RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

GAS CAP EXPANSION

The reservoir shown below produces from five wells (A through E). The cumulative production of oil, gas and water is show
on the attached Data sheet. From this data and the water production, it is apparent that the reservoir is receiving some aq

Other important reservoir pressure and fluid characteristics are also included on the Data sheet.

A B C D

OGIP = 22.3 Bcf

Aquifer Size = N/A

Find the amount of gas cap expansion that has taken place as of the date of the cumulative production recordings

Note that you will need to estimate the volume of gas that may have migrated from the oil zone to the gas cap. For this est
that the oil zone gas saturation remains close to the critical gas saturation of 3% with the remaining liberated solution gas e
or moving to the gas cap.
oil, gas and water is shown
voir is receiving some aquifer support.

OOIP = 100 MMSTB

e production recordings.

the gas cap. For this estimation, assume

g liberated solution gas either being produced
 RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

GAS CAP EXPANSION

The following data are available to describe the reservoir:

Original Oil-In-Place (MMSTB) = 100

Original Gas-In-Place (Bcf) = 22.3

Initial Water Saturation (fraction) = 0.25

Oil Gravity (deg API) = 34

Dissolved GOR (scf/STB) = 648
Gas Cap Gas Gravity = 0.75

Reservoir Temperature (deg F) = 165

Initial Reservoir Pressure (psia) = 2250
Current Pressure (psia) = 2000

Separator Gas Gravity = 0.9

Separator Temperature (deg F) = 90
Separator Pressure (psia) = 65

Current Cumulative Production:

Oil Gas Water

Well (MMSTB) (Bcf) (MMSTB)

A 3.2 2.4 2.2

B 1.5 0.9 0
C 0.9 4.5 0
D 3.4 6.8 0.9
E 2.2 3.3 3.1

Total 11.2 17.9 6.2

 RESERVOIR MECHANISMS

GAS CAP EXPANSION

1. Find the oil and gas PVT properties at the original and current pressure. (These properties were obtained from P3
the fluid properties correlation program.)

Pressure Bo Rs Bg
(psia) (RB/STB) (scf/STB) (rcf/scf)

2250 1.3810 648.5 0.00625

2000 1.3329 563.6 0.00706

2. Now find the amount of gas that has migrated into the gas cap at the current pressure.

The pore volume of the oil zone is [N * Boi / (1.0 - Swi)] = 100 MM * 1.381 / (1.0 - 0.25)

Oil Zone Pore Volume (MMRB) = 184.1

Gas Saturated Oil Zone Volume (MMRB) = 5.52

Free Gas in Oil Zone (MMcf) = 4,393 (at current pressure)

Released Solution Gas = N * Rsi - (N-Np) * Rs - Gps

Released Solution Gas = 100 * 648.5 - (100 - 11.2) * 563.6 - Gps

Released Solution Gas (MMcf) = 14,802 - Gps

Gas Migration + Solution Gas Production = Free gas in the oil zone - released solution gas

Gas Migration + Solution Gas Production = 14,802 MMcf - 4,393 MMcf

Gas Migration + Solution Gas Production = 10,409 MMcf

3. Now at this point we can not simply assume that recorded gas production for wells is equal to solution gas production, because
this value is in excess of our estimate of gas migration plus solution gas production. This is somewhat evident if we calculate the
producing GOR's for each well which range as high as 5,000 scf/STB and which suggest that coning from the gas cap has occurred.

Therefore, the reported gas production must equal the sum of the solution gas and gas cap gas production. Therefore,

Gp total = Gp solution gas + Gp gas cap

17.9 Bcf = 10.4 Bcf + Gp gas cap (assuming that no gas migrated to the gas cap)

Gp gas cap = 7.5 Bcf (even though no wells are intentionally producing from the cap!)

4. Determine the gas cap expansion term,

Gas Cap Expansion = (OGIP - Gp gas cap) * Bg + G migration - (OGIP * Bgi)

Gas Cap Expansion (MMrcf) = (22.3 - 7.5) * 1000 * 0.00706 + 0 - (22.3 * 1000) * 0.00625

Gas Cap Expansion (MMrcf) = -34.887

Gas Cap Expansion (MMRB) = -6.21

Gas Cap Expansion (MMSTB) = -4.66
So gas cap expansion term is actually a gas cap shrinkage of 4.66 MMSTB. Since oil invasion in the gas cap creates
a residual oil saturation of typically 30%, it is easy to see that approximately 1.4 MMSTB of this oil will be lost.