Analytical methods Practice of Reservoir Engineering
Nowadays people tend to draw a distinction between "classical7' and "modern"
methods in reservoir engineering. By the former is meant using the analytical solutions of linear differential equations, whereas the latter refers to the use of finite difference, multi-cell, numerical simulation models. As pointed out previously, however, no special status should be awarded to simulation, it's simply another tool for attempting to solve the same old problems. Of the two approaches, the use of analytical methods must be regarded as the more specialised and difficult to apply, since it requires considerable knowledge and judgement in the subject to use a particular equation to describe a physical situation in a meaningful fashion. On the other hand, provided the engineer gets the input to a simulator correct and assigned to the right boxes then, applying the finite difference analogue for solving the basic differential equations for mass conservation, volume change and inter-grid block flow, in principle the simulator should be able to provide a solution to any problem irrespective of its complexity. Because of this, simulation would appear to be the obvious way forward in this subject and, indeed, today it is used to tackle just about every reservoir engineering problem in the business. The unfortunate aspect of this trend is that using simulators exclusively is the worst means of ever learning and coming to a more mature understanding of the subject. Data are fed in at one end, results emerge at the other, and in-between the black box does little to reveal what is actually occurring that would broaden the engineer's physical understanding of the reservoir mechanics. This state of affairs is revealed in modern reservoir engineering reports which merely describe the input and what the computer produced as output. Gone are the equations that used to be an integral part of reporting and there is a distinct lack
of any conclusions concerning the physical occurrences that produce a particular
result. Therefore, there is a concentration on the application of simple analytical techniques in the text (lest we forget) to increase the engineers awareness of the subject. On so many occasions, practising reservoir engineers are obliged to think on their feet, there is not always time for simulation to solve all problems.