, w, p) is the fluid volume at the stage k of the DLE experiment, V1 =
VO (MO1 , xi1 , p1bub );
• SO (zki ) = (SO )k – oil saturation at the stage k ;
• SG (zki ) = (SG )k – gas saturation at the stage k .

If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law:
ρOsc = ρOsc (xisc ),

NDLE ideal
∑k=1 VG (MGk , yki )ρGideal (yki ) +VGideal (MGsc , ysc
i )ρG
ideal (ysc )
i
ρGsc = NDLE ideal k , yk ) +V ideal (M sc , ysc )
.
∑k=1 G V (M G i G G i
If the "removed" gas is translated to the surface conditions via a flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium):

19.1
sc equal:
ρO,G
VOsc (MOsc , xisc )ρOsc (xisc ) + ∑NDLE sc k k sc k

k=1 VO (∆MG , yi )ρO (yi )
ρOsc = ,
VOsc (MOsc , xisc ) + ∑NDLE sc k k
k=1 VO (∆MG , yi )
N
∑ DLE VGsc (∆MGk , yki )ρGsc (yki )
ρGsc = k=1 NDLE .
∑k=1 VGsc (MGk , yki )
The mass conservation equation for the Black oil model is written for stages k and (k − 1)
of the DLE experiment. At the stage (k − 1) the oil volume is Vk−1 = VO (MOk−1 , xik−1 , pk−1 bub ) at
the pressure pk−1 . The pressure is reduced to the pk pressure and the gas is liberated. At the
stage k the total fluid volume is equal to Vk = VO (MOk , xik , pkbub ) +VG (MGk , yki , pkbub ); these gas
and oil volumes are translated to surface conditions. On the surface the oil and gas densities
at each stage are independent from a composition.

(SG )k (Rs )k (SO )k (SG )k−1 (Rs )k−1 (SO )k−1

sc
 ρO Vk · sc
 + = ρO Vk−1 · +
 (BG )k (BO )k (BG )k−1 (BO )k−1

 sc (Rv )k (SG )k (SO )k sc (Rv )k−1 (SG )k−1 (SO )k−1
ρG Vk ·
 + = ρG Vk−1 · +
(BG )k (BO )k (BG )k−1 (BO )k−1
After solving the system of 2NDLE + 2 linear equations with 2NDLE + 2 unknown param-
eters ((BO )k and (Rs )k ) the table of experiment data is obtained:
pressure at the stage BO BG Rs Rv ZG µO µG
11.3. Constant Composition Expansion

CCE experiment uses the following options:
pressure stages.
11.3. Constant Composition Expansion 88

19.1
Figure 38. CCE experiment general options
• Flash SC Gas
• 3-phase Flash. On this tab (see figure 39) you may set up the parameters of the three-
phase flash algorithm (see 3.3. Vapor-liquid-water equilibrium in tNavigator technical
reference). It may only be used when the option Allow CO2 Solubility in Water is
checked (its meaning is similar to CO2SOL, see 12.1.92). In this case you may specify
water properties for the purpose of flash algorithm:
• Reference Pressure at which the remaining water properties are specified (MET-
RIC: bars, FIELD: psi);
• Reference FVF (METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);
• Compressibility (METRIC: 1/bars, FIELD: 1/psi);
• Reference viscosity (METRIC: cP, FIELD: cP);
• Viscosibility (METRIC: 1/bars, FIELD: 1/psi);
• Water SC density (METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 ).
Besides, the following pressure-dependent properties of CO2 -saturated water must be

either calculated by correlations or entered manually:

19.1
Figure 39. CCE experiment 3-phase flash options
• Rs (here stands for the solubility of CO2 in water; METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD:
Mscf/stb);
• Water FVF (METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);
• Viscosity (METRIC: cP, FIELD: cP);
• Viscosibility (METRIC: 1/bars, FIELD: 1/psi).
If this option is not specified, water phase is considered indifferent and not affecting the
oil/gas equilibrium.


19.1
• Oil Molecular Weight (METRIC: kg/kg-mol, FIELD: lb/lb-mol);
• Gas Molecular Weight (METRIC: kg/kg-mol, FIELD: lb/lb-mol);

sat −P
• Y-Factor ( P(VP/V sat −1)
, where Psat is the bubble point pressure or dew point pressure at
given temperature, and Vsat is the fluid volume at that pressure; dimensionless quantity);
• Relative Volume (that is, volume of the mixture relative to the volume of fluid sample
at saturation pressure; dimensionless quantity);
• Liquid Dropout (Psat Vol.) (fraction) (the liquid condensate volume relative to the sam-
ple volume at saturation pressure; dimensionless quantity);
• Gas Deviation Z Factor (the ratio of gas volume to ideal gas volume; dimensionless
quantity) – same as Gas Z Factor (EOS) unless SSHIFT (see 12.14.50) is specified;

If the 3-phase Flash option is enabled, the following additional graphs are available:
• Molar Fraction of Water (dimensionless);
• Water FVF (formation volume factor; METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);

19.1
• Water Density (METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 );
• Water Viscosity (cP);
• Water Molar Density (METRIC: kg-mol/m 3 , FIELD: lb-mol/rb);
• CO2 Solubility in Water (METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: Mscf/stb).

The diagram of the Constant Composition Expansion (CCE) experiment is shown in the fig-
ure 40.
• NCCE is the number of stages of the CCE experiment;
• l is the number of stage of the CCE experiment, l = 1, . . . , NCCE ;
• M is the number of moles of the CCE experiment.
For all specified pressures from pmin to pmax phase volumes and viscosities are calculated
via a flash (calculation of vapor/liquid-equilibrium); A fluid composition is constant at each
stage of the CCE experiment. At the initial stage of the experiment the following parameters
are defined:
the number of moles of fluid M , pmin , pmax pressures and a fluid composition zi
Figure 40. Sketch of the CCE experiment

19.1
An experiment starts at the pressure pmin and finishes when the pressure pmax is reached
passing through l stages of the experiment. At each stage for a given number of moles M the
volumes of oil and gas (VO (M, zi , pl ) and VG (M, zi , pl )) and phase viscosities are calculated
via a flash (calculation of vapor/liquid-equilibrium).
11.4. Constant Volume Depletion

CVD experiment uses the following options:
Figure 41. CVD experiment options
pressure stages.
• Flash SC Gas
11.4. Constant Volume Depletion 93

19.1


• Liquid Dropout (Psat Vol.) (fraction) (the liquid condensate volume relative to the sam-
ple volume at saturation pressure; dimensionless quantity);
• Gas Deviation Z Factor (the ratio of gas volume to ideal gas volume; dimensionless
quantity) – same as Gas Z Factor (EOS) unless SSHIFT (see 12.14.50) is specified;
• Two Phase Z Factor (weighted average of oil and gas Z factors using molar fractions of
the phases for weights);

19.1

The sketch of the Constant Volume Depletion (CVD) experiment is shown in the figure 42.
Figure 42. Sketch of the CVD experiment
• the stage is the equilibrium state;
• NCV D is the number of stage of the CVD experiments;
• m is the number of stage of the CVD experiment, m = 1, . . . , NCV D ;
• z1i = zi is the initial fluid composition;
• zm
i is the fluid composition at the stage m of the CVD experiment, m > 1;
• ym
i is the gas phase composition at the stage m of the CVD experiment;
• xim is the composition of liquid phase at the stage m of the CVD experiment;
• p1dew is the dew point pressure for the fluid with the composition z1i ;
• pm
dew is the dew point pressure at the stage m of CVD experiment, m > 1;

