Stephen R.

Sills
Drive Mechanisms and
ARCO Exploration and Production Technology
Recovery Piano, Texas, U.S.A.

INTRODUCTION Depending on its discovery pressure, a solution gas drive

The natural energy of a reservoir can be used to move oil
and gas toward the wellbore. Used in such a fashion, these
sources of energy are called drive mechanisms. Early
determination and characterization of the drive mechanism(s)
present within a reservoir may allow a greater ultimate
recovery of hydrocarbons. Drive mechanisms are determined
by the analysis of historical production data, primarily
reservoir pressure data and fluid production ratios.
The three primary oil reservoir drive mechanisms are
solution gas drive, gas cap drive, and water drive (Clark, 1969).
Reservoir pressure trends and producing gas-oil ratio trends
of these three drive mechanisms are shown in Figures 1 and 2,
respectively. A combination or mixed drive occurs when two or
more of the primary drive mechanisms are present in the
same reservoir. A combination drive may also occur when
one or more of the primary drive mechanisms are assisted by
gravity drainage. Table 1 shows the energy sources and
ultimate recovery ranges of the major drive mechanisms.
SOLUTION GAS DRIVE
In a solution (or dissolved) gas drive reservoir, the oil-
bearing rock is completely surrounded by impermeable
barriers. As the reservoir pressure drops during production,
expansion of the oil and its dissolved gas provides most of the
reservoir's drive energy (Figure 3). Additional energy is
obtained from the expansion of the rock and its associated
water.
reservoir can be initially either undersaturated or saturated
(Odeh, 1986). In an undersaturated reservoir, the reservoir
pressure is greater than the bubblepoint of the oil. No free gas
exists in the reservoir while the pressure remains above the
bubblepoint. The reservoir drive energy is provided only by
the limited expansion of the oil, rock, and water. In a
saturated reservoir, the reservoir pressure is at the
bubblepoint. As soon as oil is produced, the pressure drops
and bubbles of solution gas form in the reservoir. This
solution gas liberation causes the oil to shrink, but the oil
shrinkage is more than offset by solution gas expansion, the
primary source of reservoir drive energy below the
bubblepoint.
Production Trends
Solution gas drive reservoirs show characteristic changes
in reservoir pressure, producing gas-oil ratio, and oil and
water production rates during the life of the reservoir. If the
reservoir is initially undersaturated, the reservoir pressure
falls quickly during oil production because of the small
compressibilities of oil, water, and rock. Pressure drops of
several hundred pounds per square inch can easily occur over
a matter of months. Because the only gas produced is that
which evolves from the produced oil in the wellbore, the
gas-oil ratio (GOR) remains constant until the reservoir
reaches the bubblepoint.
Once reservoir pressure reaches the bubblepoint pressure
or if the reservoir was initially saturated, the reservoir
pressure declines less quickly due to the large compressibility

100
Solution
Res Brvoir Pr essure - % of O riginal

Water Drive Qas Drive

80 x>

""•
*••• • »
• • !

60
E
i

rr
o
A 1 Gas Cap Drive

\ Gas Cap Drive o

40 D» / /
c
"o
/
20
n / ;
Solution \
Gas Drive
CL
J^S
Water Drive

20 40 60 80 20 40 60 80
Oil Produced - % of OOIP Oil Produced - % of OOIP

Figure 1. Reservoir pressure trends by drive mechanism. Figure 2. Producing gas-oil ratio trends by drive mechanism.

518