RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

PRESSURE EFFECTS ON WATERFLOODING

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 )

Use the attached PVT data with:

Pi = 3220 psi, Swc = 0.25, Sor = 0.25, Sgc = 0.05, E = 0.70

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.
urring at lower
volume of residual
note the contrast with gas !)

becoming trapped
calculate the oil

ere its saturation

1740 psi rather than 2756 psi?

flood, assuming
factor Np/N.
 RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

PRESSURE EFFECTS ON WATERFLOODING

Fluid Properties:

Reservoir Temperature (deg F) 150

Oil Gravity (deg API) 33.3
Initial Pressure (psia) 3220
Separator Gas Gravity (SG air=1) 0.85
Separator Temperature (deg F) 105
Separator Pressure (psia) 75

Dissolved Gas-Oil-Ratio (scf/STB) 880

Bubble Point Pressure (psia) 2900

Oil
Pressure Bo Rs Viscosity
(psia) (RB/STB) (scf/STB) (cp)

500 1.0891 111 1.88

1000 1.1554 249 1.27
1500 1.2339 402 0.96
1740 1.2754 479 0.86
2000 1.3228 565 0.78
2500 1.4206 738 0.66
2756 1.4738 829 0.61
2900 1.5043 880 0.59
3220 1.4962 880 0.60
 RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

PRESSURE EFFECTS ON WATERFLOODING

The trends in fluid properties with pressure provide an insight with respect to
the pressure effects associated with waterflooding.

1. The lower the value of pressure, the lower value of Bo and a barrel of residual
oil will contain a larger surface volume of oil.
2. The oil formation volume factor reduction with decreasing pressure below the
bubble point is attributed to a reduction in the dissolved gas content of the oil.
3. The oil viscosity increases with decreasing pressure below the bubble point resulting
in a more adverse mobility displacement.

Oil Volume Factor Dissolved Gas-Oil-Ratio Oil Viscosity

1000 2.00
Oil Formation Volume Factor (RB/STB)

2
900 1.80
1.60

Dissolved GOR (scf/STB)

1.8 800
700 1.40

Oil Viscosity (cp)

1.6 600 1.20
500 1.00
1.4 400 0.80
300 0.60
1.2 200 0.40
100 0.20
1 0 0.00
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500

Pressure (psi) Pressure (psi) Pressure (psi)

 RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

PRESSURE EFFECTS ON WATERFLOODING

Assumptions:
P flood = Pressure level at which the floods takes place
E = Volumetric sweep efficiency
Reservoir volume swept (E) is swept down to Sor
Reservoir volume by-passed (1-E) will be at So = (1-scw-Sgc)

1. Oil remaining (s.c.) after a flood at 2756 psi:

NB oi 1
(1−S wc
{ES +(1−E )(1−S cw−S gc } B
) or oPf 2756

2. Oil remaining (s.c.) after a flood at 1740 psi:

NB oi 1
( 1−S wc )
{ ES or +( 1−E )( 1−S cw−S gc }
BoPf 1740

3. Oil “lost” (s.c) due to shrinkage as a fraction of N will thus be :

B oi 1 1
(1−S wc )
{ES or +(1−E )(1−S cw−S gc }( B −
B oPf 2756
)
oPf 1740

4. Evaluate lost (Np / N) for above conditions:

(Np / N) lost = 0.081067 8.1% of recovery is lost due to lower pressure flood effects!

where Boi = 1.4962

Swc = 0.25
Sor = 0.25
E= 0.7
Sgc = 0.05
Bopf1740 = 1.2754
Bopf2756 = 1.4738