19.1
• Mi,G
m is the number of moles of the gas i-component before "removing" a certain amount
of gas from the stage m;

• ∆MGm is the number of moles of "removed" gas at the stage m of the CVD experiment,
∆MG1 = 0;
• Mi,O
m is the number of moles of the oil i-component at the stage m;
• Mm is the total number of the moles of fluid at the stage m;

• VCV D is the fluid volume at the pressure p1dew ; this value is not changed at each stage
of the CVD experiment;
Initially M1 moles of fluid at the pressure p1dew are taken. Then, at each time step the
number of moles decreases.
The experiment includes the following stages:
• Stage 1 The single-phase gas state with the composition z1i = y1i and the number of
moles of fluid M1 = ∑i Mi,G 1 is considered at the pressure p1
dew and the temperature
T ; at these conditions the viscosity and the volume of the gas phase (VG (M1 , z1i , p1bub ))
is calculated. This volume is fixed as VCV D . Then we pass to the next stage of the
experiment.
• Stage 2 Fluid composition at the next stage is z2i = y1i . The number of moles of fluid
at the next stage is M2 = M1 . The pressure is reduced to p2 , this pressure is considered
as a pressure at this stage. At the pressure p2 the fluid is in a two-phase state and
this pressure is a dew point for the gas p2dew . The volume at this stage is greater than
VCV D , the oil is condensed; component concentration in the oil phase is xi2 , in the gas
phase is y2i , the number of moles of each component in oil is Mi,O 2 , and in gas is M 2 .
i,G
The volume of oil phase is calculated as VO (∑i Mi,O 2 , x2 , p ) and volume of gas phase is
i 2
2 2
VG (∑i Mi,G , yi , p2 ). Oil is translated to surface conditions and the phase volumes of gas
and oil are: VOsc (∑i Mi,O2 , x2 ) and V sc ( M 2 , x2 )
i G ∑i i,O i
Before passing to the next stage of the experiment liberated gas is "removed" in such
way that the remained volume in the system is equal to VCV D . The number of moles of
"removed" gas is ∆MG2 . This gas is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law
(VGideal (∆MG2 , y2i ) = ∆MG2 · ξGsc ). We start
The CVD experiment is run for the remaining gas in the volume one more time in
order to calculate the liberated oil volume and the remaining gas at surface conditions:
2 − ∆M 2 , y2 ) and V sc ( M 2 − ∆M 2 , y2 )).
(VOsc (∑i Mi,G G i G ∑i i,G G i
The fluid composition in the volume VCV D will be equal to:
2 − ∆M 2 · y2 + M 2
Mi,G G i i,O
z3i = ,
M3
and the number of moles of fluid is M3 = M2 − ∆MG2 . For VCV D the pressure is reduced
to p3 , this pressure will be considered as a pressure at the next stage.

19.1
The next stages and transitions to the stages are analogous to the described above.
...
• Stage NCV D . The remaining fluid has the composition:

NCV D −1
Mi,G − ∆MGNCV D −1 · yN
i
CV D −1 NCV D −1
+ Mi,O
zN
i
CV D
= ,
MNCV D
MNCV D = MNCV D −1 − ∆MGNCV D −1 .
The pressure at the stage is psc , at this pressure the concentration of component in oil
is xiNCV D , in the gas is yN
i
CV D NCV D
, the number of moles of oil is ∑i Mi,O , the number of
NCV D
moles of gas is ∑i Mi,G .
the volume of oil phase is
NCV D NCV D NCV D NCV D
VO (∑ Mi,O , xi , psc ) = VOsc (∑ Mi,O , xi ),
i i
and the volume of gas phase is

NCV D NCV D NCV D NCV D
VG (∑ Mi,G , yi , psc ) = VGsc (∑ Mi,G , yi ).
i i
The end of experiment.

To calculate the volume of remaining oil at surface conditions (to calculate BO and Rs )
a certain amount of gas is "removed" to keep the volume VCV D constant. The "removed" gas
(∆MGNCV D ) is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law VGideal (∆MGNCV D , yN
i
CV D
). Let’s
translate the remaining fluid in the volume VCV D from the last stage of the CVD experiment to
surface conditions (psc , Tsc ). The composition of fluid at the last stage of the CVD experiment
is
NCV D NCV D −1
sc
Mi,G − ∆MGNCV D · yN
i
CV D
+ Mi,O
zi = ,
Msc
Msc = MNCV D − ∆MGNCV D .
In this point component concentrations in the oil and gas phases are xisc and ysc i , re-
sc sc
spectively. The volumes of oil and gas phases are calculated as VO,sc (∑i Mi,O , xi ) and
VGsc (∑i Mi,G
sc , ysc ).
i
The sum of all volumes of "removed" gas translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas
law is calculated as:
NCV D
∑ VGideal (∆MGj , yij ) +VGideal (∑ Mi,G
sc
, ysc
i ).
m=1 i
This volume is the volume of the liberated gas during the extraction of fluid zi .
After all experiment stages the formation volume factor of each phase and solubilities of
one phase into another are calculated.

19.1
In this experiment the "removed" gas can be translated to the surface conditions via a flash
(calculation of vapor/liquid-equilibrium), in this case the gas surface volume is calculated as
NCV D
∑ VGsc(∆MGj , yij ) +VG,sc(∑ Mi,G
sc
, ysc
i ).
m=1 i
The CVD experiment can be made as well for the fluid in a subcritical area, where the
pressure pdew = pbub in a single-phase oil state. The experiment is made analogously: in case
of gas is considered the gas is "removed" at each stage, in case of oil is considered the oil
is "removed" at each stage and translated to surface conditions via a flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium).
If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via the ideal gas law then
sc , yNCV D )ρ sc (yNCV D ) +V sc ( M sc , xsc )ρ sc (xsc )

VOsc (∑i Mi,O i O i O ∑i i,O i O i
ρOsc = ,
sc , yNCV D ) +V sc ( M sc , xsc )
VO,sc (∑i Mi,G i O ∑i i,O i
N j j j
CV D
∑m=1 VGideal (∆MG , yi )ρGideal (yi ) +VGideal (∑i Mi,G
sc , ysc )ρ ideal (ysc )
i G i
ρGsc = N j j
.
CV D
∑m=1 sc , ysc )
VGideal (∆MG , yi ) +VGideal (∑i Mi,G i
If the "removed" gas is translated to surface conditions via flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium) then
sc , yNCV D )ρ sc (yNCV D ) +V sc ( M sc , xsc )ρ sc (xsc )

VOsc (∑i Mi,G i O i O ∑i i,O i O i
ρOsc = j j
+
sc , yNCV D ) +V sc ( M sc , xsc ) + NCV D V sc (∆M , y )
VOsc (∑i Mi,G i O ∑i i,O i ∑ j=m O G i
N j j j
CV D
∑ j=m VOsc (∆MG , yi )ρOsc (yi )
+ j j
,
sc , yNCV D ) +V sc ( M sc , xsc ) + NCV D V sc (∆M , y )
VOsc (∑i Mi,G i O ∑i i,O i ∑ j=m O G i
N j j j
CV D
∑m=1 VGsc (∆MG , yi )ρGsc (yi ) +VGsc (∑i Mi,G
sc , ysc )ρ
i
sc
G,sc (yi )
ρGsc = N j j
.
CV D
∑m=1 VGsc (∆MG , yi ) +VGsc (∑i Mi,G
sc , ysc )
i
Calculation of gas solubility in oil and gas formation volume factor at the stage m:
m − ∆M m , yNm )
VOsc (∑i Mi,G G i
(Rv )m = ,
VGsc (∑i Mi,G
m − ∆M m , ym )
G i
ρGsc + ρOsc (Rv )m

(BG )m = .
ρG,m
The calculation of oil formation volume factor and oil solubility in gas at the stage m
depends on the method. For this experiment it can be calculated using one of the two methods
listed below.

