MBE

The material balance equation is a fundamental equation used in reservoir simulation

to describe the behavior of fluids in a reservoir. It is based on the principle of
conservation of mass and relates the changes in fluid volume and pressure to the
fluid properties and the geometry of the reservoir.

The general form of the material balance equation is:

ΔV = ΔN + ΔG + ΔS

Where:

 ΔV is the change in total volume of fluid in the reservoir over a certain period of
time
 ΔN is the net influx or outflux of fluids due to production or injection
 ΔG is the change in gas cap volume, which is the volume of free gas in the reservoir
 ΔS is the change in volume due to fluid expansion or contraction

In reservoir simulation, this equation is often simplified by assuming that the gas cap
volume and the change in volume due to fluid expansion or contraction are
negligible. The simplified equation then becomes:

ΔV = ΔN

This equation is used to calculate the production or injection rates that are required
to maintain a constant reservoir pressure over time. By simulating the behavior of
fluids in a reservoir using this equation, engineers can optimize production strategies
and predict the long-term performance of a reservoir.
Let's consider a simplified example of a two-phase (oil and water) reservoir, with a
constant pressure at the bottom of the reservoir.

The material balance equation for this system is:

ΔV = ΔN + ΔG + ΔS

Assuming that the gas cap volume and the change in volume due to fluid expansion
or contraction are negligible, the simplified equation is:

ΔV = ΔN
Now, let's assume that the reservoir has been producing for some time, and we want
to predict its future performance. We can use the material balance equation to
estimate the remaining oil and water volumes, and the production rates required to
maintain a constant reservoir pressure.

First, we need to calculate the initial reservoir volume (Vi) and the current reservoir
volume (Vt). Let's assume that the initial reservoir volume is 10,000 barrels and the
current reservoir volume is 8,000 barrels.

ΔV = Vt - Vi ΔV = 8,000 - 10,000 ΔV = -2,000 barrels

This negative value indicates that the reservoir has undergone some volume loss,
which could be due to water influx, compaction, or other factors.

Next, we need to calculate the net influx or outflux of fluids (ΔN). Let's assume that
the oil and water production rates are 100 and 200 barrels per day, respectively, and
there is no injection or other sources of fluid influx.

ΔN = ΔV + ΔG + ΔS - (Rp + Rwp) ΔN = -2,000 - 0 - 0 - (100 + 200) ΔN = -300

barrels per day

This negative value indicates that the fluids are being withdrawn from the reservoir
faster than they are being replaced. To maintain a constant reservoir pressure, we
need to increase the production rates or consider injecting water or gas to balance
the fluid withdrawal.

By solving the material balance equation iteratively, we can predict the remaining
oil and water volumes, the production rates required to maintain a constant reservoir
pressure, and the ultimate recovery of the reservoir. Of course, in reality, reservoir
simulation is much more complex and involves numerous variables and
uncertainties, but the material balance equation provides a fundamental basis for
understanding the behavior of fluids in a reservoir.

Finite difference and finite element methods are two widely used numerical
techniques for solving partial differential equations in reservoir simulation and other
engineering applications.
Finite difference method (FDM) is a numerical technique that approximates the
solution to a partial differential equation by discretizing the domain into a grid of
nodes, where the equation is solved at each node. The method is based on the Taylor
series expansion of the solution function, which is approximated using the values of
the function and its derivatives at the discrete grid points. The grid spacing and the
time step are chosen to balance the accuracy of the approximation with the
computational cost of the simulation.
In reservoir simulation, finite difference method is often used to solve the partial
differential equations that govern the flow of fluids in the reservoir. The reservoir is
divided into a grid of cells, where each cell represents a small volume of the
reservoir. The fluid properties, such as the pressure and the fluid saturations, are
computed at each cell using the finite difference method. The method is simple to
implement and can handle complex geometries and boundary conditions.
Finite element method (FEM) is another numerical technique for solving partial
differential equations, which is based on the variational principle of the underlying
physics. The method approximates the solution to a differential equation by dividing
the domain into small elements, where the equation is solved at each element. The
method is based on the principle of minimizing the energy functional of the system,
which is approximated using the values of the function and its derivatives at the
discrete points.
In reservoir simulation, finite element method is often used to solve the partial
differential equations that govern the deformation of the reservoir due to pressure
changes. The reservoir is divided into a mesh of elements, where the deformation of
each element is computed using the finite element method. The method can handle
complex geometries and material properties and can accurately capture the local
effects of the deformation.

