Chapter 11

Advances In Reservoir Engineering

 Advances In Reservoir
Engineering
The ultimate tool of the reservoir engineer is a
mathematical model capable of simulating the detailed
performance of wells and reservoir under both natural
depletion and various methods of improved recovery.

Terms such as “Reservoir model” and “Mathematical

model” have come to mean, almost exclusively, large and
complex computer programs which describe the dynamic
processes of a producing reservoir.
Major Areas of Advancement
Computer Applications

Reservoir Characterisation

Reservoir Simulation

Measurement Of Porosity

Measurement Of Permeability

Measurement Of Capillary Pressure

 Computer Applications

• Computer programs help in solving reservoir

engineering problems.

• Several software packages are available.

• Some of the computer applications, specially

designed for reservoir engineering computations
are shown in the next slide.
Integrated Software Packages
Vendor Program Description
BAKER WORKBENCH Contains a number of modules
ATLAS
BLACK OIL Black oil reservoir simulation
GEOSCIENCE
  RESERVOIR Reservoir characterization, logging and
(SSI) DESCRIPTION Geostatistics
PDA Decline curve analysis
INTERPRET Well test design and analysis
WPM Well nodal analysis
THERM Thermal reservoir simulation
COMP V Compositional reservoir simulation
PVT Equation of state of fluid PVT property
COMPUTER IMEX Reservoir simulation
MODELING
STARS Thermal simulation
GROUP
WINPROP Equation of state of fluid PVT property determination
 
GEM Compositional reservoir simulation
BUILDER Simulation pre-processor (no log analysis)
RESULTS Simulation post processing
Integrated Software Packages Cont’d
Vendor Program Description
GEOQUEST ECLIPSE Reservoir Simulation

FINDER Data management system

IESX, CHARISMA 2D/3D/4D seismic interpretation

GEOVIZ,GEOCUBE 3D visualization and interpretation

GEOFRAME POSC-complaint integration platform

LANDMARK VIP Suite of integrated packages

GRAPHICS
VIP-ENCORE Black oil module

VIP-THERM Models hot water and steam injection

DESKTOP-PVT Interactive fluid phase behavior package

GEOLINK Geological-to-engineering model interface

GRIDGENR Interactive simulation grid generator

2D/3D VIEW Simulation visualization

STRATAMODEL Advanced reservoir characterization

 Stand-Alone Software Packages
Vendor Program Description
 D.P.COOK OGRE Economic evaluation program
EPS PANSYSTEMS Well test design and pressure transient analysis
ESP Submersible pump design and analysis

WELLFLO Nodal analysis and gas lift design and optimization

FEKETE PIPER Gas pipeline, well bore and reservoir deliverability model
WELL TEST Pressure transient analysis

VALIDATA Read pressure and temperature data from electronic

recorder
FIELD NOTES Transfer well production test data from field to office

INTERA SIMTRAN Numerical well test analysis

SIMFRAC Design of propped and acid fracturing treatments

TERASIM Advanced reservoir simulation software

SIMPERF Near well bore simulator to optimize perforation

performance
GEOSTAT Transfer fine scale geostatistical results into reservoir
simulators
Stand-Alone Software Packages Cont’d
Vendor Program Description
 
KAPPA SAPHIR Pressure transient analysis
EMERAUDE Production logging analysis

MERAK PEEP Economic evaluation program

WELL Well completion data management
VIEW
FORECAST Production decline and P/Z analysis

DEC. TREE Petroleum decision and risk analysis

FDM Field production management

PETROLEUM MBAL General material balance

EXPERTS PROSPER Nodal analysis

GAP Production networks and gas lift optimization

Stand-Alone Software Packages Cont’d

PI DWIGHT’S OILWAT/GAS General material balance for oil and gas reservoirs
WAT  

VOLRES Volumetric determination of oil and gas reserves

SUBPUMP ESP design and analysis

PERFORM Well bore nodal analysis

PIPESOFT II Gas surface network gathering system

ROXAR MORE Black oil and compositional reservoir simulator

IRAP-RMS Geological description

T.TAN EXODUS PC-based reservoir simulator

 Reservoir Characterisation
The reservoir can be described in considerable detail for
‘models” so that the calculations can approach the ideal
situation of actually simulating the physical,chemical, and
thermodynamic processes that occur within the reservoir as
it is produced through some period of time.
In order to properly describe or characterize the reservoir,
the pressure, fluid saturations, and frontal movement can
be defined as function of time and position within the
reservoir.
For simulation study, the reservoir rock is divided into array
consisting of some finite number of interconnected cells, or
discrete grid blocks, depending on the variations in
reservoir rock and fluid properties and the requirements of
 Reservoir Characterisation
Cont’d
The characterization of the simultaneous, trial and error
solutions of material balance and fluid flow equations for
each cell by means of iterative techniques.

