Reservoir

Engineering П
Phase Behavior and Pressure-
Temperature Diagram

By
Assist lect. Farah N. Almohammad
 Phase Behavior
• A phase is defined as any homogeneous part of a
system that is physically distinct and separated from
other parts of the system by definite boundaries.

• For example, ice, liquid water, and water vapor

constitute three separate phases of the pure substance
H2O.

• Because each is homogeneous and physically distinct

from the others; moreover, each is clearly defined by
the boundaries existing between them.
Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
 Phase Behavior
• Whether a substance exists in a solid, liquid, or
gas phase is determined by the temperature and
pressure acting on the substance.

• It is known that ice (solid phase) can be changed

to water (liquid phase) by increasing its
temperature and, by further increasing the
temperature, water changes to steam (vapor
phase).

• The change in phases is termed phase behavior.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
 Behavior Of Hydrocarbon System
• Hydrocarbon systems found in petroleum reservoirs
display multiphase behavior over wide ranges of
pressures and temperatures.

• The most important phases that occur in petroleum

reservoirs are a liquid phase, such as crude oils or
condensates, and a gas phase, such as natural gases.

• This is depending on the nature of crude oil

composition (light (C1 & C2), intermediate (C3 – C6)
or heavy components (C7+)).
Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
 Pressure-Temperature Diagram
• The conditions under which these phases exist
are important.

• The experimental or the mathematical

determinations of these conditions are
conveniently expressed in different types of
diagrams, commonly called phase diagrams.

• pressure-temperature diagram can be defined as

a map of the phase of a substance as a function
of temperature (X-axis) and pressure (Y-axis).
Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 Pressure-Temperature Diagram
To fully understand the significance of the p-T diagrams, it is
necessary to identify and define the following key points on the p-
T diagram:

• Cricondentherm (Tct): The cricondentherm is the maximum

temperature above which liquid cannot be formed regardless of
pressure (point E), or simply it is the maximum temperature of the
two phase region. The corresponding pressure is termed the
cricondentherm pressure, Pct.

• Cricondenbar (Pcb): The cricondenbar is the maximum

pressure above which no gas can be formed regardless of
temperature (point D), or simply it is the maximum pressure of the
two phase region. The corresponding temperature is called the
cricondenbar temperature, Tcb.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 Pressure-Temperature Diagram
• Critical point: The critical point for a multicomponent mixture
is referred to as the state of pressure and temperature at which all
intensive properties of the gas and liquid phases are equal (point
C). At the critical point, the corresponding pressure and
temperature are called the critical pressure, pc, and critical
temperature, Tc, of the mixture.

• Phase envelope (two-phase region): The region enclosed by

the bubble point curve and the dew point curve (line BCA), where
gas and liquid coexist in equilibrium, is identified as the phase
envelope of the hydrocarbon system.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 Pressure-Temperature Diagram
• Quality lines: The lines within the phase diagram are called
quality lines. They describe the pressure and temperature
conditions for equal liquid percentage by volumes (% of liquid).
Note that the quality lines converge at the critical point (point C).

• Bubble point curve: The bubble point curve (line BC) is

defined as the line separating the liquid phase region from the two-
phase region.

• Dew point curve: The dew point curve (line AC) is defined as
the line separating the vapor phase region from the two-phase
region.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 Cronquist Classification
• Hydrocarbon reservoirs are usually classified into the following
five main types, after Cronquist, 1979:

• Dry gas
• Wet gas
• Gas condensate
• Volatile oil
• Black oil

• Each of these reservoirs can be understood in terms of its phase

envelope. The typical components of production from each of
these reservoirs is shown in Table 1.
Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
 Cronquist Classification
Table 1: Typical Mol% Compositions of Fluids Produced from Cronquist Reservoir

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 1. Dry Gas Reservoirs
• The reservoir temperature is
well above the cricondentherm.

• During production the fluids

are reduced in temperature and
pressure.

• The temperature-pressure path

followed during production
does not penetrate the phase
envelope, resulting in the
production of gas at the surface
with no associated liquid phase.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 2. Wet Gas Reservoirs
• The reservoir temperature is
just above the cricondentherm.

• During production the fluids

are reduced in temperature and
pressure.

• The temperature-pressure path

followed during production just
penetrates the phase envelope,
resulting in the production of
gas at the surface with a small
associated liquid phase.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 3. Gas Condensate Reservoirs
• The reservoir temperature is such
that it falls between the temperature
of the critical point and the
cricondentherm.

• The production path then has a

complex history.

• Initially, the fluids are in a vapour

phase, and the vapour expands as the
pressure and temperature drop until
the dewpoint line is reached,
whereupon increasing amounts of
liquids are condensed from the
vapour phase.
Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram
Farah N. Almohammad
 3. Gas Condensate Reservoirs
• If the pressures and temperatures
reduce further, the condensed liquid
may reevaporate, although
sufficiently low pressures and
temperatures may not be available
for this to happen.

• If this occurs, the process is called

isothermal retrograde condensation.

• Isobaric retrograde condensation

also exists as a scientific
phenomenon, but does not occur in
hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 4. Volatile Oil Reservoirs
• The reservoir PT conditions place it
inside the phase envelope, with a
liquid oil phase existing in
equilibrium with a vapour phase
having gas condensate compositions.

• The production path results in small

amounts of further condensation, and
re-evaporation can occur again, but
should be avoided as much as
possible by keeping the stock tank
pressure as high as possible.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad
 5. Black Oil Reservoirs
• The reservoir temperature is much
lower than the temperature of the
critical point of the system, and at
pressures above the cricondenbar.
Thus, the hydrocarbon in the
reservoir exists as a liquid at depth.

• The production path first involves a

reduction in pressure with only small
amounts of expansion in the liquid
phase. Once the bubble point line is
reached, gas begins to come out of
solution and continues to do so until
the stock tank is reached.

Phase Behavior and Pressure-Temperature Diagram

Farah N. Almohammad