19.1

An oil volume is calculated at each stage in surface conditions via flash (calculation of
vapor/liquid-equilibrium):
m , xm )
VGsc (∑i Mi,O i
(Rs )m = ,
m , xm )
VOsc (∑i Mi,O i
ρOsc + ρGsc (Rs )m

(BO )m = .
ρO,m
11.4.5. Coats method

Mass conservation equation for the Black oil model:
The mass conservation equation for the Black oil model for m and (m − 1) stages of the
CVD experiment is written. For the oil with the volume Vm−1 = VG (MGm−1 , ym−1 i , pm−1 ) at the
pressure pm−1 we reduce the pressure to pm and the gas is liberated, the total fluid volume
becomes Vm = VO (MGm−1 , ym−1 i , pm ) + VG (MGm−1 , ym−1
i , pm ), these volumes are translated to
surface conditions. At the surface an oil density at each stage of experiment is considered as
constant,
 analogously
for gas density.
sc (S )
G m (Rs )m (SO )m sc (SG )m−1 (Rs )m−1 (SO )m−1
 ρO Vm · (B ) + (B ) = ρO Vm−1 · +


G m O m (BG )m−1 (BO )m−1

 sc (Rv )m (SG )m (SO )m sc (Rv )m−1 (SG )m−1 (SO )m−1
ρG Vm ·
 + = ρG Vm−1 · +
(BG )m (BO )m (BG )m−1 (BO )m−1
After solving a system of 2NCV D + 2 linear equations with 2NCV D + 2 unknown parame-
ters ((BO )m and (Rs )m ) the table of experimental data is obtained:
pressure at the stage BO BG Rs Rv µO µG
11.5. Separator Test

Separator Test uses the following options:
• Initial Total Moles: initial molar amount of fluid (METRIC: kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol).

19.1
Figure 43. Separator Test options
• Separator: the experiment will simulate the transfer of the fluid to surface conditions
with the use of the selected separator (must be created beforehand, see Separators) or
according to the selected separator sample.
• Fraction: molar fractions of components in the mixture that enters the separator (METRIC:
kg-mol/kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol/lb-mol). Initial figures correspond to the composition
of the current fluid variant, but may be changed prior to the experiment. Only the
components that are present in the current fluid variant are available.

• Stage Pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi);
• Temperature (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F);

19.1
• Oil Stage Volume (METRIC: rm 3 , FIELD: RB);
• Gas Stage Volume (METRIC: rm 3 , FIELD: RB);
• Number of Moles of Stage Oil (METRIC: kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol);
• Number of Moles of Stage Gas (METRIC: kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol);

The aim of the experiment is to estimate relative volumes of oil and gas produced from a
petroleum reservoir. The detailed description of the experiment is given in [7].
A sketch of separator experiment, consiting of N stages, is shown in figure 44. A created
in advance separator is used for the experiment.
Numerical experiments can be carried out for both oil and gas condensate mixtures. The
fluid is placed in a separator (closed cell) at a pressure psp1 and a temperature Tsp1 lower
than pressure and temperature in the reservoir. Under these conditions the fluid separates in
a gas and a liquid phase. Gas is "removed" through the separator’s top and is translated to
surface conditions (sc), where its volume VG,sc is measured. Similar to the DLE experiment a
liquid dropping out from the gas is converted to an equivalent gas volume. The remaining oil
from the first stage is relocated into the second one at pressure psp2 < psp1 and temperature

19.1
Figure 44. Sketch of Separator Test
Tsp2 < Tsp1 . At these conditions more gas will be liberated. As for the first stage, the liberated
gas is "removed" through the separator’s top and translated to surface conditions. The fluid
mixture passes through a given number of separator stages. The oil from the last stage at
surface conditions (at psc and Tsc ) is called "Stock-Tank Oil". This means that oil can be
translated to surface conditions without gas liberation.
The gas solubility in oil at k stage of separator is calculated as:
k
VG,sc
(Rs )k = k
,
VO,sc
k
where VG,sc k
is a gas volume translated to surface conditions, VO,sc is a oil volume translated
to surface conditions.
As a result of experiment the following data table can be obtained:
stage pressure temperature Rs BO
11.6. Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test)

Grading Test uses the following options:
11.6. Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test) 102

19.1
Figure 45. Grading Test options

19.1
• From Range: enter the depth and temperature range manually.

◦ Number of stages: enter the number of depth steps.
◦ Depth: enter the minimum and maximum depth (METRIC: m, FIELD: ft).
◦ Temperature: enter the temperature at top and bottom of the depth range (METRIC:
◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
• From Sample: specify the previously entered grading test sample to use the same depth
stages and temperature measurements.
• Input depth: depth at which pressure is known (METRIC: m, FIELD: ft).
• Pressure at Input Depth (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi).
• : specify convergence settings.

• Calculate RS/RV: calculate the contents of gas in oil or oil in gas. If checked, the following
controls become enabled:
◦ SC Pressure: surface pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi).
◦ SC Temperature: surface temperature (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
◦ Use Separator: if checked, consider that fluid is transferred to surface conditions
with the use of the selected separator (must be created beforehand, see Separators)
or according to the selected separator sample.
Grading Test experiment simulation requires that under given temperature

! and in the given pressure range the fluid should be in the single phase. Oth-
erwise the experiment will not be calculated and displayed.

The graphs available in this experiment are:
• Pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi);
• Temperature (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F);
• Saturation Pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi);
• RS (solubility of gas in oil; METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: Mscf/stb) – available only if
Calculate RS/RV was checked;

19.1
• RV (solubility of oil in gas; METRIC: sm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: stb/Mscf) – available only if

Calculate RS/RV was checked;
• Component Concentration (by component; dimensionless quantity).

