Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology

Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering

PME - 111
Reservoir Rock and Fluid Properties

Topics: Phase Behavior and Identification of Reservoir Fluid

Instructor: Md. Mizanur Rahman

Assistant Professor
Email: mizanurpe@cuet.ac.bd
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 Phase Behavior
Phase
- any homogeneous and physically distinct part of a system which is
separated from other parts of the system by definite bounding surfaces.
- three-phase system: solid, liquid, and gas.
Physical properties
 Intensive Properties:
- independent of the quantity of material present
- Example: Density, specific volume, and compressibility factor
 Extensive Properties:
- dependent of the quantity of material present such as volume and
mass;
- their values are determined by the total quantity of matter present.
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 Phase Behavior-Cont.
Variables
 Pressure, Temperature and Volume
 Pressure and temperature are imposed on the system
and determine the phase or phases which exist.
 The phases which exist are identified by their specific
volumes or densities.
• Phase Diagram
- graph of pressure plotted against temperature showing
the conditions under which the various phases of a
substance will be present.
- often called pressure-temperature diagrams. 3
 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance

The Vapor-Pressure Line

 TC
 Pressure-Temperature points
- above TC indicates liquid
phase
- Below TC indicates gas
- Exactly on the TC line
indicates the coexistence of
gas and liquid
Fig. 2-1. Typical phase diagram of
a pure substance.

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 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance
The Critical Point
• Point C: The upper limit of the vapor-pressure line
Critical Temperature
- temperature above which the gas cannot be liquefied,
regardless of the pressure applied.
critical pressure
- the pressure above which liquid and gas cannot coexist,
regardless of the temperature. T

Note: These definitions of critical properties are invalid for

systems with more than one component.
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 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance
Triple point
• Point T on the vapor-pressure line
• This point represents the pressure and temperature at which
solid, liquid, and gas coexist under equilibrium conditions.
The Sublimation-Pressure Line
- At temperatures below the triple-point temperature,
- Substance transform from sloid to gas and gas to solid
The Melting Point Line
- This line separates solid conditions from liquid conditions.
- pressure-temperature points, fall exactly on this line
indicate a two phase system—coexistence of solid and
liquid.
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Fig. 2-3. Typical phase diagram of a pure substance with two
lines of isothermal expansion: 123 below critical temperature, 45 above
critical temperature. 8
Fig. 2-4. Typical phase diagram of a pure substance with two lines of
isobaric temperature change: 123below critical pressure, 45 above
critical pressure. 9
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
• saturation envelope, phase envelope, or two-phase region
Bubble Point
- The point at which a few molecules
are able to leave the liquid and form a
Small bubble of gas
Bubble Point Pressure
- The pressure at which the first gas is
formed

Dew Point
- The point at which a small droplet
of liquid form from gas
Fig. 2-13. Typical diagram of a two-
component mixture with line of
Dew Point Pressure isothermal expansion, 12.
The pressure at which first dew is formed 11
 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
The Critical Point
- common point of bubble point line
and dew point line
- liquid and gas can coexist at
temperatures and pressures above
the critical point.
- the saturation envelope exists at
temperatures higher than the critical
temperature and at pressures higher
than the critical pressure.
- the point at which ail properties of
the liquid and the gas become Fig. 2-14. Typical phase diagram of a
identical. two-component mixture with vapor-
pressure lines of the two pure
components.
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
- The critical temperature of the
mixture lies between the critical
temperatures of the two pure
components.
- the critical pressure of the
mixture is above the critical
pressures of both of the
components.

Cricondentherm
The highest temperature on the
saturation envelope after which
two phase can not exist
Fig. 2-17. Typical phase diagram of a two-
component mixture with definitions of
cricondenbar and cricondentherm.
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
Cricondenbar
- The highest pressure on the
saturation envelope after which
two phase can not coexist

Retrograde Condensation

Fig. 2-18. Typical phase diagram of a two-

component mixture with line of isothermal
expansion, 123, in the retrograde region.
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 Identification of Fluid Type
Reservoir fluid type can be identified by
Laboratory test (accurate method)
Rules of thumb based on
the initial producing gas-oil ratio,
the gravity of the stock-tank liquid, and
the color of the stock-tank liquid.
Phase diagram

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 Black Oils
Phase Diagram
- the iso-vols are spaced
fairly evenly within the
envelope.

