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RESERVOIR MECHANISMS
Shrinkage losses are reductions in the oil recovery that result from oil displacement ocurring at lower
rather than higher pressures. These losses arise because, due to oil shrinkage, a fixed volume of residual
oil will represent more stock tank oil at the lower pressure than at the higher pressure. (note the contrast with gas !)
In a waterflood it is assumed that oil is swept at a flood front pressure pf , immediately becoming trapped
behind the front at a residual oil saturation Sor. If the volumetric sweep efficiency is E, calculate the oil
recovery factor for P flood = 2756 psi and P flood = 1740 psi.
Assume that oil in the unswept part of the reservoir is also trapped at P flood, but that here its saturation
is reduced by the critical gas saturation to (1- Swc - Sgc )
How much loss of recovery will be suffered due to shrinkage by waterflooding at 1740 psi rather than 2756 psi?
Hint:
First find an expression for the original pore volume and the oil volume remaining after flood, assuming
a sweep efficiency E in the flooded part of the reservoir. Then calculate the oil recovery factor Np/N.
RESERVOIR MECHANISMS
Fluid Properties:
Oil
Pressure Bo Rs Viscosity
(psia) (RB/STB) (scf/STB) (cp)