The aim of the investigation is to estimate a variation of oil composition with depth. A
pressure, a temperature and a composition vary with depth in petroleum reservoirs. Pressure
and temperature increase with depth. The concentration of lighter components decreases with
depth, whereas the concentration of heavier components increases. Large compositional varia-
tions for reservoir fluids occur in the vicinity of the saturation point [7]. Gravity, temperature,
capillary forces, convection can affect a compositional variation with depth. However, only
the gravity effect is considered here. The detailed description of the experiment taken into
account the temperature gradient is given in [7].
Let’s consider a system consists of N components and the fluid composition and pres-
sure at depth h0 are known. Assuming oil and gas are saturated and at equilibrium at gas-oil
contact. A compositional variation and reservoir’s fluid properties are obied to an equilibrium
gravational distribution. Using the first and second thermodynamics laws for a multicom-
ponent system moving in the gravational field and taking into account that the system is
isothermal the fluid composition is calculated for an arbitrary depth h. At each depth for the
calculated fluid composition the corresponding saturated pressure is defined. As a result of the
experiment, the keyword COMPVD (see 12.14.14), TEMPVD (see 12.15.84) and (optionally)
one of RSVD (see 12.16.7) or RVVD (see 12.16.9) may be saved.
11.7. Gas dissolution in oil (Swelling Test)

Swelling Test uses the following options:
• Parameters: a group of parameters describing the stages of swelling. Can be specified in

either of two ways:
◦ From Range: enter the minimum and maximum molar fractions of added gas rel-
ative to the initial amount of fluid (METRIC: kg-mol/kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol/lb-
mol), the number of stages, and also the temperatures (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F)
for multiple runs, if needed.
◦ From Sample: specify the previously entered swelling sample to use the same
swelling stages and temperatures.
• Initial Total Moles: initial molar quantity of fluid (METRIC: kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol).

19.1
Figure 46. Swelling Test options
• Injected Component Fractions: molar fractions of components in the injected gas (MET-
RIC: kg-mol/kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol/lb-mol). Initial figures are set to 0 and must be
changed prior to the experiment. Only the components that are present in the current
fluid variant are available.

The graphs available in this experiment are:
• Saturation Pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi);

19.1

• Oil Volume at Pbub (at bubble point pressure; METRIC: rm 3 , FIELD: RB);
• Gas Volume at Pdew (at dew point pressure; METRIC: rm 3 , FIELD: RB);
• Swelling Factor (ratio of oil volume after gas dissolution to initial oil volume; dimen-
sionless quantity);
• Number of Moles (summary, oil + gas; METRIC: kg-mol, FIELD: lb-mol);
The experiment can model several runs at different temperatures. The resulting parameters are
all available in the list simultaneously, grouped by temperature.

An ability of oil to dissolve an injected gas is investigated. In the result of dissolution an
increase of the reservoir’s oil volume is evaluated. The increase of the oil volume and the oil
saturation pressure are key parameters to define whether gas injection will result in a enhanced
oil recovery. The detailed description of the experiment is given in [7].
A sketch of the experiment is shown in the figure 47.
Figure 47. Sketch of Swelling Test
The oil is placed in the PVT cell at saturation point, a temperature is kept constant and
equal to the reservoir temperature. A known molar amount of gas is injected into the PVT cell.
The pressure is increased, maintaining a constant temperature until all the gas has dissolved.
The obtained mixture (oil + injected gas) is at its saturation pressure. The pressure and the
swollen volume are recorded during the experiment.
More gas is injected, and the pressure growth until all gas is in solution in the oil. This
process is repeated for a defined number of stages. Due to a gas dissolution in oil the oil
volume and the oil saturation point (pressure) increase.
Let’s reservoir oil and injected gas composition consists of nc components. The experiment
passes through l = 1, ... stages. For the description of the experiment the following designation
is used:

19.1
• {zrc
i,O } is the reservoir oil composition;
in j
• {zi,G } is the injected gas composition;
in j
• Ntot,O
rc , N
tot,G are the number of moles of reservoir oil and injected gas, respectively;
rc + N in j
assuming Ntot,O tot,G = 1;
in j
Ntot,G
• γil = in j
is the relative molar amounts of an injected gas and obtained mix-
rc
Ntot,G + Ntot,O
ture at the stage l ;
• γ l = {γil } is the set of relative molar amounts of an injected gas at each stage of the
experiment;
• psat is the saturation pressure of mixture in reservoir at initial stage;
• pi,sat = psat (γi ) is the saturation pressure of mixture consisting of oil and injected gas
with the relative molar amounts γi ;
• Tres is the reservoir temperature;
• Vsat is the volume of mixture at saturation pressure and initial stage;
• Vsat (pi,sat ) is the volume of mixture consisting of reservoir oil and injected gas at
saturation pressure psat (γi );
• T l = {Til } is the set of temperatures at each stage of the experiment (by default a
reservoir temperature is considered);
Vsat (pi,sat )
• kSF = is the coefficient of increase of reservoir oil volume (Swelling Factor),
Vsat
which is the ratio of volume of the mixture (oil + gas desolved in it) at the saturation
pressure psat (γi ) to the oil volume before an injection at the pressure psat ;
Description of the experiment:
A reservoir oil of composition zrc
i,O is placed in the PVT cell at the reservoir temperature
Tres . A saturation pressure psat and a volume of the mixture Vsat at the obtained psat are
measured.
in j
1. Gas injection. γi moles of gas of composition zi,G is injected into the cell;
2. Calculation of Swelling Factor. Saturation pressure pi,sat = psat (γi ) of obtained mix-
ture and volume of obtained mixture Vsat (pi,sat ) at the saturation pressure pi,sat are
defined. The coefficient of increase of reservoir oil volume kSF is calculated.
3. Steps 1-2 are repeated using the same reservoir oil and injected gas compositions but
with different relative molar amounts of the injected gas γil at each temperature from
set T l .
It is worthwhile to analyse dependences of kSF and psat on γ at fixed temperature Til .

19.1
11.8. Non-equilibrium Constant Composition Expansion

NCCE experiment is similar to CCE, except that it considers finite rate at which phase equi-
librium is established. It is calculated using non-equilibrium flash (see 3.13. Simulation of
nonequilibrium thermodynamics in the tNavigator User Manual).
NCCE experiment uses the same options as ordinary CCE (see 11.3), except for the fol-
lowing:
Figure 48. NCCE experiment options
• Initial and Final pressure instead of maximum and minimum, so as to specify the di-
rection at which the pressure steps are traversed. (For an equilibrium experiment this
direction would make no difference.)
• Total Time is the total time of the experiment (days). The time is split into equal spans
according to the number of stages, and it is assumed that each stage lasted one span.
Alternatively, time can be taken from an experimental sample together with pressure
steps.
The list of available graphs is also the same as in ordinary CCE, with the following
addition:
• Time is the running time of the experiment (days).
The abscissa of the graphs can be toggled between Pressure and Time.
!
Note that the 3-phase flash option is currently not compatible with non-
equilibrium flash and hence not available for NCCE experiment (unlike the
ordinary CCE).
11.8. Non-equilibrium Constant Composition Expansion 109

19.1
11.9. Non-equilibrium Constant Volume Depletion

NCVD experiment is similar to CVD, except that it considers finite rate at which phase
equilibrium is established. It is calculated using non-equilibrium flash (see 3.13. Simulation
of nonequilibrium thermodynamics in the tNavigator User Manual).
NCVD experiment uses the same options as as ordinary CVD (see 11.4), except for the
following:
Figure 49. NCVD experiment options
• Total Time is the total time of the experiment (days). The time is split into equal spans
according to the number of stages, and it is assumed that each stage lasted one span.
Alternatively, time can be taken from an experimental sample together with pressure
steps.
The list of available graphs is also the same as in ordinary CVD, with the following
addition:
• Time is the running time of the experiment (days).
The abscissa of the graphs can be toggled between Pressure and Time.
11.10. Non-equilibrium Relaxation

In this experiment the sample is instantly depressurized and then the compositions of oil and
gas slowly relax to equilibrium at the new conditions. In effect, this is equivalent to one stage
of a non-equilibrium CCE experiment (see 11.8), but unlike NCCE, the properties of oil and
gas are monitored at multiple moments along the way.
11.9. Non-equilibrium Constant Volume Depletion 110

19.1

Relaxation experiment uses the following options:
Figure 50. Relaxation experiment options
• Time is the total time of the experiment (days). The time is split into equal spans, and the
properties are recorded at the end of each span. Alternatively, time can be taken from
an experimental sample.
• Initial pressure is the pressure before the process (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi).
• Pressure is the pressure that is established once the process begins (METRIC: bars, FIELD:
psi).


19.1
• Component Concentration in Oil (by component; dimensionless quantity);
• Component K-values (by component; dimensionless quantity).
The abscissa of the graphs is Time.

19.1
12. Matching (Regression)

12.1. Matching of compositional variant
To run a matching, you have to complete the following prerequisites:
• Enter the experimental data (see 2.5. Loading experimental data).
• Create the corresponding simulated experiment(s) (see 11. PVT experiments).
• Set the variables to use in the matching (see below).
Once the setup is completed, proceed to the following steps:
• Initiate and run the matching (see 12.1.2. Running matching).
• Interpret the results (see 12.1.3. Matching results).
12.1.1. Setting variables

All basic component properties (including component fractions in the mixture), viscosity,
EOS (equation of state) properties, and BICs (binary interaction coefficients) can be used as
variables in a matching.
To mark certain properties for use in matching, select them, right-click in the selection, and
in the context menu choose Matching → Use for Matching. To undo that, use Matching →
Don’t use for Matching.
Marking of the properties as variables for matching is associated with the selected com-
positional variant. It is kept if the variant is copied, but does not propagate to other variants
derived from it by matching. If you want to run another matching starting from another
compositional variant, the variables have to be specified anew.
Figure 51. Setting the variables for matching
It is considered prudent not to create too many variables, otherwise the problem becomes
underdefined and prone to systematic errors.
The variables should be chosen among those which have the greatest effect on the calcu-
lated values of those parameters which were actually measured in the experiment(s). In the
typical scenarios, the variable properties used for matching include some of the following:
12. Matching (Regression) 113

19.1
• Main parameters of the heaviest component(s): affect density and phase equilibrium;
The variability of parameters is justified by the fact that heavy com-

ponents actually consist of a huge number of isomers (75 for C10, or
i even more if alkenes and aromatic compounds are considered) mixed
in unknown ratio, and hence their properties can vary significantly for
different reservoirs.
• Binary interaction coefficients: affect density and phase equilibrium;
• Shift for volume: affects density;
• Viscosity parameters (LBC or Pedersen): affect viscosity.
12.1.2. Running matching
To initiate matching, click Matching on the right panel. The Matching options window
will pop up.
!
If no experiments were created, the warning message No experiments for
matching will appear instead. If no variables were set, another warning mes-
sage will appear: No selected variables for matching.
Figure 52. Matching options window
The following optimization parameters can be set from this window:
12.1.2. Running matching 114

19.1
Main options
• Algorithm
Select the algorithm to use for matching from the following:
• Particle Swarm Optimization

• Differential Evolution
• Symplex method
• Response surface
For the details of particular algorithms, see the Assisted History Matching User Guide.
• Max iterations
Number of iterations to run, unless the Stop on Slow Improvement option is checked
(see below).
Stop on Slow Improvement

Check this option if you want optimization to stop once the convergence slows down too
much. To check that, the improvement (relative change) of penalty function over the given
interval is measured and compared to the specified threshold. If it is lower than the threshold,
the optimization stops.
• Number of Iterations
Interval in iterations over which the improvement is measured.
• Improvement Value (%)

Threshold in improvement value.
Experiments for Matching
This section contains the list of experiments used for matching. For each experiment
choose:
• Composition
A composition within the current variant that is used for matching with the given ex-
periment. If different experiments were performed with the samples of different compo-
sition, these data still can be used together to refine the components’ properties (which
are common to all compositions within one variant). Then the model may be exported as
having several different EOS regions, or with depth-dependent composition (COMPVD,
see 12.14.14), or simply with single averaged composition.
• Weight
Overall weight of the experiment for use in matching. Note that separate data series
within any experiment, as well as individual data points within them, may also be
assigned weights, see Loading experimental data.
The following control elements affect the list:

19.1
• Add Experiment
Adds a new measured experiment for use in matching.
• Remove Selected Experiments

Removes the selected experiments from matching.
! If no experimental data were entered, you will not be able to proceed further.
Variable Options
This section contains the list of variables used for matching, each with the following
parameters:
• Min
Minimum value of the variable (by default set to -1 for BICs and viscosity parameters,
or to the starting value minus 20% for the rest, but can be changed manually).
• Base Value
Starting value of the variable.
• Max
Maximum value of the variable (by default set to 1 for BICs and viscosity parameters,
or to the starting value plus 20% for the rest, but can be changed manually).
• Keep Order
Check this to make the checked values of the same physical parameter in different com-
ponents maintain the initial comparison order. For example, if the critical temperatures
of C7 and C8 are both included in the matching variables and both checked to Keep
Order, and the former is initially lower than the latter, then it would remain lower
throughout the optimization.
Keeping order refers only to the parameters which are included in vari-
ables for matching and have this option checked. In the example above,
! if the critical temperature of C6 is not used in matching, then the correct
order relation between it and that of C7 is not guaranteed and have to
be ensured separately, for example, by setting the appropriate minimum
on C7.
Once the options are set, click Run Matching.
12.1.3. Matching results

The Matching window remains open after matching, so that the user could review the results.
While tNavigator does impose certain limitations so as to keep the parameters within the
physically realistic boundaries, the ultimate decision concerning the trustworthiness of the
model is up to the user.
12.1.3. Matching results 116

19.1
The Quality Control tab contains graphs of the measured and simulated parameter(s)
before and after matching. Use this tab to quickly check the viability of the approximation.
Select the parameter for display in the list on the left.
Figure 53. Quality control for matching
i Use simultaneous left and right mouse click to restore the default scaling and
position of the graph.
To keep the results in the project, click Add Matched Variant . The resulting variant
will be added to the project tree as a child node of the starting variant. It is assigned a name
derived from that of the parent variant with added "Matching" as a prefix and attempt number
as a postfix. The name may be changed during the creation of a variant or afterwards. The
new variant contains one or more compositions that were used for matching.
12.2. Matching of black oil variant

Matching of the black oil properties normally proceeds in the following manner:
• Enter the experimental data (see 2.5. Loading experimental data) for the PVT calculator
experiment type.
• Create the corresponding simulated experiment (see 12.2.1. PVT Calculator).
• Run the matching (see 12.2.2. Running matching).
12.2. Matching of black oil variant 117

19.1
Figure 54. PVT calculator options
12.2.1. PVT Calculator

To add a simulated PVT calculator experiment:
1. Press + to the right of the tab headers Oil, Gas, and Water.
2. Select PVT Calculator. The Experiment Options popup window will appear.
3. Set up the calculation options, including:
◦ Tab Name: name of the experiment, also used as the tab header.
◦ Pressure: a group of parameters describing the stages of depressurization.
◦ From Range: enter the minimum and maximum pressure (METRIC: bars,
FIELD: psi) and the number of steps.
◦ Composition in one of the three forms:
• By mass of oil and gas
• By volume of oil and gas
• Via Rs /Pbub
12.2.1. PVT Calculator 118

19.1
i All calculation options can be altered later.
4. Press OK. A new tab containing the PVT calculator will appear.
• Mass fraction of oil (dimensionless);
• Mass fraction of gas (dimensionless);
12.2.2. Running matching
!
Press Matching Samples on the right panel. The Matching window will appear.
If no PVT Calculator experiments were created, the warning message No
experiments for matching will appear instead.
Specify the following parameters:
• Main Options
Set up the matching algorithm and convergence options (see section 12.1.2 for details).
• Experiments for Matching

Select the experiments to match against.
• Variables Options
Select which parameters of the correlations will be used for matching (see section 4.1.2
for their meaning). Set up the maximum, minimum, and initial values of each parameter.
Press Run Matching. The selected variables will be modified so that the resulting correla-
tion mimics the experimentally measured properties as closely as possible. After the matching
finishes, press Add Matched Variant.

