RESERVOIR

ENGINEERING II
GAS RESERVOIRS
MATERIAL BALANCE FOR
CALCULATING WATER INFLUX
• Two unknowns in the material balance equation
• Initial gas-in-place and cumulative water influx
• It needs an independent method of estimating We
• Ultimate recoveries of 80% to 90% are common in volumetric gas
reservoirs.
• Recovery factors in water-drive gas reservoirs can range from 50% to
70%.
MATERIAL BALANCE FOR
CALCULATING WATER INFLUX

The graphical technique can be used to estimate the value of We, because at any time
the difference between the horizontal line (i.e., true value of G) and the sloping line [G
+ (We)/(Bg − Bgi) will give the value of We/(Bg − Bgi).
TRAPED GAS IN THE FLOODED
ZONE

Dake (1994) points out that if the pressure is reduced by rapid gas
withdrawal, the volume of gas trapped in each individual pore space, that is,
Sgrw, will remain unaltered, but its quantity, n, will be reduced.

The gas saturation at any pressure can be adjusted to account for the trapped
gas because the trapped gas will not be recoverable.
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
Havlena and Odeh (1963) expressed the material balance in terms of
gas production, fluid expansion, and water influx as:
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
Dake (1994) points out that the plot will have one of the three shapes.
If the reservoir is of the volumetric depletion type, We = 0, then the
values of F/Eg evaluated should plot as a straight line parallel to the
horizontal axis whose ordinate value is the OGIP
If the reservoir is affected by natural water influx, then the plot of F/Eg
will usually produce a concave downward shaped arc whose exact form
is dependent upon the aquifer size and strength and the gas off-take rate.
The main advantage in the F/Eg versus Gp plot is that it is much more
sensitive than other methods in establishing whether the reservoir is
being influenced by natural water influx or not.
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
A graph of F/Eg vs. ΣΔp WeD/(Eg-Egi) yields a straight line, provided
the unsteady-state influx summation, ΣΔp WeD, is accurately assumed.
The resulting straight line intersects the y-axis at the initial gas-in-place
G and has a slope equal to the water influx constant B.
A reverse of the plotting sequence (left to right) indicates that an
unaccounted aquifer boundary has been reached and that a smaller
aquifer should be assumed in computing the water influx term.
MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION
AS A STRAIGHT LINE
The van Everdingen-Hurst dimensionless water influx WeD is replaced
by the square root of time as:

Where:
C = water influx constant ft3/psi
t = time (any convenient units, i.e., days, year)
The water influx constant C must be determined by using the past
production and pressure of the field in conjunction with Havlena-Odeh
methodology. For the linear system, the underground withdrawal F/Eg is
plotted versus [Σ Δpn zt − tn/(B − Bgi)] on a Cartesian coordinate graph.
WATER INFLUX PROBLEM
Determine if the reservoir is volumetric. Explain. The reservoir
temperature is 210F.

t [meses] P [psia] z Gp [MMscf]

0 3300 0.91 0
1 3200 0.9087 38.5
3 2950 0.909 142
6 2700 0.9089 250
9 2500 0.89 318
13 2250 0.88 420
16 2000 0.82 473
20 1900 0.801 510
35 1850 0.8 585
WATER INFLUX PROBLEM
A gas field with an active water drive showed a pressure decline from
3,000 to 2,000 psia over a 10-month period. From the following
production data, match the past history and calculate the original
hydrocarbon gas in the reservoir. Assume z = 0.8 in the range of
reservoir pressures and T = 140°F.