PETE 402

RESERVOIR SIMULATION

Hasan Y. Al-Yousef
Petroleum Engineering Department
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
 WHAT IS RESERVOIR
MANAGEMENT?

Reservoir management is the

application of available
technology and knowledge in
order to control operations and
maximize economic recovery of a
reservoir system.
MOST COMMON OBJECTIVES OF
RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT

 Increase hydrocarbon reserves

 Maximize recovery
 Increase production rates
 Minimize capital expenditures
 Minimize operating costs
 WHAT IS SIMULATION?

Simulation is the utilization of a

model to obtain some insight into
the behavior of a physical
process.
 Mimic or imitate the process
 Appearance without reality
 WHAT IS RESERVOIR
SIMULATION?
Reservoir simulation is the
utilization of a computer program
that solves the fluid flow equations
to study the behavior of petroleum
reservoir systems.
A reservoir simulator is a computer
program that solves the fluid flow
equations.
WHEN RESERVOIR SIMULATION
SHOULD BE USED?
 When the problem under investigation
can not be solved any other way.
 When reservoir simulation is cheaper
and faster than other methods.
 When reservoir simulation is more
reliable.
 APPLICATIONS OF
RESERVOIR SIMULATION
 Predict the future performance of the
reservoir under various development
scenarios
 Optimize the production system (type,
number and location of wells required)
 Perform sensitivity study to determine
the key parameters that influence the
results of the process under investigation
 MODELING METHODS
 Physical Models
Laboratory models that allow the simulation of
physical behavior of processes using fluid and core
samples or sand packs.
 Mathematical Models
A set of differential equations describing the physical
behavior of the process under investigation.
 Other Methods
Empirical correlations
Electrical analog models
 TYPES OF SIMULATORS
 Black Oil
Models water, oil, and gas phases. Hydrocarbon
components are lumped into two hydrocarbon pseudo
phases.
 Compositional
Models individual components in the hydrocarbon phases.
 Chemical
Models reaction chemistry of recovery processes.
 Thermal
Takes into account variation of temperature.
 DEVELOPMENT OF A
RESERVOIR SIMULATOR

1. Mathematical Model

2. Numerical Model

3. Computer Model
MATHEMATICAL MODEL

 Fluid flow equations

 Initial conditions

 Boundary conditions
 Definitions of Terms
x, y & z = coordinate system
(distance)
t = time
Saturation: So , Sw & Sg
Pressure: po , pw & pg (psig or psia)
Permeability: k
Porosity: 
 Definitions of Terms
Thickness: h
Width: b
Formation Volume Factor: Bo , Bw & Bg
Viscosity: o, w, g
Solution Gas Oil Ratio: Rso
Compressibility: co , cw , cg , cr , & ct
ct = So co + Sw cw + Sg cg+ cr
 Definitions of Terms
Relative permeability: kr
kr (Sat.) = keffective / kbase
kro = f(Sw , Sg)
krw = f(Sw)
krg = f(Sg)
pc = Capillary pressure
 FLUID FLOW EQUATIONS

Capillary Pressure Equations:

Pcow = Po - Pw
Pcgo = Pg - Po

Saturation Equation:
So + Sw + Sg = 1
 FLUID FLOW EQUATIONS
Darcy’s Law:
k p
v
 x
k k p
vo   ro o
 x
o
Continuity Equation:
 * 
 [  i vi ]  m  [  i  Si ]
x i t
SINGLE PHASE FLOW EQUATION

 3  k h p  
1.127 10 [ ]Q  h [
*
]
x  B x t 5.615 B
 3  p   ct h p
1.127 10 [k h ]  Q B 
*

x x 5.615 t
 3  p   ct p
2
1.127 10 
x 2
5.615k t
ct  c f  cr
 MULTI-PHASE FLOW EQUATIONS

Oil:
 k hk p   SO
1.127 10 3 [ ro o *
]Q  h [ ]
x  B x o t 5.615 BO
o o
Water:
 k hk p   Sw
1.127 10 3 [ rw w *
]Q  h [ ]
x W B x w t 5.615 Bw
w
 MULTI-PHASE FLOW EQUATIONS

Gas:
p
 k h kro Rs po
k hk
3  rg g
1.127 10 { [ ] [ ]}  Q*
x  B x x  B x g
g g o o
S
  g So Rs
h [ (  )]
t 5.615 B B
g o
 INITIAL AND BOUNDARY
CONDITIONS
 InitialCondition:
At t=0 , Saturation and pressure
distribution must be known
 Boundary Conditions:
The boundary conditions are specified
at specific locations in the space
domain
 NUMERICAL MODEL

 Finite difference technique

Replace the differential equations by
finite difference equations
 System of equations
The application of finite difference
technique results in a set of algebraic
equations
 COMPUTER MODEL
Desirable Features in the Computer Model:
 User friendly input and output features
 Efficiency of coding
 Optimum use of storage and computing
resources
 Checking input data and diagnostic
messages
 Portability