Undersaturated Oil
- indicate that the oil
could dissolve more
gas if more gas were
present
- Above bubble pint Fig. 5-1. Phase diagram of a typical black oil with line of
pressure Isothermal reduction of reservoir pressure, 123, and
surface separator conditions.
- Single phase in
reservoir 16
 Black Oils
Saturated Oil
• Oil is at its bubble point or less pressure
• Two phase exist in reservoir (oil and free gas)
• Oil can not dissolve more gas
Black oil also known as low shrinkage crude oil or ordinary oil

Field Identification of Biack Olis

- initial producing gas-oil ratios of 2000 scf/STB or less
- Producing gas-oil ratio will increase during production when
reservoir pressure falls below the bubble-point pressure of the
oil.
- Stock tank oil gravity below 45°API,
- Stock-tank oil gravity will slightly decrease with time
- the stock-tank oil is very dark, indicating the presence of heavy
hydrocarbons, often black, sometimes with a greenish cast, or
brown.
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 Black Oils
Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils
- initial oil formation volume factor of 2.0 res bbl/STB or
less
- Composition of heptanes plus will be higher than 30
mole percent,

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 Volatile Oils
- contain relatively fewer
heavy molecules and more
intermediates (defined as
ethane through hexanes) than
black oils

Fig. 5-2. Phase diagram of a typical volatile oil

with line of isothermal reduction of reservoir
pressure, 123, and surface separator
conditions. 19
 Volatile Oils
Volatile Oil Phase Diagram
- The temperature range covered by the phase envelope is
somewhat smaller,
- The critical temperature is much lower than for a black oil and,
is close to reservoir temperature.
- the iso-vols are not evenly spaced but are shifted upwards
toward the bubble-point line.
- a small reduction in pressure below the bubble point, causes
the release of a large amount of gas in the reservoir.

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 Volatile Oils
Field Identification of Volatile Olis
- initial producing gas-oil ratios between 2000 and 3300 scf/STB.
- The producing gas-oil ratio increases as production proceeds
- The stock-tank oil gravity is usually 40°APT or higher
- Stock-tank oil gravity increase during production as reservoir
pressure falls below the bubble point.
- The stock-tank oil is colored (usually brown, or: orange, or
sometimes green)

Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils

- initial oil formation volume factor greater than 2.0 res bbl/STB
- 12.5 to 30 mole percent heptancs plus

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 Retrograde Gases
Retrograde Gas Phase Diagram
- Contains fewer of the heavy
hydrocarbons than do the
oils
- the phase diagram of a
retrograde gas is somewhat
smaller than that for oils
- critical temperature less
than reservoir temperature
and a cricondentherm
Fig. 5-3. Phase diagram of a typical
greater than reservoir retrograde gas with line of isothermal
temperature reduction of reservoir pressure, 123,
and surface separator conditions.

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 Retrograde Gases
- Initially, the retrograde gas is totally gas in the reservoir, point 1
- As reservoir pressure decreases, the retrograde gas exhibits a
dew point, point 2
- As pressure is reduced, liquid condenses from the gas to form a
free liquid in the reservoir
- This liquid will normally not flow and cannot be produced
- at some low pressure the liquid begins to revaporize.

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 Retrograde Gases
Field Identification of Volatile Oils
 The lower limit of the initial producing gas-oil ratio is
approximately 3300 scf/STB.
 The upper limit is not well defined; values of over 150,000
scf/STB have been observed.
 Producing gas-oil ratios increases after production begins when
reservoir pressure falls below the dew-point pressure of the
gas.
 when producing gas-oil ratio is above 50,000scf/STB, the
quantity of retrograde liquid in the reservoir is very small and
the reservoir fluid can be treated as if it were a wet gas
 Stock-tank liquid gravities are between 40° and 60°API and
increase as reservoir pressure falls below the dew-point
pressure 24
 Retrograde Gases
 The liquid can be lightly colored, brown, orange, greenish, or
water-white.
Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils
 Retrograde gases exhibit a dew point when pressure is reduced at
reservoir temperature.
 The heptanes plus fraction is less than 12.5 mole percent.
 Retrograde behavior will occur at reservoir conditions for gases
with less than one percent heptanes plus, but for these gases the
quantity of retrograde liquid is negligible.
Comments:
 Retrograde gases are also called retrograde gas-condensates,
retrograde condensate gases, gas condensates, or condensates.”
 The use of the word “condensate” in the name of this reservoir
fluid leads to much confusion. 25
 Wet Gas
Phase Diagram
- exists as a gas in the reservoir
throughout the reduction in
reservoir pressure.
- separator conditions lie within the
phase envelope, causing some
liquid to be formed at the surface.

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 Wet Gas
Field Identification of Wet Gases
 Stock-tank liquid gravities are between 40° and
60°API
 the gravity of the stock tank liquid does not change
during the life of the reservoir
 a gas which produces more than 50,000 scf/STB can
be treated as if it were a wet gas
 Producing gas-oil ratios will remain constant during
the life of a wet gas reservoir.

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 Dry Gases
Dry Gas Phase Diagram
- primarily methane with some
intermediates
- exists solely as a gas in the
reservoir throughout the
reduction in reservoir pressure
- normal surface separator
conditions fall outside the phase
envelope
- no liquid is formed at the
surface
- A dry gas reservoir often is
called simply a gas reservoir.
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