19.1
Figure 55. Matching PVT correlations to measured samples

19.1
13. PVT tables

To build simulated PVT tables based on the compositional variant:
2. Select PVT. The Experiment Settings popup window will appear.
Figure 56. PVT options
3. Specify Tab Name which is the name of PVT tables, also used as the tab header.
4. On the Hydrocarbons tab specify the PVT simulation settings for oil and gas, including:
◦ Pressure which is the group of parameters describing the stages of depressurization.

• From Range: enter the minimum and maximum pressure and the number of
steps.
• From Sample: specify the previously entered experimental sample to use the
◦ Hydrocarbon Temperature: reservoir temperature used for calculation of hydro-
carbon properties (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
◦ SC Pressure: surface pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi).
◦ SC Temperature: surface temperature (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F).
◦ Oil FVF/RS calc. method selected from the following options:
13. PVT tables 121

19.1
• Whitson-Thorp 1
• Whitson-Thorp 2
• Coats
◦ Gas FVF calc. options selected from the following options:
• Flash SC Gas
◦ Table type selected from the following options:
• Dead Oil (PVDO)
• Dry Gas (PVDG)
• Live Oil / Dry Gas (PVTO/PVDG)
• Live Oil / Wet Gas (PVTO/PVTG)
• Dead Oil / Dry Gas (PVDO/PVDG)
• Not specified (determined automatically)
5. On the Water tab specify the PVT simulation settings for water, including:
• Reference pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi);

• Salinity option:
◦ Water – PVTW (see 12.5.5) keyword is exported;
◦ Salt water – dissolved salt is considered (see below), PVTWSALT (see 12.7.8)
keyword is exported. In this case all other parameters are specified as functions
of salt concentration. The salt might be selected from the library (including
NaCl, MgSO4 and other common variants) or entered manually. In the latter
case all parameters have to be specified by the user.
• Water Temperature, that is, reservoir temperature used for calculation of water
properties (METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F);
• Reference Water Temperature at which the remaining water properties are specified
(METRIC: ◦ C, FIELD: ◦ F);
• Reference FVF (METRIC: rm 3 /sm 3 , FIELD: rb/stb);
• Compressibility (METRIC: 1/bars, FIELD: 1/psi);
• Reference viscosity (METRIC: cP, FIELD: cP);
• Viscosibility (METRIC: 1/bars, FIELD: 1/psi);
• Water SC density (METRIC: kg/m 3 , FIELD: lb/ft 3 ).
6. On the Viscosity vs Temperature tab specify (optionally):
• Reference pressure (METRIC: bars, FIELD: psi, exported as VISCREF,

see 12.15.52);
13. PVT tables 122

19.1
• Temperature range for oil properties (maximum, minimum, number of steps; cal-
culated viscosity is exported as OILVISCT, see 12.15.54);
• Water viscosity temperature dependence (a table of values; exported as
WATVISCT, see 12.15.53).
i All options of PVT tables can be altered later.
7. Press OK. A new tab containing the PVT tables will appear.
The tables are shown together with the graph, and display the properties of oil, gas (if
present), and water at different pressures.
Oil properties are shown in dependence of dissolved gas content. That is, each graph con-
sists of the saturated branch and multiple unsaturated branches, each with particular constant
value of Rs . The branches are listed in a special field on the left and may be selected for dis-
play individually or in any combination the same way as it is done with black oil properties
(see figure 27).

• Show/Hide Table
Toggles table on/off.
• Experiment Settings
Opens the Experiment Settings window; once the settings are redefined, the graph and
tables update instantly;
• Export to File
Exports PVT tables to a file;
• Add Black Oil Variant

Adds a new Black Oil variant based on the present PVT tables.
PVT tables are one of the ways to present the results of the compositional flash (calculation
of vapor/liquid-equilibrium) in a limited region of the phase envelope. To create PVT tables
the following data are used: fluid composition zi , which is a result of laboratory experiments,
pressure psc , temperature Tsc at surface conditions, temperature in reservoir T (the system is
isothermal so the temperature T is assumed to be constant), pressure range [pmin ; pmax ] for
which PVT tables will be created, bubble point pressure pbub (if available) and dew point
13. PVT tables 123

19.1
pressure pdew (if available). This section contains a description of an algorithm how to build
PVT tables using the initial data.
There are several options of PVT tables. They are used in different regions of the phase
envelope (see figure 29). Depending on the input data, we determine which set of tables
describes the compositional model most accurately.
Tables type Conditions Model used

PVDO (see 12.5.2) Fluid is in the single-phase liquid Black Oil model without
state for the whole pressure range gas component
[pmin ; pmax ] and at surface condi-
tions
PVDG (see 12.5.7) Fluid is in the single-phase gas Black Oil model without
state for the whole pressure range oil component
and at surface conditions
PVDO (see 12.5.2), Fluid is two-phased, subcritical
PVDG (see 12.5.7) area (T < Tc )
PVTO (see 12.5.4), Same as above, with negligible sol- Two-phase Black Oil
PVDG (see 12.5.7) ubility of the gas phase in the oil model
phase at each stage of numerical
experiment
PVTO (see 12.5.4), Fluid is two-phased, supercritical
PVTG (see 12.5.8) area (T > Tc )
Let’s consider how to fill in PVT tables.
13.1. PVDO table

CCE experiment is used to fill in this table.
The following parameters are defined for this experiment: 1 mole of fluid zi , pmin , pmax .
As mentioned before the volume VO,sc is the oil volume at surface conditions, and VO,l is oil
volume at the stage l of the CCE experiment.
At the pressure psc a flash (zi , psc ) is executed to calculate the volume of the oil phase
at surface conditions VO,sc . At the stage l a flash (zi , pl ) is executed to calculate the volume
and the oil phase viscosity at each pressure pl . For each pressure BO is calculated.
The l th row of PVDO table is:
VO,l
pl BO = µO (zi , pl )
VO,sc
13.1. PVDO table 124