The results of these calculations, using simulators, are used

to characterize the reservoir.

Coarse: Thousands of Fine: Millions of Grid

Grid Blocks Blocks
 Reservoir Simulation
Reservoir simulators mimics the reservoir
performance by utilizing mathematical models.

It provides solutions on well basis, regional

basis, and the total reservoir basis.

Simple reservoir engineering models are totally

inadequate to provide the required solutions to
reservoir engineering problems.

To deal with complex reservoir problems, the

engineer must resort to numerical simulation
methods.
 Reservoir Modeling Using
Simulators
A simulator is the most
powerful tool in the tool box.

A reservoir engineer should

select a particular simulation
method, based on the objective
of the project and the
availability of data. P(t)

t
Classification of Reservoir Simulators
by Dimensions
1 6
Cell Cells

0-Dimensional (Tank) 1-Dimensional (1-D)

(6 X 1)

45 528
Cells Cells

2-Dimensional (2-D) 3-Dimensional l (3-D)

(9 X 5) (11 X 8 X 6)
 Types of Reservoir Models and
Their Typical Applications

Modeling of Single-Well Cross-Sectional Sector Models Full-Field

Core-Floods Models Models Models

Kr Pc +
Streamline
Sw Sw Models
Data qo qt
P Match
f (t) fw fw
t Time
 Model Input Data
RESERVOIR FIELD DATA ECONOMIC DATA
DESCRIPTION
PRODUCTION $/BBL
$/WELL
FLUID DATA DATA
ECONOMIC LIMIT
TAX INCENTIVES
Bo , o qo
Bg , g qw
Bw , w qw
Rs , Rsw Pbhp

ROCK/FLUID DATA FLOW RATE

DATA
REL. PERM.
CAP PRESSURE Pi
CONTACTS MER
COMPRESSIBILITY
ROCK DATA WORKOVER
DATA
STRUCTURE
h SKIN
 HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
K ACIDIZATION
REPERFORATION
SQUEEZE
PLUGBACKS
 Process of Reservoir Simulation
Modeling
Geologic Model Simulation Model
U
P
S
C
A
L
E

P-R Data

Geo-Modeling SIMULATOR

K,  , Sw Distribution Maps

P R P R
=
DEPTH

?
TIME T T
Cores Well Seismic Outcrop Basin
Logs Studies Model History Data Simulation Results
Steps in Conducting a Simulation Study
1. Define problem
2. Clarify objectives
3. Formulate a study approach
4. Select a simulation model
5. Populate simulation model with data
6. Conduct study in the historical mode
7. Validate model
8. Predict future performance
9. Re-match history with new data
Sensitivity studies
‘What If’ scenarios
Economic analysis
Facilities design

10. Repeat steps 5 through 7 to improve confidence

 Uses of a Simulation Model
A simulation model is a:
Reservoir planning tool
Reservoir management tool
Reservoir surveillance tool
A simulation model does not accurately/exactly predict
performance of each and every well.
A simulation model is not a one-shot deal. It requires:
Continual updating
Occasional upgrading whenever:
Model predictions deviate from real data
New or more reliable data becomes available
Production operations are altered
Facility modifications are made
Decision (economic) criteria are revised
 Measurement Of Porosity(φ)
This requires that both the bulk volume and either pore or
matrix volume of the rock sample be determined.

The bulk volume of a rock sample is readily measured by

measuring displacement.
Using RUSKA UNIVERSAL POROMETER, the volume
can be read directly from the metering plunger's
micrometer scale.
Rock sample evacuated and weighed, then saturated with
brine or other fluids and re-weighed to determine.

Weight of fluid injected

% porosity = X 100
Density of injected fluid x core bulk volume
 Measurement Of Permeability
Permeability is measured by passing a
P1 P2
fluid of known viscosity through a Upstream Downstream
Pressure Pressure
cylindrical core and measuring the
pressure and flow rate.

RUSKA GAS PERMEAMETER

Use nitrogen or air at about 1 atm.
Pressure. Pressure Calibrated
Gas flow rate corrected at Regulator Orifice
Sample
reference pressure. Holder

Q L
K 
A P
 Measurement Of Capillary
Pressure
Mercury injected at a series of pressures to obtain a mercury Pc
curve.
The mercury Pc curve converted into oil-water or gas-water Pc

Pcair/water/solid = ( σCosθ)air/water/solid
Pcair/mercury/solid ( σCosθ)air/mercury/solid

Pc oil/water/solid = ( σCosθ)air/water/solid
Pcair/mercury/solid ( σCosθ)air/mercury/solid
END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN