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Material Balance Equation

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Farwa Samo
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27 views

Material Balance Equation

Uploaded by

Farwa Samo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Material Balance Equation

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Introduction
◦ The material balance equation (MBE) has long been recognized
as one of the basic tools of reservoir engineers for interpreting
and predicting reservoir performance.
◦ The MBE, when properly applied, can be used to:

◦ • Estimate initial hydrocarbon volumes in place


◦ • Predict future reservoir performance
◦ • Predict ultimate hydrocarbon recovery under various types of
primary driving mechanisms
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◦ The concept of the material balance equation was presented by
Schilthuis in 1941.
◦ In its simplest form, the equation can be written on a volumetric
basis as:
Initial volume = volume remaining + volume removed
◦ Since oil, gas, and water are present in petroleum reservoirs, the
material balance equation can be expressed for the total fluids
or for any one of the fluids present.
◦ Before deriving the material balance, it is convenient to denote
certain terms by symbols for brevity.

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Symbols in MBE

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◦ Several of the material balance calculations require the total pore volume (P.V) as expressed in
terms of the initial oil volume N and the volume of the gas cap.
◦ The expression for the total pore volume can be derived by conveniently introducing the
parameter m into the relationship as follows:
◦ Defining the ratio m as:

◦ Solving for the volume of the gas cap gives:

◦ The total volume of the hydrocarbon system is then given by:

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◦ Treating the reservoir pore as an idealized container as
illustrated in Figure 11-14, volumetric balance expressions
can be derived to account for all volumetric changes which
occur during the natural productive life of the reservoir.

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Generalized form

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Pore Volume Occupied by the Oil Initially in Place

Pore Volume Occupied by the Gas in the Gas Cap

Pore Volume Occupied by the Remaining Oil

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Pore Volume Occupied by the Gas Cap at Reservoir Pressure p

Pore Volume Occupied by the Evolved Solution Gas

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Pore Volume Occupied by the Net Water Influx

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Change in Pore Volume Due to Initial Water and Rock Expansion
◦ The component describing the reduction in the hydrocarbon pore volume due to the expansion of initial
(connate) water and the reservoir rock cannot be neglected for an under saturated-oil reservoir.
◦ The water compressibility cw and rock compressibility cf are generally of the same order of magnitude as the
compressibility of the oil.
◦ The effect of these two components, however, can be generally neglected for the gas-cap-drive reservoir or
when the reservoir pressure drops below the bubble-point pressure.
◦ The compressibility coefficient c, which describes the changes in the volume (expansion) of the fluid or material
with changing pressure, is given by:

◦ where ΔV represents the net changes or expansion of the material as a result of changes in the pressure.
◦ Therefore, the reduction in the pore volume due to the expansion of the connate-water in the oil zone and the
gas cap is given by:

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Pore Volume Occupied by the Injection Gas and Water

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The above relationship is referred to as the material balance equation (MBE). 14
◦ A more convenient form of the MBE can be determined by introducing the concept
of the total (two-phase) formation volume factor Bt into the equation. This oil PVT
property is defined as:

◦ Introducing Bt into Equation 11-15 and assuming, for the sake of simplicity, no water
or gas injection gives:

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Graphical Material Balance (P/Z Curve)
◦ One can use a graphical form of the material balance equation to analyze a gas reservoir and predict its
behavior especially if no water drive is present.

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◦ Hence plot of Gp vs p/z should give a straight line

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◦ If gas was ideal a plot of Gp vs p would be a straight line.
◦ It is often practice to do this and get a relatively straight line, but caution has to be
taken, since deviation from a straight line could indicate additional energy support.
- when p/z = 0 Gp = G the original gas in place
- when Gp = 0 p/z = pi/zi
◦ This procedure is often used in predicting gas reserves.
◦ Often the influence of water drive is ignored resulting in a serious error in reserves.
◦ This simple analysis method for gas reservoirs has gained wide acceptance in the
industry as a history matching tool, to determine for example an estimate of initial
gas reserves based on production data.
◦ This figure can then be compared to estimates from exploration methods.
◦ It can also give indications of gas to be produced at abandonment pressures.
◦ The following example exercise from Slider’s2 reservoir engineering text illustrates
the application of the method
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