19.1
13.2. PVTO table

PVTO has two types of data:
1. data corresponding to the saturated state;
2. for some Rs it is possible to set undersaturated branches as a function of p.
DLE and CCE experiments are used to describe these two types of data.
The table can be divided by blocks, in each block the first row describes the saturated
state, other rows describe the undersaturated state.
For the block number k in the table: saturated state is set using the DLE experiment, un-
dersaturated state is set using the CCE experiment, (k = 1, . . . , NDLE ). For the fluid with the
composition xik at a stage k of the DLE experiment, describing saturated state, pmin = pkbub
and at each stage l of the CCE experiment, describing undersaturated state, to the value pmax
a flash (calculation of vapor/liquid-equilibrium) is initiated. The number of moles is taken
from the stage k of DLE experiment with the composition xik . The results of flash is used to
find the volume VO (xik , pl ) and oil phase viscosity.
pl=1 > pkbub
sc + ρ sc (R )
ρOil Gas s k
(Rs )k pkbub BO (xik , pkbub ) = µO (xik , pkbub )
ρOk
sc sc
ρ + ρGas (Rs )k
pl=1 BO = Oil µO (xik , pl )
ρOl
...
sc + ρ sc (R )
ρOil Gas s k
pl=N k = pmax BO = µO (xik , pl )
CCE ρOl
13.3. PVDG table

The CCE experiment is used to fill in this table.
The following parameters are defined for this experiment:
1 mole of fluid zi , pmin , pmax .
The following designations are used:
sc
VG is the gas volume at surface conditions;
VG,l is the gas volume at the stage l of the CCE experiment.
For the pressure psc a flash (zi , psc ) is initiated to calculate the surface volume of the gas
phase VGsc . At each stage l a flash (zi , pl ) is run to calculate the volume and viscosity of the
gas phase at each pressure pl . For each pressure BG is calculated.
The l th row of PVDG table is:
13.2. PVTO table 125

19.1
VG,l
pl BG = µG (zi , pl )
VGsc
13.4. PVTG table

PVTG has two types of data: the data describing saturated state and the data describing
undersaturated state.
CCE and CVD experiments are used to describe these two states.
The table can be divided by blocks, in each block the first row describes the saturated
state, other rows describe undersaturated state.
For the block number m in the table: saturated state is set using CVD experiment, under-
saturated state is set using the CCE experiment (m = 1, . . . , NCV D ). For each block saturated
state is described via the CVD experiment, undersaturated via the CCE. For the fluid with
the composition zm m
i at the stage m of CVD experiment, pmax = pdew at each stage l of CCE
experiment the volume of the gas phase VG (zm i , pl ) and viscosity are calculated.
VOsc ρGsc + ρOsc (Rv )m

pm = pm
dew (Rv )m = BG = µG (zm m
i , pdew )
NCV D
∑ j=m+1
j
VGsc (zi ) ρGm
V sc ρGsc + ρOsc (Rv )m+1
(Rv )m+1 = m−2 O j
BG = µG (zm+1
i , pm
dew )
∑ j=0 VGsc (zi ) ρGm+1
...
VOsc ρGsc + ρOsc (Rv )NCV D
(Rv )NCV D = BG = µG (zN
i
CV D
, pm
dew )
VGsc (zN
i
CV D
) ρGNCV D
Further, for the Black Oil model the fluid compressibility positivity is checked.
13.4. PVTG table 126

19.1
14. Exporting data

14.1. Exporting compositional variant
To export the properties of a compositional variant (CNAMES (see 12.14.3), TCRIT
(see 12.14.20), PCRIT (see 12.14.22), VCRIT (see 12.14.24), ACF (see 12.14.38), MW
(see 12.14.30), ZI (see 12.14.13), EOS (see 12.14.6), BIC (see 12.14.40), etc.) for use in
fluid dynamic calculations, do the following:
1. Prepare the variant you need (see Compositional variants) and select it in the tree of
compositional variants.
2. Click Export to File on the right panel of the Components tab.
!
Tab is important. The project might contain more tabs with PVT experi-
ments, separators, or other simulations. In the context of other tabs the
same Export to File button may have a different meaning.
3. Specify the file name and press Save in the file save dialog.
The properties of the compositional variant will be exported to a file in E3 format with the
name Props_<variant name>.inc by default.
14.2. Exporting PVT tables

To export the properties of a Black Oil variant (PVTO (see 12.5.4) or PVDO (see 12.5.2), etc.)
for use in fluid dynamic calculations, do the following:
From Black Oil variant
1. Prepare the variant you need (see Black oil variants) and select it in the tree of Black
Oil variants.
2. Click Export to File on the right panel.
From compositional variant
1. Prepare the variant you need (see Compositional variants) and select it in the tree of
compositional variants.
2. Switch to the PVT tab, or create one, if needed (see PVT tables).
3. Click Export to File on the right panel.

In both cases, the PVT tables will be exported to a file in E1 format with the name
PVT_<variant name>.inc by default.
14. Exporting data 127

19.1
14.3. Exporting EOS or PVT regions

There might be a need for a compositional model with two or more EOS regions, or a Black
Oil model with two or more PVT regions. The regions per se do not exist as entities of PVT
Designer. To describe them, different fluid variants are used in the following manner:
1. Prepare different variants (see Compositional variants, Black oil variants) for different
regions, and keep them in the tree of variants.
! Black Oil and compositional variants can’t be combined in one model.
2. Click Export to File in the top toolbar (alternatively, select Document → Export
to File from the main menu) and select the fluid model type in the dropdown list:
Compositional Variant or Black Oil Variant. The Export window will pop up.
Figure 57. Export window
3. Add as many regions as you need by pressing Add Region. After adding a region,
select the fluid variant for it from a dropdown list. In the case of compositional model,
select also the composition within the selected variant.
!
The selected variants must be compatible (in compositional case this
implies using the same components, in case of black oil the types of PVT
tables must coincide). You can select any existing variant for the first
region. For the subsequent regions, only the compatible variants can be
selected; the rest get inaccessible.
4. In case of a compositional variant(s), use the list on the right to select the properties
you need to export. The list includes the properties which are only required for ther-
mal models and not for compositional ones, namely SPECHA (see 12.15.73), SPECHB
(see 12.15.74), SPECHG (see 12.15.77), SPECHH (see 12.15.78).
5. Press Export. The properties of the selected variants will be exported to a file. Each
property keyword (like TCRIT (see 12.14.20) for compositional model, or PVDO
14.3. Exporting EOS or PVT regions 128

19.1
(see 12.5.2) for Black Oil model) will be followed by a list of values in all variants
(in compositional model, also a list for all components grouped by variants). The vari-
ants appear in the same order as in the list and are separated with slash characters
(/).
Example of this file format
NCOMPS
5 /
CNAMES
’C1’ ’C2’ ’C3’ ’C4’
’Higher’ /
TCRIT
190.6
305.4
369.8
424.768540637576
681.246374544638 /
190.6
305.4
369.8
423.198825295953
675.147815923889 /
PCRIT
...
14.4. Exporting lumping
i A lumping variant has to be created beforehand, see Lumping.