Example 1: Consider a gas reservoir with an initial gas volume of 10 BCF (billion
cubic feet). After a period of time, the gas volume has decreased to 8 BCF, and the
reservoir pressure has declined from 3,000 psia to 2,500 psia. Assuming that the
gas formation volume factor is constant at 0.01 RB/SCF (reservoir barrels per
standard cubic feet), what is the cumulative volume of gas that has been produced
from the reservoir?

Solution: The material balance equation for a gas reservoir is given by:

Np = G * (Pci - Pwf) / (Bg * (Pci - Pb))

 where Np is the cumulative volume of gas produced, G is the original gas in place,
Pci is the initial reservoir pressure, Pwf is the final reservoir pressure, Bg is the gas
formation volume factor, and Pb is the bubble point pressure.

Substituting the given values, we get:

Np = G * (Pci - Pwf) / (Bg * (Pci - Pb)) = 10 * (3000 - 2500) / (0.01 * 3000) =

10^9 * 500 / 3

Therefore, the cumulative volume of gas that has been produced from the reservoir
is approximately 166.67 MMSCF (million standard cubic feet).

Example 2 for a closed, undersaturated reservoir:

A reservoir has an initial oil in place (OIIP) of 10,000 STB and initial reservoir
pressure (Pi) of 3,000 psi. After producing 1,000 STB of oil, the reservoir pressure
has declined to 2,900 psi. Assume the reservoir temperature is constant.

The material balance equation is:

(Np + Gp) Boi = (N - Np - Gp) Bt + Eo + Eg

where:

 Np = cumulative oil produced, STB

 Gp = cumulative gas produced, SCF
 Boi = initial oil formation volume factor, RB/STB
 Bt = total formation volume factor, RB/STB
 Eo = oil expansion, RB/STB
 Eg = gas expansion, RB/SCF
 N = initial oil in place, STB

Plugging in the given values:

(1000 + 0) 1.3 = (10000 - 1000 - 0) 1.25 + 0 + 0

Solving for Bt:

Bt = 1.294 RB/STB

Example 3 for a closed, saturated reservoir:

 A reservoir has an initial oil in place (OIIP) of 5,000 STB and initial reservoir
pressure (Pi) of 2,500 psi. After producing 500 STB of oil, the reservoir pressure
remains constant at 2,500 psi. Assume the reservoir temperature is constant.

The material balance equation is:

(Np + Gp) Boi = (N - Np - Gp) Bt + Eo + Eg

where the variables are defined as before.

Plugging in the given values:

(500 + 0) 1.4 = (5000 - 500 - 0) 1.3 + 0 + 0

Solving for Bt:

Bt = 1.306 RB/STB

Example 4 for a closed, undersaturated reservoir with gas cap:

A reservoir has an initial oil in place (OIIP) of 50,000 STB and initial reservoir
pressure (Pi) of 4,000 psi. The reservoir has a gas cap of 5,000 SCF. After
producing 10,000 STB of oil and 2,000 SCF of gas, the reservoir pressure has
declined to 3,500 psi. Assume the reservoir temperature is constant.

The material balance equation is:

(Np + Gp) Boi = (N - Np - Gp) Bt + Eo + Eg

where:

 Np = cumulative oil produced, STB

 Gp = cumulative gas produced, SCF
 Boi = initial oil formation volume factor, RB/STB
 Bt = total formation volume factor, RB/STB
 Eo = oil expansion, RB/STB
 Eg = gas expansion, RB/SCF
 N = initial oil in place, STB + initial gas cap, SCF/0.1781 (to convert to STB)

Plugging in the given values:

(10000 + 2000) 1.35 = (50000 - 10000 - 1000) 1.30 + 0 + (5000 - 2000) / 1781

Solving for Bt:

Bt = 1.275 RB/STB