To export the composition of a pseudocomponent created by lumping, press Export to
File on the right panel of the Lumping window. This will produce a file containing the
keyword LUMPING (see 12.14.9). The purpose of this keyword is to make the original com-
ponents’ contents viewable when analyzing the results. It does not affect the hydrodynamic
calculations, which would still treat the pseudocomponent as a single component.
If this keyword is present, the original components are interpreted as tracers, and their
concentrations become available in the simulator GUI:
• as grids, on the tab Grid Properties in the node Calculated → ASP Flood and Trac-
ers;
14.4. Exporting lumping 129

19.1
• as graphs, on the tab Graphs in the node Tracers.
Quantitative composition of pseudocomponents in the exported file is specified as inde-

pendent on depth. To specify it as depth-dependent, export and include in your model another
file as follows: in the Lumping window switch to the Grading Test tab, set up the experiment
parameters, and press Export to File on the right panel. The compositions of pseudo-
components at different depths will be exported as parameters of the keyword DETAILMF
(see 12.14.4).
14.5. Exporting depth-dependent composition
i An experiment of the Grading Test type has to be created beforehand, see

PVT experiments.
To export the fluid composition as a function of depth, press Export COMPVD/TEMPVD
to File on the right panel of the Grading Test tab. This will produce a file containing the
keywords COMPVD (see 12.14.14) and TEMPVD (see 12.15.84).
To export the distribution of dissolved gas in oil or oil in gas as a function of depth,
press Export RSVD/RVVD to File on the right panel of the Grading Test tab. This will
produce a file containing the keyword RSVD (see 12.16.7) or RVVD (see 12.16.9).
14.6. Exporting K-values
i A K-values simulation has to be created beforehand, see K-values.

To export the K-values at different temperatures for use in thermal simulation, press Ex-
port K-values to File on the right panel of the K-values tab. This will produce a file
containing the keywords KVTEMP (see 12.15.13) and KVTABTn (see 12.15.14).
14.7. Exporting separators
i A separator has to be created beforehand, see Separators.

To export a simulated separator, select it in the dropdown list on the Separators tab and
press Export to File on the right panel. This will produce a file containing the keyword
FIELDSEP (see 12.16.24).
14.5. Exporting depth-dependent composition 130

19.1
15. References
[1] Tarek Ahmed, Equations of State and PVT Analysis: Applications for Improved Reservoir Mod-
eling, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas, 2007.
[2] Lee, B. I., and Kesler, M. G., A Generalized Thermodynamic Correlation Based on Three-
Parameter Corresponding States, American Institute of Chemical Engineers Journal (1975), 21,
No. 3, pp. 510–527.
[3] Tarek Ahmed, Working Guide to Vapor-liquid Phase Equilibria Calculations, Elsevier, 2010.
[4] Carl L. Yaws, Thermophysical properties of chemicals and hydrocarbons, Elsevier, 2014.
[5] Tarek Ahmed, Hydrocarbon phase behavior, Gulf Pub. Co., 1989.
[6] Dindoruk, B., and Christman, P. G., PVT Properties and Viscosity Correlations for Gulf of Mexico
Oils. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, December 2004, pp. 427–437.
[7] Pedersen, K. S., and Christensen, P. L., Phase behavior of petroleum reservoir fluids, Taylor &
Francis Group, Boca Raton, USA, 2007.
[8] Carroll, J., Natural gas hydrates, Elsevier, USA, 2014.
[9] Hassan S. Naji, Characterizing Pure and Undefined Petroleum Components, IJET-IJENS, Vol:10
No:02, 2010, pp 28–48.
[10] Whitson, C. H., Characterizing Hydrocarbon Plus Fractions, Society of Petroleum Engineers
Journal, August 1983, pp. 683–694.
[11] Pedersen, K.S., Thomassen, P., Fredenslund, A., Characterization of gas condensate mixtures,
presented in C7+ Fraction Characterization (Chorn, L.G. Mansoori, G.A.), 137, Taylor & Francis
New York Inc., New York, 1989.
[12] Chueh, P.L., Prausnitz, J.M., Vapor-Liquid Equilibria at High Pressures: Calculation of Partial
Molar Volumes in Nonpolar Liquid Mixtures, American Institute of Chemical Engineers Journal
(1967), Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 1099–1107.
[13] Li, Y.-K., Nghiem, L. X., Siu, A., Phase Behaviour Computations For Reservoir Fluids: Effect Of
Pseudo-Components On Phase Diagrams And Simulation Results. Journal of Canadian Petroleum
Technology (1985), Vol. 24, Issue 06, pp. 29–36.
[14] N.S. Bahvalov, N.P. Zhidkov, G.M. Kobelkov, Numerical methods, M. «Nauka», 1987 [in russian]
[15] Clayton V. Deutsch, Geostatistical Reservoir Modeling, Oxford University Press, 2002
[16] A. Bardossy Introduction to Geostatistics University of Stuttgart
[17] S. D. Conte, Carl de Boor Elementary Numerical Analysis McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1980.
[18] J-P Chiles, P. Delfinder Geostatistics Modeling Spatial Uncertainty Wiley & Sons, Canada, 1999.
[19] V.V. Demianov, E.A. Savelieva Geostatistics theory and practice M. «Nauka», 2010 [in russian]
15. References 131

Rock Flow Dynamics
Phone: +1 713-337-4450
Fax: +1 713-337-4454
Address: 2200 Post Oak Boulevard, STE 1260, Houston, TX 77056
E-mail: tnavigator@rfdyn.com
Web: http://rfdyn.com
To locate the office nearest to you, please visit https://rfdyn.com/contact/
© Rock Flow Dynamics. All rights reserved. 15.03.2019

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19.

Rock Flow Dynamics

4. Black oil variants 40

4.3.4. Dead oil viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

11. PVT experiments 78

11.6. Compositional variations with depth (Grading Test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

12. Matching (Regression) 113

13. PVT tables 121

14. Exporting data 127

15. References 131

• Geology Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);

• Model Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);

• Network Designer (includes PVT Designer and VFP Designer);

• Black Oil simulator;

• Assisted History Matching (AHM, optimization and uncertainty analysis);

• Graphical User Interface.

The list of tNavigator documentation is available in tNavigator Library.

• Geology Designer – building static model from scratch.

• Model Designer – pre-processor to build dynamic model.

• Network Designer – surface network modeling.

PVT Designer lets the user to:

• Build the saturation pressure curve and phase envelope;

• Enter Samples (experimental data);

• Model lumping (create pseudo-components). Use Matching for lumping;

• Model splitting of the unresolved heavy fraction into pseudocomponents;

• Create and export PVT tables;

• Model water properties, possibly dependent on temperature and/or salinity;

• Export keywords for temperature option in black oil models;

• Export keywords for compositional model;

• Export COMPVD keyword (Grading test: composition with respect to depth);

• Export data to Geology Designer, Model Designer and Network Designer.

Examples of how to use PVT Designer are shown in training tutorials:

• PVT1.1. How To Use PVTDesigner;

• PVT1.2. How To Use Blackoil Variants;

• PVT1.3. How To Create Condensate Model.

1. Start a PVT project (see above).

2. Enter the experimental data (see 2.5. Loading experimental data).

3. Define composition for a mixture (see 3. Compositional variants).

2.1. Common interface

• Import from File

2.2. Unit systems

• LAB Figure 1. Setting the unit system

2.3. Default options

Figure 2. Setting the default options

The options include:

• Pressure range (minimum, maximum, number of stages)

2.2. Unit systems 9

• Temperature range (minimum, maximum, number of stages)

2.4. Project structure

2.5. Loading experimental data

2.4. Project structure 10

Figure 5. Entering experimental data

The folowing interface elements are available:

2.5. Loading experimental data 11

Below the table

• Removes the selected data point;

• Sorts the entered data points by first column.

• Toggles table on/off.

2.5. Loading experimental data 12

• If needed, alter the composition in the following ways:

3.1.1. Import compositional variant from file

• Compositional Variant (for E3 format);

A popup window will show up.

• For E3 format, STCOND (see 12.14.11), CNAMES (see 12.14.3), VCRIT